Holi, also known as the 'festival of colours', is one of the most vibrant festivals in India, celebrated with great zeal and fervour. This year, the festival will be celebrated on Monday, March 25. A variety of colours, upbeat music, good time with family and friends, and mouth-watering treats are all used to commemorate the festival each year. However, avoid the custom of celebrating Holi with water balloons, pichkaris, and harmful colours that ultimately cause environmental damage.
Environmental activists have been highlighting the significance of having an eco-friendly Holi celebration for the past several years. Playing with natural colours, for example, is not only better for the earth than harsh chemicals, but it also shields your skin from them.
Here are some ways of making Holi celebrations environmentally friendly and impactful:
Natural colours: Use organic colours to celebrate the festival. These are not only safe but also easy to remove from the skin. The natural colours also keep you away from any skin infections, allergies or reactions. One can make use of organic gulal or combine different amounts of turmeric and flower extracts.
- Dry Holi: Traditionally, the festival is celebrated with water balloons and pichkaris (water guns) which leads to severe water wastage. One may play Holi using flower petals and natural colours to use to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly way.
- Avoid balloons and plastic bags: Pichkaris are made entirely of plastic, whereas water balloons are composed of rubber and plastic. This Holi, instead of using these typical accessories that waste a lot of water and produce needless trash, we should choose eco-friendly alternatives to the overflowing waste that now fills our nation's landfills.
- Avoid oil paints: Using inappropriate colours, such as oil paints, fuel, dirt, or other chemical products, may be dangerous for the environment and your health. It takes days to remove them completely and also damage your skin.
- Reduce wastage: Don't throw the leftover flowers in the trash. One can opt for composting as flowers aid in enhancing the soil's texture by breaking down readily into manure.
