SMALL CHANGES IN YOUR HOME TO BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT
The festive season is fast approaching and so is pollution, smog, and other side effects. Last year the air quality index reached the severe-plus emergency category, which is not safe for the environment. There is an immediate need to celebrate this festive season more eco-friendly and sustainable. Follow these simple, inexpensive yet beautiful steps to have an ecological festive season. While converting to sustainable ways of celebration by following these steps, involve your kids. It prevents them from getting into the virtual world for some time.
1.GREET WITH PLANTABLE SEED CARDS
When festive season arrives, greeting and invitation cards are the first and foremost thing that comes to our mind. But paperboard contributes to more than one-fourth of the solid municipal waste. So be creative this time and switch to plant-able seed cards. By switching to seed cards, you can turn your greeting and invitation cards into edible micro-greens. After reading your greetings, you can soak the card in water for a day and cover with soil. Then the micro-greens will start sprouting out of the seeds. If you still think of being more sustainable, then go for e-greetings.
2.SAY NO TO HARMFUL POWDER RANGOLI
Rangoli is an art form made on the floor that keeps our tradition alive. This time try decorating your rangoli with fresh flowers and avoid using the harmful and poisonous chemical powders available in the market. Add grains and pulses in the middle of flowers that can turn into bird feed. For more colors and paints, you can use turmeric and other natural colors. String decorations can be done with leaves, specifically mango leaves as per our tradition. If you want to make some colorful string decorations, you can create some decor pieces with paper and cardboard on your own.
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3.ORGANIC CANDLES AND LAMPS INSTEAD OF ELECTRIC LIGHTS
Electric lights are unavoidable these days, but we can reduce the usage when beautiful candles take up the stage, particularly during festivals.
At the advent of festivals, use candles instead of electric lights. Please don’t go for scented candles because it carries dangerous carcinogens that cause lung cancer. Go for organic candles like beeswax candles and soy wax candles.
For small oil lamps, the peel of oranges and lemons can serve as the base of the lamp. Once the season ends, you can dispose of them with ease. Further decorations can be made with LED lights that consume minimum electricity and reduces your electricity bill.
4.SUSTAINABLE AND LIMITED GIFTS.
Before getting out to shop gifts for your family and friends, list out the number of people and make a count of it. Calculate the number of gifts that you are going to buy with that count. Don’t buy any excess gifts.
If you pre-plan what you are going to buy as per the count, then it will not end up in any wastage.
Also, think of a sustainable gifting option for your loved ones. Handmade gifts and goodies are closer to the heart than the gifts that you buy in shops. Besides that, air-purifying indoor plants and bonsai trees are great gifting options. When you finally wrap your gifts, use paper wrappers instead of plastic wrappers.
5.REUSE SAREES TO REFURBISH YOUR HOME
We all have beautiful old clothes tucked in our cupboard, which won’t work out in today’s trend, but the color and the design of the fabric hold us from throwing it away. Those clothes are going to help you refurbish your home economically and eco-friendly. Collect the clothes and make pillow covers and window shades out of it. This thought will also help you to renovate and decorate the home in your style rather than buying goods from shops or online sites. Give a chance to your local tailors to stitch your refurbish stuff. This idea will surely help the tailors and the family behind them to have a more prosperous festive time.
6.DON’T FEEL BAD ABOUT REGIFTING
It’s probably safe to assume that everyone, at some point in their lives, has re-gifted something. Most people feel a sense of guilt when passing along an item that was picked out just for them. A gift is something special, and of course you never want your loved ones to feel as if their efforts went unappreciated. But re-gifting is perfectly acceptable, especially with the rising popularity of second-hand and sustainable goods. Don’t be guilty of re-gifting
– One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Also, when you are planning to buy new clothes, try selling or donating your old clothes. There are many apps in recent days in which you can sell your old clothes. If possible, donate some of your decent clothes to the orphans near your home and workplace. Gifting or re-gifting doesn’t matter. It is always about sharing the love. Keep in mind to share your love sustainably.
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7.LANTERNS AND NOT CRACKERS
Air and noise pollution are a significant threat to the environment. It reaches its peak during Diwali because of bursting crackers as a part of the celebrating the festival. It not only cause pollution, but it also drives the birds and other stray animals away. Recently it is reported that stray dogs and birds started to die because of cracker sound shock. Prevention is always better than cure, and if you have a pet, give your utmost care to them during the festive season and keep them away from cracker sounds. Lit up your space with dazzling lanterns instead of bursting crackers.
These are some simple ideas that you can adapt during the festive season this time. Going with these ideas and converting to eco-friendly celebrations makes a beautiful home and a sustainable society as well. We should set an example for our younger generations by celebrating eco-friendly festivals. Be a starter, and let others follow you.
We wish you a great green festive season ahead.
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