Diwali 2021: Choose sustainable, eco-sensitive, thoughtful gifts this Diwali

Even if climate change and global warming are not on your mind this festive season, the planet will remain in the news for extreme weather events. Even though globally, there is a movement to make big corporations, governments, and policymakers more sensitive to ecology, as individuals, we can all think of doing a little bit more for the environment. After all, every positive action, no matter how small, helps heal the planet and so here are a few festive gift suggestions that will make your loved ones as well as mother earth happy.

Greet with trees! : The best way to counter climate change is to plant more trees. There may be a local organization you can contact to be a part of a local tree-planting drive or you can gift seedlings, plants, and tree saplings to your friends. Another simple way to greet someone you love is by dedicating trees to them digitally via a social organization like Grow-Trees.com. Just one click and you could gift a tree, help expand the nation's green cover, nourish wildlife habitats and forests, and also benefit local communities. What can be a better gift after all than a healthier planet? Grow-Trees.com will also carry your greetings via an eTreeCertificate™ to the person you are honouring to let them know about your heartfelt gesture. You can also gift trees to several people at once and use this web-enabled, cost-effective service to plant trees anytime, anywhere.

Gift therapeutic fragrances: Every lifestyle store usually has a home fragrance corner. Ignore the synthetic fresheners and go for earthy aromatherapy sets that will bring the warm redolence of essential oils to your home. They are natural, calming, and healthier gifts for your loved ones and are gentle on the earth too. Another option is to gift eco-friendly home fragrances, perfume sachets for linen cabinets, and potpourri packs made from recycled flowers. Choosing traditional and natural ittars like khus and jasmine in beautiful recyclable bottles is another great idea. If buying perfumed candles, choose soy candles that are better for the environment than those made from paraffin wax.

Help someone start a garden! : Is your friend an aspiring gardener? Gift them a book on gardening, funky, hand-painted watering cans made out of metal, unusual terracotta planters, wooden gardening tools, or even a wooden gardening kit that can help them grow their favourite herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Even an upcycled lantern, a thrifted throw rug for a garden bench, a butterfly feeder or two, and a string of outdoor lights powered by solar energy would truly delight an aspiring gardener. You could even gift someone a course in gardening, a gardening journal, a sun hat, a pretty garden apron, or even a miniature greenhouse!

Choose handcrafted gifts: A big part of a healthier planet is businesses that are sustainable. So this Diwali you could do your bit to support communities of artisans, weavers, craftspersons, and potters by buying gifts directly from them. Handmade diyas and lanterns, pottery, vases, coasters, incense holders, bowls, platters, painstakingly woven rugs, and fabrics, hand-embroidered, block-printed home linen are just a few of a million gifting options you can choose from. There are many online sites too that work with artisans and you could help expand the reach of crafts that are made sustainably and provide much-needed financial help to struggling communities.

Donate warmth and kindness: This Diwali, you could make a donation to a favourite charity on the behalf of a friend or distribute food, clothing, blankets, and essential supplies to someone in need. Expanding our circle of kindness and warmth can make a difference in so many lives.

Another thoughtful gesture would be to not waste excess food post a celebration and give it to an organization to distribute among those in need. To stay in a state of gratitude and empathy and bring just a little bit of light, good cheer and hope to someone else could make this Diwali truly happy in more ways than one.