Being mindful of carbon footprint this festive season

Did your little one just step on soggy mud and walk all over the house? The muddy footprints could be incredibly annoying if you had just cleaned the house. It can dampen your mood for the entire day. If the dirty footprints can cause you so much annoyance, imagine the impact carbon footprints have on the environment. Wouldn't mother nature be furious by now?

What is carbon footprint?

In simple words, carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in tonnes because of human activities. Right from driving to cooking, our daily activities consume energy and fuel. In turn, we all are responsible for carbon dioxide emissions. With the start of the festive season, now is the best time to understand how we can act responsibly and considerately towards our environment.

Here are five ways your family can celebrate while reducing carbon footprint:

1. Earthen lamps: Earthen lamps are the best substitute for electric lights and candles. Traditionally, these are made of clay and have a cotton wick dipped in oil. Earthen lamps are bio-degradable, cost-effective, and beautiful. With a bio-degradable earthen lamp, your family can still savour the festivities while being kinder to the planet.
2. Green gifting: The best moments of festivals are spent with friends, family, laughter, and gifts. When you choose eco-friendly gifts, you are not just saving the environment but also triggering the conversation about the need to conserve nature.
3. Donate: With cleaning your home, you may have discovered several items that you no longer need or the kids have outgrown. Donating old clothes, toys, and other household items can go a long way in bringing joy in this world. At the same time, donations and hand-me-down items are a great way to put old stuff to new use.
4. Be mindful of packaging: Responsible packaging goes hand in hand with responsible gifting. Substitute plastic bags and plastic packaging with recycled paper bags, cloth bags etc. It’s also important to discard gift packaging responsibly.
5. Organic clothes: Festivals are incomplete without shopping for brand new clothes. Synthetic fabric commonly used in apparel can trigger health complications and also harm the environment. Making responsible choices while shopping for clothes is better for our health and the planet. Always opt for organic cotton garments which can easily be identified by the GOTS label on its packaging or label.

These small changes in our habits can go a long way in safeguarding the health of our children and conserving our planet. After all, the festive season is a great time to start caring for and protecting Mother Earth.