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UAE residents: 'Diwali can be celebrated sustainably too'

Indian residents in the UAE share their tips for an eco-friendly celebration

My memories of Diwali begin with smoke and embers. As the sparklers burst in a kaleidoscope of colours and dulled into nothingness, it was the dark cloud of smog that I remember. Not that it was a dark day — far from it. It was a time for family and friends, of giggling as you played pranks, delicious sweets and dishes that kept flowing on to the table, and blingy outfits that made you feel special.

This year, the Festival of Lights, or Diwali, falls on October 31 and November 1. The day signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. So perhaps our next question is a no-brainer.

In a world so beggared by waste, where on average a person consumes plastic equal to that of a credit card on a weekly basis, where climate change churns into a bigger concern on a daily basis — can you celebrate a people-centric holiday in a sustainable way?

Party time

Absolutely, believes, Batul Tambawala, co-founder of Dubai-based brand Upcycle. “So the first thing is, we do a lot of parties and one way we can reduce waste is to cook simple fare that is just enough for the people you are calling over.”

Another thing that makes a huge difference, she says, is using real (read: non-disposable) crockery and cutlery. “We create a lot of waste by using these disposables. Even if it says eco-friendly on the label, they aren’t really eco-friendly; when they decompose, they release the same greenhouse gases that other plastic waste releases, and they have to be put into a landfill,” she explains.

Décor can lead to a lot of waste as well. “There are lot of small businesses who do organic powders, which may use turmeric for the yellow or beetroot for the red. These are great for rangoli-making,” she adds.

Fifty-one-year-old Indian expat Anita Nair is also a fan of sustainable behaviour; it’s one of the reasons she keeps away from crackers. “I believe that we should not use crackers since it is a hazard. It results in air pollution and noise pollution, it’s a health hazard for babies and pets. Instead, we use diyas to light up our homes.”

The thought of pets pushes me back into a memory, of my dogs flinching each time a cracker blew up, of quivering under the blankets, of sliding into bed. Dogs hear sounds that are much higher and lower in frequency than their human pals. So while a high-pitched whizz of a rotating firecracker may not make you flinch or cry, it can be traumatic for your four-legged friends. Fortunately, in Dubai (and the UAE), while we may see sparkles in the sky sometimes, it is illegal to burst crackers in residential areas.

Instead of using these bursts of lights, residents recommend using LED lights or small earthen pots called diyas to light up your home. “When you are using these diyas, it’s also important that you use natural fuel; we use ghee,” says Nair.

Ankit Gupta, a 36-year-old Indian, is committed to the cause. He tells wknd.: “I’m making Diwali sustainable by not using plastic cutlery or disposable dishes in my Diwali party and picking up gifts from brands that are eco-friendly.”

The thing about sweets

Dessert (and food in general) is a big part of celebrating this festival. And there are a number of delicious dishes available in stores and restaurants. But for some people, like Nair, the key to making the day eco-friendly is by making her own sweets at home and using steel or glass containers to distribute sweets to friends and neighbours.

Changing the gift-giving narrative

Diwali is a time to celebrate family and one way to do that is through gift exchanges. The gifts can be anything from clothes to dried fruits. Nair says she’s not one for materialistic giveaways. “I prefer to hand over a pot with a plant, which they can keep in their house.”

And it’s not just the gift itself that one should be careful about; it’s also the packaging. “Most of our gifts are packed with packing items we previously had at home, so we don’t buy a lot of new materials,” says Kanchan Alimchandani, a 30-year-old Indian expat who has spent nine years in the UAE.

Tambawala’s creativity comes into play while she’s wrapping presents. She uses old scarves or sarees to create one-of-a-kind wraps that do not waste paper but look pretty.

Reuse, and in doing so, reduce

One of the best things you can do for the environment is to eschew the use of single-use products. Alimchandani adds: “We try to use more LED lights that can be reused year after year rather than lighting individual diyas, which cannot be used again.”

Anupama Gokhale, the co-owner of Upcycle, says sustainability is her way of life. “My everyday challenge is to make whatever I face into a sustainable choice. So for Diwali, I don't buy things that come in plastic packaging. Even if I am pressed for time, I try to make all the Diwali sweets at home. When it comes to buying ingredients, I try to buy from stores that you can buy things in a loose format.

For decorations, I always use flowers and something which is very biodegradable, and because I compost at home, I do so. If I have guests over, I always convince my caterers not to use any plastic water bottles. Instead, I fill a big can and use reusuable glasses. I also use reusable plates. As far as possible, wherever I can avoid waste, I avoid it.”

Tambawala has similar thoughts. She recalls last Diwali when she was trying to get a caterer who could only bring water in disposable bottles. “We said, ‘No, we will not let you serve bottle water.’ I just asked friends and family who had big coolers, and we just borrowed those coolers and filled those up with water. So the guest had water in glasses, and we didn’t waste any bottles.”

Yatin K. Thakur, 37, is based in Dubai. He sums it all up succinctly when asked about how he makes his Diwali sustainable, saying: “By choosing to light up hearts with kindness rather than the skies with fireworks, embracing eco-friendly decorations, and opting for organic, local sweets. It’s about celebrating in harmony with nature, reducing waste, conserving energy, and spreading joy in ways that protect our planet for future generations.”

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