For the light that shines within - yeh Diwali, Sustainability waali

The festive season is upon us, and from ‘Diwali ki Safai’ to bursting crackers - the sustainability ensemble is quite missing from a usual Diwali celebration - well, I tried to quite bring it to you - ironically when I can only hear crackers bursting as I write this.

I have been hearing about Green Crackers since the Indian market was dominated by Chinese products, while I still doubt the authenticity as a part of the larger market, these eco-friendly crackers were developed by CSIR-NEERI and were launched in 2019 and are available in three types; SWAS (Safe Water Releaser), STAR (Safe Thermite Cracker), and SAFAL (Safe Minimal Aluminium). Manufacturers can produce green crackers after getting into a contract with CSIR and if you want to buy it, you can directly enquire with NEERI as well. These crackers are claimed to have ~30% less particulate matter as compared to traditional crackers and the decibel rate is restricted to 120 as compared to the usual rate of 160. Chemicals like arsenic, lithium, barium are not used and lead and carbon are used in a limited quantity. When these crackers are burst, they release water vapour for the dust to not rise. For you to identify them, there would be a CSIR-NEERI logo on them.

While my own family has been cracker free since 2011, behavioural sustainability is all about modification and adaptation - less is more, and more than usual, it has to be enough.

House cleaning and festive decor is equally a part of the celebration. Rangoli colours are often full of chemicals, and these colours can be easily replaced with more organic colours that you yourself can make from hibiscus flowers, dried chillies and neem powder. I found a marketplace that sells ‘colours so natural that you could eat them’ made by the tribal communities of Rajasthan, here. Or you can just make beautiful rangolis from flower petals (and then donate them to Phool to make incense sticks!) living a circular life, one decision a time.

Our cleaning products can be equally sustainable, I learnt this from Garima Shahi ’s post, and have been using WaterWise_India and Beco myself. Founded by Aditya Ruia , Anuj Ruia and Akshay Varma , BECO has become one of India’s biggest sustainable and affordable cleanliness brands. All of their products and packaging is derived from bamboo and recyclable cardboard packaging. It is cruelty-free, eco-friendly, safe for children and pets, and absolutely circular. From dishwashing soap to laundry cleaners, to garbage bags and ear buds - BECO has got us covered.?

For personal care and skincare, Bare Necessities has disrupted the market and Sahar Mansoor has emerged as a beacon of change herself. What began as a wish to live and help others live a low-impact lifestyle, Mansoor has brought back India’s legends to India, and Bare Necessities Zero Waste Solutions fully focusses on less is more, and enough. From soaps, shampoos, deodorants, handwashes, homecare products, toothbrushes, toothpastes to a travel-friendly cup and tiffin box - this is really a wonder of a platform to exist.

Plastic free, circular and featured and loved across the globe, you can gift your loved ones their Diwali hampers - it is never too late to transition.

Diwali, or any festival for that matter is a lot about dressing up and feeling good. Shopping consciously, only buying from sustainable brands, local artisans and markets or even upcycling the sarees or shirts you have in your closet to something better is a long-term choice that stays with us. I had extensively covered sustainable fashion brands in one of my article with the bifurcation of price and attire, which you can find, here.?

I am not big on make-up but even while buying a small article, I just check if it is cruelty-friendly and/or vegan in nature. Mama Earth has got a large chunk of the market, but there are also brands like McCaffiene, Plum, Disguise Comsetics, Daughter Earth, and Juicy Chemistry, which are committed to a new era of sustainable goodness.

Diwali in its spirit is to celebrate the win of good versus evil and the light that shines through all of us. The literal lights that we put up on our houses can be solar or LED powered to reduce energy consumption, and we can always resort to the ‘Deep’ of Deepawali. Our traditional earthen Diya, and its streak of fire which emerges in all of us.

Living sustainably is not as expensive or difficult as it is sometimes portrayed. In any festival season, in any culture, the fundamental is innate and natural to humanity - which means it cannot be unsustainable, for the planet or for the people. A lot that we do under the name of celebration, has been an evolution of perspective and practices, but we can make this evolution really ‘evolved’, with just slight subtle choices.?

This Diwali, choose better, be better, commit to do more or to, less is more when it comes to consumption.

May our innate light always shine bright.?

Happy Diwali, my dear readers! ??

–

For deeper information:

How Green Are Green Crackers? Know Ways To Identify Them

Diwali 2024: What Are Green Crackers? - News18

Eco-friendly Bamboo Products

Sustainable Beauty Brands For 2022| Nykaa's Beauty Book

All Products– Bare Necessities

Charcoal-free incense sticks and incense cones | PHOOL

The Silkening Route to Fashion Sustainability - part three: Select

Diwali 2024: Five Ways To Celebrate Eco-Friendly Diwali And Reduce Carbon Footprint