Easy & Ecofriendly Alternatives 

Genuine efforts are made by only a few to live in a conscious way all the time. But in reality, sooner or later, this will become the need of the hour. It's not difficult to adopt alternatives for sustainable living. Its probably lack of awareness and access to simple solutions and fixes that can help us move to a healthier planet and  co-existence. 

Here are some small alternatives that I have searched but looking for more people to share their researches to raise awareness-

1. Reduce paper use in kitchen- instead use 100% organic cotton dish towels that can be laundried and reused repeatedly.

2. Use reusable grocery bags to cut down on the habit of bringing home plastic bags as outcome of shopping. Some grocery stores even offer incentives for people who bring their own bags.

3. Use Biodegradable trash bags - These trash bags are 100% compostable, meet the stringent requirements of municipal composting programs, and should be  Certified 100% Compostable Bags. 

4. Bring home - A programmable thermostat that lets you know if you're saving energy. Take small steps to save energy but get started with simple habits of switching off extra lights, fans and gadgets that consumes energy.

5. Don't use Tea bags - look into a loose tea infuser to cut down on how many tiny disposable packets you rip open and throw away. 

6. Use LED light bulbs - LEDs are up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting options. 95% of the energy in LEDs is converted into light and only 5% is wasted as heat. They also use much less power, which reduces the demand on power plants and decreases the accompanying greenhouse gas emissions.

7. Use Natural laundry detergent -  search for options over internet for laundry detergents that is made from naturally derived, plant-based ingredients and has a hypoallergenic formula. This will ensure you won't be introducing chemicals into the environment or wearing traces of them next-to-skin.

8. Use Natural cleaning products at home - The cleaning products you use around the house can be full of environmentally harmful chemicals. Look on internet for alternatives with fewer ramifications for the environment. Cleansing products made of natural ingredients can help green mission.

9. Find Compostable cutlery and bowls options during festival than opting for cheap plastics. Start ordering food or visit eateries that use disposable cutlery that are compostable.

10. Use recycled pens, pencils and papers. Internet surfing can help information on available products and ways to access it.

Happy reading
Signing off 

Story of Halloween

National Geographic Video

 https://youtu.be/R-VRAemIvbI

It originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints; soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain.

It was part of the ancient Celtic religion in Britain and other parts of Europe. At the end of summer, the Celts thought the barrier between our world and the world of ghosts and spirits got really thin. The Celts had a big party.

Halloween has its roots in the ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the night of October 31. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, believed that the dead returned to earth on Samhain.

Halloween is considered a powerful turning point in the wheel of the year, signifying the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Halloween is the time when people release and let go of negative and lower energies that hold them back and celebrate the new energy that will eventually take its place.

History of Trick-or-Treating

Borrowing from European traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings or mirrors.

In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season and festive costumes.

Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything “frightening” or “grotesque” out of Halloween celebrations. Because of these efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.

All Souls Day and Soul Cakes

The American Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating probably dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives.

The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as “going a-souling,” was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food and money.

The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry.

On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.

On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.

Happy Halloween 😁
Signing off
It's me - Indrani