New Delhi: Festival of colours - ‘Holi’ is round the corner and there is already excitement in the air. While Holi for many is synonymous with colour fights, water balloons and scrumptious food, it is vital to keep in mind the health of our environment too. Playing Holi in an eco-friendly way doesn’t make it any less fun. Instead, it decreases pollution, carbon footprint and keeps us healthy and safe. Also, we won’t regret it later after playing an eco-friendly Holi as there won’t be any skin rashes to deal with or any detox program to follow.
“Holi should be eco-friendly not only for our environment, but also for our health,” says Dr. Supriya Awasthi, Professor, School of Allied Health Sciences, Noida International University.
Below are a few ways by Dr Awasthi to play an eco-friendly Holi.
1. Use of Organic Colors: Rather than buying chemically made colors, you can use organic and herbal colours. Chemical colours not only harm the skin, eyes and hair but are also difficult to get rid later. If you have diabetes then you should avoid using chemical colours as Diabetic people are more prone to skin infections. Do not put colors on animals as it can cause severe infections in them.
The chemical colours also cause swelling, eye irritation, rashes, lung infection and can harm people suffering from respiratory issues like asthma. These colours also cause water, land and air pollution damaging water bodies and soil. When the colour gets mixed in water cannot be removed by the conventional wastewater method.
2. Avoid playing Holi with water: To save water, you can use dry colours. It also prevents the colours from reacting with our skin. We can use everyday items to make the natural colours like Turmeric and gram flour make the yellow colour, cornflour and henna make the green colour. You would also enjoy making these colours and would be easy on the pocket. You can enjoy unlimited with these colours without the fear of getting any skin infection.
3. Avoid the use of plastic in any form: Do not use plastic for carrying colours, avoid using cheap plastic pichkari and balloons. In Holi, parties use paper or palm leaf plates. Also, do not dispose of plastic in the streets. Nowadays, biodegradable pichkaris are also available in the market. They are beautifully looking pichkaris which can be a great investment for you. Balloons block the drainage system.
4. Avoid noise: Avoid playing loud music or dhols as it causes pollution and also affects animals but infants and the elderly.
5. Choose alternative Healthy Food: You can replace Ghujiya and deep-fried foods with a healthy alternative to Holi delicacies like baked gujiya, Brown Bread Dahi Vada, Ragi Malpuas, low-fat and without bhang thandai and fruit raita. Try making your own sweets at home so that you can control the carbohydrates, oil and sugar that goes into preparing them.
Make sure to drink at least 3 to 4 litres of water to keep yourself hydrated in-between enjoying all the festivities, otherwise, the celebration can later turn into dehydration and long detox therapy. Also, compensate for your indulgence with physical activity by dancing your heart out.
6. Choose eco-friendly gifts for your loved ones: Rather than gifting colours, pichkaris as gifts you can gift DIY colour kits, healthy snacks, dry fruits, scented candles etc.
7. Use Flowers: There are many traditional places and temples in India where Holi is played with flowers. You can completely ditch colours and opt for flowers to play Holi and make rangoli. Flowers can also be used to make herbal colours. They won’t affect your skin and eyes and would rather benefit the skin.
