This Diwali decorate Mindfully!

The festival of lights draws a lot of flak every year for the environmentally harmful practices of some people. Diwali essentially promotes the ideals of good winning over evil but through the years this message has been lost to many who celebrate the festival around the globe. With the evils of environmental crisis looming large over the existence of all life on our planet it becomes our duty to our little bit to save our planet. Instead of using Diwali as an excuse for a boorish display of opulence, try to show your environmental awareness with sustainable décor this Diwali.

• As the name suggests, your first task would be to tackle the dilemma of ample lighting without being unsustainable. Discard your older string lights for newer LED alternatives that not only draw a significantly lesser amount of energy but are also brighter. Change the ways you use your diyas as well, try to buy simple terracotta diyas instead of brightly decorated and painted ones. The decoration on your diyas does not affect its functionality at all, undecorated diyas burn just as bright as decorated ones. Decorated diyas are not loaded with artificial colours and paints which makes them extremely toxic as opposed to normal ones and are not sustainable. Use your leftover cooking oils to light your diyas and to prevent letting the smoke out check to see if the wick is burning clean.
  
  
• Rangolis are a staple of Diwali décor that one cannot ignore but most commercial options for rangoli colours are full of artificial and chemical colourants that might irritate the respiratory tracts of your pets and you. Not to mention that rangolis made from such artificial colours ultimately harm the environment as after every Diwali rangolis are discarded, usually washed away into our already burdened sewers. Try to use organic colours or flowers to make your rangoli this Diwali or better yet make some for yourself at home to ease your conscience of all doubts by following this guide:
  
  
  
  
• Torans (bandarwal or simply decorated door hanging) also form an important part of the customary décor that is put up during Diwali that is associated with inviting in prosperity. But most torans are made from shiny plastic materials and are usually discarded after one use. Try making your very own eco-friendly toran by stringing together marigold flowers and coconut or mango leaves. Marigolds and mangoes are considered auspicious and therefore would serve the purpose of torans better than artificial alternatives.
   
• Save your old diyas instead of throwing them away and reuse them every year as long as they last. Make decorations out of paper instead of plastic, like lanterns and streamers. Amp up your decorations by incorporating your house plants into the scene. Use sustainable alternatives of paraffin candles to decorate for extra lighting. Check out these 100% soy-wax hand-poured scented candles from pravaahindia.com to add a touch of elegance and flavourful aroma to your homes without compromising on sustainability.

Diwali is just around the corner and it’s up to you to make it greener or wasteful. Honour the festival of lights by embodying the ideals that it stands for in your décor. You can celebrate the festival without compromising on the beauty and brilliance that it is associated with. While it may feel like that your individual actions might not have much effect on the overall environmental crisis it is important to remember that every contribution counts. Vanquish the evils of the environmental crisis this Diwali by making it more sustainable.

Sources & References

https://www.urbancompany.com/blog/trending/7-superb-ideas-truly-eco-friendly-diwali/

https://www.homelane.com/blog/eco-friendly-diwali-ideas/

https://blog.talkcharge.com/eco-friendly-diwali-decoration-ideas-for-home-office-school/