We spoke with marketing expert and founder of online blog The Tejori, Saika about her ambition to normalise secondhand fashion in South Asian communities.
What is your ethnic, academic and professional background?
I am a Pakistani marketer and hold an MSc in corporate communications and BA in marketing management.
What is The Tejori? How did it come about and what are your main values as a business?
Tejori is an online personal blog about all things related to South Asian fashion and sustainability. We intend to educate and encourage the Asian market on sustainable practices. Additionally, we intend to break down societal norms and boundaries around sustainable fashion, secondhand lifestyle and societal pressures we all face when it comes to fashion and moving trends.
Behind the scenes we are also working on a project to introduce a platform where pre-owned items can be bought and sold in order to achieve our goal to normalise thrifting and wearing secondhand clothes among our communities, as well as promoting how easily everyone can take part in sustainable actions when it comes to ethnic fashion.
Originally, The Tejori was established in 2017 after I personally faced wardrobes and suitcases full of clothes only worn once, of which many I didn’t want to be seen in twice! It’s then the idea of thrifting, revamping or reselling came to me.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
Coming from a family who have a passion for fashion and clothes and keeping up with Asian fashion trends, between us we have rooms and rooms full of clothing and we need a solution!
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash for your sustainable business idea from family, friends or society at large? How did you overcome it?
A lot of people think no one will want to wear secondhand clothes and it’s not normalised to do so in our communities. Also, people don’t want to be seen buying secondhand clothes, as well as selling their old clothes because of an issue around anonymity!
To address this the blog intends to make sustainable actions ‘cool’, highlighting the latest articles from relevant brands and celebrities who have taken on more sustainable approaches. We also want to highlight those who have applied sustainability to their business models – it’s all about changing the mindset and that’s what the blog intends to achieve.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
I try to make my clothing last longer by revamping them to change the style and only buying what I really need. If I do buy new, I always consider the quality so the outfits last longer.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
Yes I do believe there is a lack of understanding as people don’t take it seriously. In the fashion market, consumers always want to be seen with the latest items and would do anything to make sure they are up to date with trends.
Sustainable practices are at the end of their thinking and decision making process. Also a lot of people are unaware of the consequences to the environment and if they were educated on how easy it is to apply simple things to their daily lives to help the environment, I’m sure people would act! Educating our communities is key and someone needs to take responsibility for taking it forward.
Do you find such a lack of understanding makes having a sustainability-led business like yours more challenging?
Yes it is more challenging but not impossible. My outlook is, if every other industry is on the being more sustainable ‘bandwagon’, the South Asian fashion market is only going to get left behind if brands and designers aren’t aware to make changes. We need to continue to highlight the issues, which we try to do through our daily stories and news.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
It’s not hard to apply small changes to your daily life, everyone has to do their part to bring positive change. In terms of thrifting, it’s very cost effective – we believe being able to purchase quality-designer items second hand, will attract the younger, student market.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
Once I was able to sell some of my lightly worn wedding wear to a friend who had a last minute wardrobe malfunction. This really highlighted that rather than just getting rid of my expensive clothes or storing them away in suitcases (which many South Asians do!) we can become more circular in practice by just selling them on. This is the foundation of what initiated the idea of Tejori in the first place!
We chat to Communications and Public Relations Consultant Nishita about her experiences moving between public, private and third-party sectors within international law, politics and infrastructure
What is your ethnic, academic and professional background?
I am an Australian Indian, born in Delhi and raised in Sydney.
I hold a Bachelors of Social Science and a Masters of Human Rights, Law & Policy and have over six years’ consultancy experience from the public, private and third-party sectors, primarily working in politics, international law and infrastructure.
Since moving to London in July 2019, I have been a freelance PR/Comms Consultant. At present, I work for an infrastructure consultancy, Schofield Lothian as an Engagement Consultant.
Can you tell me about your career in public relations, particularly your projects on social impact and ethical trading? What inspired you to take on this work?
As a Business and Human Rights Consultant, I worked on lobbying pharmaceutical companies in China to re-consider the supply chains and ethical trade. In my current role, I work within a strong Social Values rhetoric when developing consultation and engagement strategies for my clients.
I was inspired to take on this role after many years of managing public relations as a Special Adviser to senior cabinet ministers in the New South Wales Government in Australia.
Community participation and inclusion is key to everything we do irrespective of the sector.
After leaving politics and moving to London, I was determined to make it a career path and feel rather blessed to combine my love for PR/Comms with sustainability in the infrastructure space.
What have been your biggest successes and learnings to date?
I would have to say my gig in Delhi straight after my masters. I was a Human Rights Adviser to the Secretary of Women of Child Development. I was not entirely sure what I had signed up for, however, I knew it was something I was incredibly passionate about. Being a NRI and working for the government was not a walk in the park to say the least. Despite the challenges at the time, it has shaped my resilience in driving collaborative PPP strategies in all the projects I have worked on.
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash from family, friends or society at large for choosing to pursue a ‘niche’ career path? Has it been challenging?
I was fortunate not to have any backlash. I grew up in a very liberal family and I was always supported and encouraged to follow my own path.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
I have been playing my part by limiting the use of plastic, being a vegetarian for over 10 years and buying most of my produce from local farmers markets.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
It’s hard to answer this question, however I think perspective is key when thinking about what the community stands for. Education is always an effective method to decrease ‘the blockers’.
Being carbon conscious in a practical day-to-day sense can be quite costly – how can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
Again, I think educating the community can go a long way. Sustainability and carbonconscious have become such buzz words these days that it has, in some ways, lost meaning. I strongly believe having a breakdown of what these terms mean in the context of day-to-day practices will help increase overall awareness and encourage the community to be active participants.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
Speak to people who have the role that you would like to see yourself in the near future, understand your strengths and develop the skills you need to work towards that position. Ask questions, reach out and establish the support system you need to get into the broad sector.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
My Grandfather was my inspiration, motivation and influenced my life in many ways. He was an electrical engineer and worked on major infrastructure projects across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. He did not go to university, however, he was a testament of hard work, resilience and determination.
I am a British Indian born in Malawi, educated in Zimbabwe and obtained my medical degree from the University of Leeds. Now I am a Consultant Paediatrician and Professor of Paediatrics, still working for the NHS after 50 years, to continue what I enjoy – looking after sick children and at the same time having a base from which not only can I draw a salary to support my projects, but also continue to strengthen my network to support these projects.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
I have been doing humanitarian work in over 20 countries over 25 years: www.miatwalsall.org.uk. In 2017 I broke my leg in a rural village in Malawi but unwisely carried on to finish my work.
When I returned to the UK, I had to have an operation and was off for five months with some of the time spent in the hospital, as I had developed sepsis. Whilst I was there, I watched the Blue Planet documentary series by David Attenborough, which was hugely eye opening. Then I noticed that the food that arrived from the catering department at the hospital was full of plastic containers, plates and cutlery. This is when I knew that something should be done by someone – and that was me!
What is WASUP? How did it come about?
Initially not many people were interested but slowly after 6 months I had a few people who I thought that I could work with – one of them was Balbir Seimar who is still with me on this campaign.
I soon created a working group of teachers, faith community leaders and a representative from the local council. It was at this meeting we came up with ‘WASUP’ – Walsall Against Single Use Plastic. My friendship with Aziz Tayub helped and his company brought the vision for the logo to life, with the posters and leaflets that followed. That was a huge start.
One year on, I had been to many schools, places of worship and businesses resulting in an official launch of WASUP, by the Lord Lieutenant to Her Majesty. By this time, we had set up a website, social media accounts and had regular canal clean ups.
At the launch, as more people and organisations from beyond Walsall were getting involved, I changed the name to World Against Single Use Plastic. The 4 principles of WASUP include:
Raising awareness in all sectors of the community (schools, businesses, places of worship etc) through talks, events and social media.
Educate children in schools about the dangers of plastic and teach them about recycling.
Litter picking both in streets and the waterways by all sectors of the community.
Putting pressure on manufacturers to use less plastic in their packaging or in some cases none.
How are you engaging the NHS and wider South Asian communities with the WASUP campaign?
As a result of WASUP, the CEO at the Manor Hospital appointed a Sustainability Manager who was astounded to find that all the plastic, litter and food was dumped into landfills. I had many meetings with various departments and now the procurement and the catering department are recycling more items and not much food is going to landfills, as discussions have taken place to redirect the waste to companies who use it to make energy.
In the catering department the first thing that happened was that plastic straws disappeared. Little Aston Hospital in Sutton Coldfield engaged even better and got rid of all single use plastic from the kitchen and the dining room. In both hospitals WASUP posters were put in strategic places and I gave talks to various departments on the 4 principles. Litter picks were planned by various departments once a week but then COVID-19 happened.
Through my huge network that I have built over 30 years in the community I was able to go to many Mosques, Gurdwaras and Mandirs, talking about the scourge of plastic, its dangers and how the communities could Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
One important example of Reuse is collecting pairs of glasses from various opticians and sending them to poor countries through my Charity – Midland International Aid Trust. I have now sent thousands.
I have been on various radio shows and Asian TV programmes talking to the audiences about WASUP and raising awareness about the single use plastic problem.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
Production of plastic involves burning fossil fuels, so not only is there microplastic entering our seas and thus food chain, but also the problem of carbon emissions from fossil fuels.
Simple things like cleaning and washing what is recyclable and putting it in appropriate bins, changing to drink more coffee than tea (some tea bags have plastic), using bars of soap instead of plastic soap containers are a few of the many changes I have made. Using less water and decreasing the amount of meat is a small step in decreasing my personal carbon footprint too.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities?
Lack of understanding is one thing but apathy is another.
I’ve found it’s most difficult to engage with my own community of South Asians on this topic and unfortunately there is a common mindset that someone else will sort the problem. For example, talking to store keepers to decrease or stop the use of plastic bags has resulted in me being told they would lose customers.
What has made WASUP successful?
Leading it from the front and making personal visits to various institutions, including over 100 schools in the West Midlands gave WASUP huge credibility.
My friendship with a fellow DL who is Chairman of the Canal and River Trust led to regular canal cleans by various sectors of the community – where often the Asian communities weren’t present, but things are beginning to change slowly as greater awareness is occurring. There’s still a long way to go but as an organisation, we have conducted over 40 canal cleans and launched WASUP in Coventry, Worcester and soon Leicester.
Being a Deputy Lieutenant to Her Majesty Lord Lieutenant opened many doors in the West Midlands and beyond.
On one of my official visits I met the director of the Miss England pageant and our friendship took root and grew in strength. Now 15 Miss England finalists are working up and down the UK, promoting the 4 principles of WASUP and encouraging positive change.
It was through the Lord Lieutenant who is also the Chairman of the Commonwealth Games that WASUP was invited to be branded with the Commonwealth Games and therefore has a potential for reaching other 53 countries in the Commonwealth.
My continuing to spearhead it and not letting anyone interfere in the progress has been most important in the success of WASUP so far. I spend my own money that I donate to MIAT which then provides WASUP with financial support.
Having professional contacts, medical publications, global lectures and visiting various countries to volunteer, has all aided ‘WASUP’ – World Against Single Use Plastic to branch out; kickstarting the campaign in India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia and South Africa, beyond just the UK.
The WASUP song, the very powerful website and now my book the Story of Three Bottles should go global. It is only £5.99 to buy and one can contact info@wasupme.com or profgatrad@wasupme.com for more information.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
They are the custodians of the planet that we have messed up, in more ways than one. They need to learn and tell others about the danger of plastic to the environment by Refusing, Reducing, Reusing and Recycling plastic.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
An image that deeply touched me was a swan pulling out plastic from a canal to ensure its babies did not ingest any of it. I could almost hear the swan say to me ‘if you lot can’t do it – I will show you the way.’
What is your ethnic, academic and professional background?
My ethnic background is Indian, my family are from the Punjab. I also identify as a British Indian woman. I’ve always had an interest in social and environmental justice so studied Geography undergrad and a Masters in Sustainability. I now work in corporate partnerships for one of the largest global environmental charities.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
We used to go on family holidays to India every few years and as I grew older I started to recognise the impact my life has compared to that of my cousins living in the village. It inspired me to learn more about sustainability, and understand the relationship between different cultures and lifestyles and how they regard the natural environment.
Can you tell me about your current role? How did you get into the charity sector?
I work in corporate partnerships for one of the largest environmental charities, working with businesses to reduce their environmental footprint and engage with their supply chains, employees and customers on sustainability initiatives. This is the first green charity I have worked for, as I was applying for lots of roles after taking a career break to do some solo travelling, and was lucky enough to land the job!
What have been your biggest successes and learnings to date?
My biggest success – landing the jobs that I have had so far! After I graduated, I found it difficult to get a job in sustainability and at the level for my qualifications. But it has been a great learning opportunity and each role helped me develop skills and confidence to succeed in the workplace. I especially appreciate all the friends, colleagues and mentors that help broaden my worldview, provide support and encouragement, and those who accompany you to the pub after a challenging day at work!
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash from family, friends or society at large for choosing to take a niche/unfamiliar career path? Has it been challenging?
My parents still don’t fully understand what I do, and worry that working in the green sector I will not be as financially comfortable as my siblings, who work in the legal and pharma sectors. They tried to encourage me to take a more traditional professional route, but being 2 of 4 children, I was able to persuade them that this would be a good and fulfilling career path.
It’s been so great to build a network of fellow South Asian environmentalists, who have a similar story. The challenging part is being a minority in the sector, but this is slowly improving.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
I have – I now eat mainly a vegetarian diet and make conscious food choices as the global food system has the biggest impact on climate change and biodiversity loss. I also try not to waste where I can – whether that be food, energy, resources and buy environmentally conscious or second hand clothing and products.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
I think the culture of consumerism has a big impact on understanding the climate crisis. Having easy access to anything you could want at affordable prices by a click of a button is still novel, and not many people will understand the multitude of impacts. I think it’s up to businesses to be more responsible so they can help to influence everyday life choices.
Being carbon conscious in a practical day-to-day sense can be quite costly – how can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
If you eat meat, try to cut that down to 2/3 meals a week choosing good quality options – share veggie and vegan options with family and friends. Buy second hand when you can – it means they come preloved. Don’t waste energy – turn off lights and appliances when not in use. Make gifts instead of buying them, and ask your workplace what they are doing to be a sustainable organisation. Sustainability is accessible to everyone – you just need to know where to look for information and support.
You touched on representation and developing a POC (people of colour) network group with other charities. Can you tell me more about this and why it’s particularly important for there to be more representation in the environmental industry?
The environmental crisis affects everyone on a local and global level, which means all voices need to be heard.
It’s hard to engage with issues when you don’t see yourself reflected, and having diverse thoughts and perspectives, particularly in the charity sector which has a history of paternalism, is so important in taking the movement forward.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
Keep fighting. No matter what age you are, you can be an activist. Also the importance of self-care when learning/working on these issues, as they can weigh down. Lastly, your voice matters and is your power!
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
Recently, it has been the lack of response to racism. It really made me aware of power and privilege, and how it shows up in your life. More than that, it was just deeply saddening to see the effect it had on my friends, family, colleagues and community.
We spoke with Tejal, about her experiences working in the sustainable development and tourism industry and transitioning from corporations to social enterprises
I am a South Asian female and my background is in hospitality and tourism.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
For me, it was about a couple of things. Firstly, I have always thought about how to make incremental improvements to our world. I really liked the tourism industry, but because I was so entrenched in it, I could also see its flaws. So I thought, why not pick an industry and see how I can make it better serve society. That’s kind of how my initial interest in social enterprise and sustainable development began. Secondly, I really hate waste.
Can you tell me about your work in Sustainable Tourism Development and how you got into it?
My career started in hotels (literally from the age of 16). I studied hospitality for my undergrad and worked at a big travel tech company out of university. Whilst I was at Expedia, I started to learn more about tourism development and how it can be done well or not well.
That’s when I decided to go back to uni for my masters in Tourism, Environment, and Development at King’s College London. After that, I worked for an international development consultancy where I worked on a couple of sustainable development projects. My focus now is on social enterprises in the sector.
What have been your biggest successes and learnings to date?
I don’t know about the biggest successes, but there have been a lot of learnings. I think the most important thing is to really listen to that voice inside you if it’s telling you that something is not quite right or if you are looking for more.
Corporate jobs are cushy – they pay well and have benefits which make it hard to leave, but that’s not all there is in life. There is a lot of fear and uncertainty when trying to figure out what your passions and goals are, and I am still going through that now, but I have a lot of peace in the fact that when I think back to my corporate job (which I really liked!), I have no desire to go back. It means I am slowly moving in the right direction for me.
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash about switching to more sustainability-led work from family, friends or society at large?
This one is interesting to me. I think there are societal pressures to be doing something that is traditionally ‘successful’, and I have experienced them as well, even though my family is super open. For example, when deciding between two job offers earlier this year, one thing that weighed on my mind was ‘which will be easier to tell people about?’ I, obviously, was so annoyed at myself for thinking that, but it does creep up.
Interestingly, the other thing I really had to get over was accepting the fact that prioritizing money is okay. I think often, people who are interested in purpose-driven career paths are conditioned to feel ashamed of wanting to make a decent salary. When looking for jobs and considering salaries in comparison to the cost of living in London, salary was something that factored into my decision, and that’s okay!
If we break it down further, it’s just capitalism telling us that the only thing that should be rewarded is an endless pursuit for profit and I question why. Why should we have to accept lower salaries just because we want to do something positive for society when the ‘Amazons’ of the world are destroying the planet and getting rewarded for it?
Have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
Yes of course! Like I said earlier, I hate waste, especially food waste! I have never really bought much and prefer to have fewer possessions, probably because I have moved around so much, but I am trying to take it one step further by exclusively buying from ethical and small businesses.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
I think in immigrant and minority communities, there are often a lot of other worries and issues we have to overcome.
I don’t blame people who are trying to make ends meet for not worrying about the climate crisis, because let’s be honest, they are also probably the smallest contributors to climate change.
However, South Asian communities specifically do have a lot of social and political capital. I think our generation has a lot of untapped potential and I do get disappointed with the general lack of social and political engagement of the youth in the South Asian community.
Culturally, we are generally taught to not ruffle feathers and to keep our heads down and work hard. Frankly, change isn’t made by not ruffling feathers. We have a lot of skills, capital, and ideas in our community, it just needs to be harnessed in the right way.
You touched on feeling like your previous consultancy work didn’t give you the same amount of satisfaction or purpose – would you now say feeling purpose from your job is vital for you?
Purpose in my career is vital for me. I am not sure if it’s the workaholic American in me, but I really don’t subscribe to the ‘I work to live’ philosophy. We will, inevitably, spend a LOT of our life working, so why would I not search for something that fulfills me?
I never want to live a life where I am watching the clock so I can leave at 5pm. I do want to be excited to get up on Monday morning. I can’t live a life where I spend 40+ hours a week just waiting for them to end – that sounds so miserable! I will say, it is important to remember that work is only part of life and whilst work is important, it’s integral that your work doesn’t come at the expense of your relationships and the rest of your life.
Being carbon conscious in a practical day-to-day sense can be quite costly – how can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
I actually get really annoyed at the climate change rhetoric that places so much responsibility on the individual and especially on minority communities and communities in the global south. Really, we should be fighting the handful of companies who are responsible for the majority of global emissions.
When it comes to reducing waste, I actually think that minority communities are models that the rest of the world should learn from. It’s about being resourceful rather than buying things to fit our convenience. This is actually something that South Asians are known for!
Have you heard of ‘jugaad’ innovation? I’ll give an example. It feels like a lot of sustainability rhetoric in the west is actually commodified. For example, we see bloggers shaming people for not having the right reusable containers or the new ‘it’ ceramic non-stick pan? In comparison, immigrant families have been saving yogurt containers to transport chole (chickpea curry) and using durable stainless steel cookware for generations!
With transport and particularly air travel being a huge contributor of carbon emissions on a global scale, do you believe tourism and travel truly can be sustainable?
Well, there are multiple parts of sustainability, right? I believe that the problem tourism helps to solve for our society is the social and economic aspects of sustainability.
Tourism, when done well, provides opportunities for people to learn about others, connects families, provides sustainable jobs for people in even the most remote parts of the world, for example. For a sustainable development practitioner, the goal is to figure out how to encourage all of those things happening whilst minimizing the environmental backlash.
Also, it’s kind of a fallacy that air travel is one of the worst contributors to global carbon emissions. Human air travel contributes to around 2% of global emissions, whereas emissions from livestock alone accounts for 14.5%. (Gerber et al., 2013).
Recently, local tourism is becoming more and more popular. This form of tourism does involve fewer emissions and still creates the same benefits of international travel (i.e. creating community, exploration, job creation). I see this as a way forward for the tourism industry, especially with the pandemic.
Again, you’ll notice that the rhetoric around reducing emissions are very individual-focused. While there is room for improvement on the individual level, I have to ask the question as to why we aren’t going to our governments and the big oil companies and demanding incentives for greener technologies and taxes for carbon-emitting ones? That’s where I think our focus should be.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
To me, being socially and environmentally conscious should just be inherent for our generation moving forward. When making decisions about your career, about your purchases, about anything, sustainability should be on our minds. This is how we make change, by voting with our wallets.
Given that we live in a capitalist society, we can make a difference by choosing to support small businesses, to buy less, and to choose more sustainable alternatives when possible. When picking a job, even a corporate job, see what opportunities there are to get involved in CSR, understand the company’s ethos. This should be important.
Being in corporate consultancy before and switching to sustainability-led social enterprises now, would you say it’s just as viable and economically stable? Have you faced any challenges?
I work for a startup that is mission-driven now, but I used to work for an international development consultancy, where the company contracts with the government. Naturally, there is more stability in a job like that, especially during the uncertain times we are in right now.
However, I think it is also harder to move up and learn more at a faster pace in those environments. I actually earn more now than I did in my old job, have more responsibility, and I am learning a ton. Sure, it’s less ‘stable’ than working for a government contractor, but I think you also have to bet on your own intuition as well as your skills and talents.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
Ha! I am not sure if I can think of any one thing. I think learning about sustainability and social impact is a slow learning process. Unlearning mistruths that we learned as a kid and exploring more sustainable ways of living takes time and is a life-long process.
We spoke to Zarina about her climate-equality based community projects, creating pathways for diverse groups in Scotland to have an active voice in sustainable solutions
What is your ethnic, academic and professional background?
I was born and brought up in Newcastle and moved to Scotland when I was 16. Both my parents were born in India and after the partition were displaced to Pakistan. I hold a BSc in Psychology from the University of Glasgow and worked briefly with the Education Department. However, for the last 10 years or more I have been working with diverse communities to help tackle climate change.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
As a child I was always one with nature, a child that spoke to plants. I believed that trees had souls (still do), never ate meat however, growing up I wasn’t aware that my passion for the environment would lead to a career in this field.
Approximately 15 years ago I was at crossroads in my life and knew that I wanted a career change, one that would allow me to follow one of my passions; either care for the environment or Psychology and human behaviour. I had to weigh up my options in terms of retraining, looking at costs involved and the time it would take to get into a job. After some consideration, taking into account all the factors, the environment sector won and that’s how I ended up following a career in this sector.
Can you tell me about your recent role at CEMVO? What sparked the choice in career change?
There was an incident at a Hustings where a candidate from a political party made a racist remark to me, the comment he made was “your kind don’t grow do they?”. This remark made me reflect on how white the environmental sector was.
At this time, I thought naively we lived in a society which was zero tolerant towards racism, we had moved away from a racist society and we were accepted and integrated into the wider society. Hence led me to working with a race equality organisation addressing both environmental justice and race justice.
My role developed into 4 main areas: a) I support BME community groups to develop climate change projects, help access the climate challenge fund and ensure projects are implemented and delivered well. b) I sit on a number of stakeholder and working groups which help influence policy change and decision making. c) I help to diversify the environmental sector and environmental NGOs through collaborative work and representation. d) I set up and run the Ethnic Minority Environmental Network across Scotland which provides peer to peer support, upskilling and training and opportunities for collaboration to individuals and organisations who are interested in environmental work.
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash from family, friends or society at large for choosing to take a niche/ unfamiliar path, particularly midway through your career? Has it been challenging?
The biggest backlash I’ve received, and this goes back to my childhood, was my choice of following a vegetarian/vegan diet which didn’t sit right within a Muslim family. Regarding a career path I think the biggest issue was that it was not a recognised or valued career. It took my mum years before she was able to explain to her friends what I actually did. Even some of my friends still struggle to conceptualise my job as it doesn’t fit in with a traditional or known career path.
Also being an environmentalist in the third sector isn’t a well-paid job, at least it’s clear that I do this job for passion and not money. Some people find this difficult to understand, as growing up we are taught that success is measured on a monetary level.
I think taking a step out of this competitiveness has its challenges as I can’t afford the same lifestyle as others but at the same time, I’m aware that I don’t want that lifestyle as it has environmental consequences.
What have been your biggest successes and learnings to date?
My biggest success and learnings are both linked as I have been fortunate to have been in a position to create space for many people across the country from various diverse backgrounds (age, ethnicity, gender, disability, sex, education and socioeconomic backgrounds) to have meaningful and relevant (to them) conversations on climate change.
From these conversations I have learned so much about the global impacts of climate change, traditional, religious and cultural sustainable practices, which have been passed down many generations. I’ve also learned about community resilience and adaptation to climate impacts and how there is still a lot to be learned from grassroot movements.
Never underestimate someone’s knowledge and ability to influence change.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
There are a few things that I try to do. I only buy items that I need, I’m not a fan of shopping, and I try to mend and repair as much as I can. I’m a vegetarian and have been for all my life with only limited dairy in my diet, therefore I do try to source produce locally and cook from scratch. I try to source items that have less plastic packaging and look for non-plastic alternatives. There are more things that I would love to do but access and affordability are huge barriers.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities?
I don’t think there is a lack of understanding. In fact I think there is more understanding of what a climate crisis can actually look like within a South Asian context.
I think the issue is more to do with the narratives, discourse and jargon used by policy makers and campaigners which can come across unfamiliar, high level or irrelevant to South Asian communities.
What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
Some of the blockers are the climate language and jargon which is used, especially terms like carbon emissions and carbon footprint. This is too abstract a concept unless you are a climate scientist, or your work involves measuring carbon impacts.
The other big blocker is embarrassment of and undervaluing of traditional sustainable behaviours, which have been passed down in South Asian communities. For example, reusing plastic ice cream or butter containers to store leftover food, growing your own herbs and vegetables in your front garden, no waste attitude – reusing and recycling wherever possible; however, these practices once in the west were looked down up i.e. perceived as behaviour of people who were unable to afford a better lifestyle. Unfortunately, a better lifestyle equated to overconsumption and a disposable society.
Being carbon conscious in a practical day-to-day sense can be quite costly – how can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
If we consider small steps to sustainable lifestyles then this is accessible to all, however some of the bigger steps such as installing solar panels, driving an electric vehicle or even buying organic may exclude a lot of us, simply on the basis of affordability. The easy steps we can take are just trying to be conscious of what we buy, what we use and need and what we eat. Try and reduce our waste by buying less, recycling and reusing more. Sharing with others instead of competing with others.
You touched on feeling a lack of representation and your work since has been about amplifying voices and engaging more diverse communities. Can you tell me more about this and why it’s particularly important for there to be greater representation in the sector?
When I started out there was very little to no representation from any person of colour within the environmental sector.
A whole portion of society was being excluded from any discourse on climate change, mitigation, adaptation measures and looking at sustainable behaviours and lifestyle.
If we live in a democratic society, surely all people should be included and opportunities for all voices to be heard should be created.
Firstly, it is important to recognise that one approach for certain communities will not be fit for another community. Secondly acknowledge that there is diversity within diversity; having one person from a BME background to represent the views of all the ethnically diverse communities of the country, is simply not good enough nor is it appropriate or fair.
Then there is the issue of climate justice – those that are being most impacted by climate change are the ones least contributing, but also have the least power to influence change.
Climate justice is also a racial justice issue similar to what we have unfortunately seen over the recent months with the pandemic. If we want systemic and structural changes, we need to see and have different diverse voices around the table.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
Firstly, you need to understand how we are connected to nature and the environment in order to understand where our produce, clothing and other consumable items come from. Look at nature-based solutions not just techno fixes going forward. Secondly, become active citizens, realise that you have power and are able to influence change by using your voice and actions, become more politically involved, don’t shy away from being involved in campaigning and activism. Lastly don’t be passive consumers become conscious consumers and try not to be influenced by fast trends or buy into the disposable culture.
You’ve had much exposure to government processes in place, working on policies and engaging with grass-root organisations. Based on your experience, what do you believe the most important and effective methods are to have the largest climate impact?
For me being interconnected in terms of dialogue and action is important i.e. policy makers, communities, industries and academics should all be working side by side, sharing knowledge and experience.
We should work less in silos and work more collaboratively to find solutions that fit the needs of society.
Communities should be adequately resourced if they are expected to take local action. Adding to this, I also think it is important to act locally but think globally, we are connected to other parts of the world and what we do here does have an impact somewhere, our carbon emissions contribute to global warming – the UK is not in a bubble.
Your example of actively using ‘positive environmental change’ rather than ‘behaviour change’ is really striking. Why do you believe our choice of language is important?
The language we use is important as this is our main means for communicating and bringing people together however, it can also lead to pushing people away. Simply put, language can be inclusive or exclusive.
In the UK and indeed in the West, the narrative on climate change and sustainable behaviours very much focusses on “behaviour change”. From my experience of working with communities this terminology isn’t helpful because people become very defensive when they hear behaviour change.
With the narrative of change as the premise, you are telling someone that how they previously lived and behaved was wrong and now they are going to be told how to live and behave better. The agency over their choices is not taken into consideration. Therefore, simply using a term such as “positive action” is more likely to result in people embracing change and steps to a better world for all.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
Early in my career I was working with a Muslim woman’s group and engaging them with activities to build their understanding of climate change. One day I was taking this group out on a trip to see a demo house with a number of energy efficiency measures adapted into its construction.
One of the elderly ladies (probably in her 70’s) thanked me. I thought it was for taking them out for the day on a trip, but she said it was for raising awareness about climate change. Her son is a frontline journalist who was posted out in Pakistan and covered stories about the floods caused by the ice melting on the Himalayas, which in turn caused huge devastation.
Many lives and homes were lost as a result of the vast amount of water and ice sheets hitting villages. She told me there were weeks, even months when she would not hear from her son and would worry that one day she would get the sad news of him passing away. She knew this was because of climate change and wanted others to be more aware and realise through our actions we can change these outcomes.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I also think it is important to be connected to nature, be aware of our ecosystem, and understand the role we play within this system. Unfortunately, colonisation and capitalism have removed us further and further away from our connection to the land. Only when we fully appreciate this, will we stop exploiting resources and relearn how to live as one with the planet.
Find out more about Zarina and connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIn
What is your ethnic, academic and professional background?
My mum is a British Indian from a traditional Punjabi family brought up in greater Manchester, and my dad is a south Indian mix of konkani and Telugu, from Hyderabad, India. This is to say I have a mixed Indian background, with different india cultural influences growing up. I lived in India during my schooling years and moved back to the UK permanently when I was around 16.
I pursued Physics at University upto a MSc, after which I spent half a year trying out teaching. I moved into the world of finance, specifically investments and became interested in the growing world of ESG, sustainability and impact investments.
Since then, I have been working as an independent consultant for environmental and data-focused non profits and other companies, using my research and analytical skills to research industry’s transition to carbon net-zero in light of our national targets.
Additionally, I work with entrepreneurs and start-ups helping their corporate development, marketing and fundraising strategies, with a particular interest in ethical, sustainable and environmental-focused businesses, such as ethical fashion, financial inclusion and environmental data.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
Growing up in India helped me realise from an early age the scarcity and unequal distribution of essential resources such as water, energy and food, the impact of the lack thereof. I was brought up to be mindful of consumption, minimise wastage, reduce unnecessary usage and reuse where possible. The first time I realised just how unsustainable we are was at University, when perfectly edible whole packs of food were routinely discarded with no second thought by my housemates! Why? “because the veg is wonky, because the packet said it expired yesterday, I don’t fancy that today, blah blah blah”. I was horrified.
I noted how excessive and consumption-focused society is and our blissful ignorance (intentional or not) around it. I began realising that our day-to-day activities, consumption choices and thus how industry runs and business is carried out are entirely unsustainable and at odds with the ever increasing consequences of climate-change we continue to face.
I wanted to be a part of the “green revolution” and a generation that demands better, more supply-chain transparency and care for our planet and communities by shifting from short-term financial gains to longer-term wider considerations.
We live in a world where making more money is considered an indication of success and prosperity, even if at the expense of nature and our environment. Inspiring work has been done to raise awareness and bring to light how unsustainably we currently live, but there is so much more to be done!
I especially believe in capital being used as a force for real change, and focus on the economic benefits of sustainability, especially disproving myths about the negative financial impacts of employing sustainable practices. I am inspired to use my background in science and finance to communicate this to a wider set of audiences and stakeholders to catalyze further decarbonisation, sustainable business practice uptake and investing for the greater good.
Can you tell me a bit about your work and how you got into it?
While working in investment advisory, I worked with investors and asset managers wanting to create impact through their investments. Here, I was introduced to the work of ESG, impact and sustainable investing. Through this work, I began working with IB1, researching and bringing together industry stakeholders harnessing data to make strategic and financial decisions in light of our net-zero carbon targets.
Sectors I’ve covered include renewable energy, insurance, recycling biotechnology, space-data for climate change, and environmental start-ups. I did not follow a clear path to where I am now, but using my broad set of skills and experiences, and my passion for sustainability and impact investing, I have managed to find work and forge a career in the environmental and sustainability space. There’s a lot more to do and learn though!
The challenge was finding like-minded organisations and individuals that you can learn from and work with, while also feeling like your work has a positive impact. I continue to look for further projects and groups to expand my work.
Are there any top tips you can share for people wanting to invest in green tech/ funds but unsure where or how to start?
Through initiatives such as open banking and continued digitalisation of our world, investing has never been easier and more accessible to the average consumer. Many platforms offer ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing and you will see more and more such products due to their growing demand. Some platforms include Nutmeg, wealthify, Pension Bee and many have the easy option to invest in ESG portfolios. If you want to directly invest in clean technology, check out Thrive Renewables, who offer individuals and businesses easy access to investing in renewables in the UK.
Additionally, investing apps such as Hargreaves Lansdown, Moneybox and others allow you to pick your own stocks (say, if you’ve heard of this really cool cleantech company and you want in!). If you don’t have an ISA, get one! Make sure it’s a stocks and shares ISA (you can use the above mentioned investment platforms for this) where you can either choose a managed portfolio or pick your own stocks (if you feel confident enough!) Familiarise yourself with how the bonds market works, and read up on various online resources to help you get started. And remember, google is your friend and a fantastic teacher.
What have been your biggest successes and learnings to date?
My biggest success to date is perhaps finding fulfilment and pride in my work since becoming self-employed, working directly within the environmental sector and with inspirational start-ups building impactful businesses.
My biggest learning to date is just how much more learning there is to do, with many people, organisations and countries making huge strides in the sustainability sector — I want to learn about and speak to them all!
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash about your career choice from family, friends or society at large?
I am fortunate to have supportive family and friends around me. Sustainability and impact investment is growing in importance, perhaps mainly due to my generations’ desire to do good with their money, so the opportunities in this sector are ever increasing and better remunerated. I would say the biggest challenge is the older generation and their thinking, especially their dismissiveness and scepticism towards sustainability, and the need to make changes not just for financial returns, but environmental, social and other reasons.
My family continues to encourage me to pursue the intersection of finance with the environment, so I am spared the backlash! That said, I have been lucky. A few years ago my sister finally decided to pursue her life-long passion by leaving her career as a surgeon to work for the Environmental Agency — an inspiration to myself, my family, her friends and colleagues. It was initially hard for my parents and other elders to understand why, but they eventually understood and supported her wholeheartedly. She still gets the odd comment from the family and acquaintances, but following her heart and becoming a key spokesperson for the environment is worth more than any uncle or aunty comments.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
I think little things go a long way. I find that sustainable, responsible and conscious living can be achieved through small behavioural changes. Although buying sustainably sourced or ethical products is still not economically achievable for many, I am a strong believer in market forces.
Sustainable practices will become the norm only if there is strong demand for it, and as consumers, expect more and better of our industries.
Taking an extra minute of your day to appropriately recycle your waste instead of throwing it all into the main bin, supporting your local high-street for locally sourced every-day items (some even have delivery services through apps!) and switching to buying products which have been sustainably sourced, are some of the smallest ways we can address unsustainable living.
Even small things such as turning off lights or using energy saving bulbs, checking if your “expired” groceries are truly expired (use your eyes and nose — millions of years of evolution has gone into refining our senses for survival!) and being conscious of the amount of single-use plastics you use. I love using apps to help guide small changes, such as JouleBug, SDGsinaction and Waterwise pledges to name a few. Be vocal about it, and wear terms meant to insult you such as “SJW”, “eco terrorist” and “environment militant” with pride!
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
South Asian communities are driven to achieve financial success, I believe more so than others. Our idea of “success” is tied to the “developed world” and is warped by this concept of excess (e.g. quantity over quality), and we are obsessed with attaining “developed” status much the same way the West did through rapid industrialisation (and we know how unsustainable, polluting and damaging that was and continues to be…).
The challenge is to change the mindset that we can attain success only by these means, and what that “success” looks like. We have smarter, more sustainable solutions to polluting sectors such as infrastructure, transport, buildings and materials. We can solve these problems by supporting and investing in cleaner technologies and sustainable business practices, and discontinuing supporting businesses that are not.
You touched on feeling a great moral obligation to the future generation. For those who don’t know, why should people care about the climate emergency?
A moral obligation to the future generation is only one reason to care about the climate emergency. The effects of climate change are being felt here and now. We do not own this world, and we share it with many other living beings. It is selfish to carry on as is.
For our generation, and especially those who are privileged to have an education, I feel it is our duty with the information and resources we have at our fingertips to undo the unsustainable existence we lead.
If decisive action is not taken now, climate change is capable of eroding the very foundations of life — access to food, water, shelter, etc. we enjoy today. We owe it to future generations to inherit a world that they can thrive in.
Of course, there is an economic argument for the climate emergency also, with adverse weather conditions and eroding ecosystems leading to constrained supply chains and increased prices, sustainability gives longer term success through enabling financial stability and resilience in the face of climate change. If we continue to take more than is given, we are damaging our own home and livelihoods. The expression “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” comes to mind.
Being carbon conscious in a practical day-to-day sense can be quite costly – how can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
Agreed, truly sustainable living is not attainable just yet and is inaccessible to many. Although sustainable living is perceived as costly, often the sustainable solution works out cheaper in the long run but the lack of upfront costs is a challenge.
Cost is one challenge, another is access.
Some sustainable solutions require more time, resource and expertise to achieve, which may not always be available or attainable. Solutions that are efficient, accessible and cost effective need to be further developed, invested and commercialised, and we look to the government and industry to stop dragging their feet. I strongly believe in the power we have as consumers to demand more from our industries and leaders; so find sustainable and ethical alternatives and stop supporting polluting and unethical companies and industries not doing enough.
Other smaller steps we can take include taking an extra minute to separate your land-waste and recycling, stopping single-use plastics, supporting locally sourced products and ethical businesses, buying an electric car instead of a petrol/diesel car, switching to a green tariff with your energy supplier, and pulling your support for polluting multinationals.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment? Is it a viable industry to enter?
Of course! Our generation’s biggest challenge is to carve a new way of life. There’s much work to be done to overhaul an entire way of living including localised resource management, supply chains, behavioural and cultural beliefs, investments and financing, ecological and environmental impact, and so on.
One thing is certain, things cannot carry on as “business as usual”, and significant impact is made from those willing to step outside the comfort zone of the “known” and embrace the challenge of carbon net-zero.
It is currently considered a stand-alone industry, but sustainability will become an integral part of any industry and function.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
Stories about the consequences of climate change around the world deeply impact me every day. Every news story about a bleached coral reef, devastating droughts, farmers ending their lives over one too many failed harvests, unexpected floods leading to loss of life and its long-term impacts on people and communities… it is hard not to be.
However, success stories such as growing renewable energy uptake, banning and regulation of plastic uses by various governments, revival of “farmers markets” and local produce, climate change insurance products, ESG investing, and net-zero legislation are all positive steps being taken to mitigate and adapt to climate-change.
These steps and those leading the charge on the climate conversation serve as an inspiration to tackle my generation’s biggest challenge. Well… that and pandemics, shrinking economies, brexits and the death of tv to name a few.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
It is important to remember that a little goes a long way. Small changes on their own may not seem like much, but together we can make real change. The internet is a wonderful resource and privilege — use it.
We caught up with Visvesh, Chemical Engineer turned Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Research Analyst, working in impact investing with Sustainalytics
What is your ethnic, academic and professional background?
I am an engineer turned sustainability professional currently working as an ESG (Sustainable Investing) analyst for Sustainalytics in Frankfurt. I grew up in Chennai, a large metropolitan city in south India and completed my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering before moving to the US to do my masters in environmental sustainability.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
It has been a combination of different experiences and moments. I have always enjoyed spending time outdoors in nature and this was probably my starting point towards getting into sustainability. Growing up in India, I was able to witness first-hand the environmental costs and repercussions of human development. My degree in chemical engineering also helped me realise the amount of pollution that comes with industrial growth. Eventually, it was about finding an avenue to make an impact and for me that was sustainable finance.
Can you tell me about your career so far and work with Sustainalytics? What inspired you to take this role on despite studying Engineering?
My role with Sustainalytics is to analyse and rate publicly listed companies based on their sustainability performance. It involves engaging with companies to understand how they consider environmental and social metrics and integrate it into their business models. The other part involves helping the investment management community make better long-term investment decisions by providing them with relevant non-financial data that can have financial impacts on the companies that they invest in.
I got inspired by the fact that my research and analysis can have an impact on how money is being used by investors.
The idea behind sustainable investing of how you can use money as a force for good attracted me to this field. By convincing investors that climate change and other non-financial factors can affect their returns, you are indirectly influencing corporations to act responsibly and ethically.
This top-down approach to implementing sustainability coupled with the fact that you are influencing those who have large capital to manage got me hooked to this industry.
What have been your biggest successes and learnings to date?
I strongly believe that the only constant is change and one should learn to embrace it. Life is unpredictable and to never take anything or anyone for granted. Kindness and empathy can go a long way in understanding and convincing people. My biggest success for now is being able to work in a field that I enjoy and being able to help those who are looking to get into this space.
Being South Asian, did you face any backlash from family, friends or society at large for choosing to work in sustainability? Has it been challenging?
Sustainability was a new and upcoming field and there were concerns from family members as to what kind of career I could have in this space. I also had friends jokingly tease me about my intentions to save the planet. But I am thankful to my parents for giving me the freedom to do what I liked and believing in my vision.
It was challenging to find jobs in sustainable finance as I had no prior experience in finance apart from some academic coursework. Although my graduate degree was focused in Sustainability and Impact investing, preference was still given to those with a finance background. However, nowadays I see that trend changing with consideration given to those who have knowledge or expertise in sustainability as well.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
I think living in Europe makes it a lot easier to be more sustainable. Recycling is followed quite diligently. Public transportation is pretty good and locally I travel by cycle to work. Some of the long-distance trains here are powered by renewable electricity. Most of the grocery items in Germany are sustainably sourced and have certification labels that meet minimum environmental and quality standards. From a personal standpoint, I like living a lifestyle that is minimalistic and free from too many material possessions. I have also been trying to invest my savings in sustainable funds and companies.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis among South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
I think people in South Asian communities are well aware of the climate crisis, partly because of the several extreme weather events that have affected daily life in those regions. Some of the South Asian countries are still growing at a rapid pace and the key focus should be about sustainable development and adopting a long-term approach. Aligning growth, based on the sustainable development goals and implementing policies aimed at climate change adaptation should be the norm.
I still believe that tackling some of the fundamental issues facing humanity such as poverty, water scarcity and women empowerment will significantly help in solving the climate crisis.
Being carbon conscious on a practical day-to-day basis can be quite costly (e.g. vegan/organic food supplies, general supplies/toiletries, electric cars etc). How can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
I think there are different ways to be carbon conscious depending on a person’s lifestyle and way of life. Some of the cost-effective ways to be sustainable include minimizing food waste, recycling and composting based on local disposal guidelines, and purchasing products that are designed to last long.
If your local city has a good public transport network, try to use them as much as possible to commute. Changing one’s diet to reduce carbon footprint can be hard and it’s a personal choice. However, one can take efforts to buy free range meat or farm meat instead of factory grown processed meat.
There is this misconception that practicing a sustainable lifestyle is expensive, but it’s the simple things like minimizing water consumption, walking or biking to nearby places and reducing impulsive buying that also largely makeup sustainable living.
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
Future generations will be facing the implications of climate change in ways the older generations never had.
However, history has shown us that when humanity is slowly pushed to the brink, it comes up with some of the most innovative and uplifting solutions to not just survive but thrive.
Climate change and sustainability is the biggest challenge of the 21st century and I am hopeful of our ability to tackle this issue. I encourage the younger generations to be aware of the big picture and try to understand how every little action contributes to something large. To try to cultivate long-term thinking and not for short-term gains.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
It is a small incident during my mom’s college years. She was preparing for an important exam during which her father had a life-threatening road accident and an emergency operation was required. As she was in medical school, the surgeon performing the operation requested her to participate in the operation procedure and was scheduled to take place a day before the exam. The surgery was successful, and my mother also ended up clearing the exam. I was just amazed and inspired at the level of composure, mental strength and determination to get through that phase.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I generally like to meet new people and listen to their stories and experiences. My communication channels are always open, and I will be glad to help those who are trying to understand ESG and sustainable finance.
What is your ethnic and professional/academic background?
I’m British but of Indian heritage. I have a BSc in Money, Banking and Finance and run my own property development business. Previously, I ran a nursing home for several years.
What inspired you to act as a catalyst for sustainable practice? Is there a particular story you can share?
My grandmother used to tell me stories of her life back in India and Africa. They were really poor and life was challenging. So, from a young age I realised the importance of gratitude and not to waste whether that’s food, water, clothes, heating or electricity.
What is Hindu Climate Action? How did it come about, who’s involved and what do you hope to achieve?
a) Raise awareness about climate change in our community
b) Highlight the religious importance of protecting the environment in the Hindu tradition
c) Provide resources to help Hindu organisations like Mandirs and the community ‘go green’
The team itself is small and diverse ranging from students to grandmothers! So everyone brings a different skill, talent and expertise which is great as we’d like to work with the whole Hindu community.
We have a presence on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Linkedin (@hinduclimateaction). We have also built our website, www.hinduclimateaction.org which has loads of resourcesfrom what is climate change to what we’re doing and how the community can engage.
What have been your biggest successes and learnings?
We’ve only been operating since the summer of 2020 but we’ve achieved loads in this short time:
Our biggest learning point is that the community wants to become more sustainable.
Our message that acts of kindness for the environment become acts of worship has resonated with the youth and we’ve had lots of engagement with that demographic.
We’ve formed strong relations with NHSF, a Hindu youth organisation and are excited to be working with them at one of their upcoming national events.
Being South Asian, have you faced any backlash for creating the campaign from family, friends or society at large? How did you overcome it?
I’ve often been asked why it’s necessary to combine religion with climate change. Firstly, we feel climate change is an issue that’s not being discussed enough in our community. Secondly, Hindus are a large and prosperous community (there are nearly 1 million Hindus in the UK) and we can play a large role in tackling climate change. For this to happen, we need to engage with the wider community.
Environmental protection and the Dharmic traditions go hand in hand but there isn’t much representation or awareness.
That’s why it’s important to have groups such as ourselves and South Asians for Sustainability to raise awareness on climate change to all sections of our society.
How have you actively changed your daily practice to be more sustainable?
I’ve made a number of changes to become more sustainable over the past few years including: buying an electric car, going vegan, having solar panels fitted in my house and spending more of my money on experiences rather than buying more and more new things. With my property development business, we try to make our houses as energy efficient as possible by implementing simple measures like fitting loft insulation and LED light bulbs and where possible, more costly measures like installing solar panels. We all want to make money in life but I believe our wealth should be used to benefit society.
Do you feel there is a stigma or lack of understanding of the climate crisis amongst South Asian communities? What do you believe the blockers to be and how would you go about solving the issues?
I think our community has become accustomed to hearing about climate change in the news such as bushfires, flooding and droughts around the world. I think it gives people a false sense of security that climate change doesn’t affect us in the UK.
Highlighting the severity of climate change and illustrating that protecting the environment is an integral part of our religion might help raise understanding in the community.
Which groups of people have shown most interest in your campaign so far?
So far we’ve hosted 16 climate workshops and we’ve found the youth have shown the most interest in our work so far. In fact, half our team members are either still at university or recently graduated! Through social media in particular, we’ve been able to create a network of people engaging with our work and given us leads with media outlets like the BBC as well as a British Hindus podcast and independent reporters showing interest in our work.
Why did you choose to take a religious angle for the campaign? Do you find it’ll help engage a wider demographic?
The Hindu tradition is inherently environmentally friendly through concepts such as Dharma, Ahimsa and Karma Yoga. Dharma are those actions that uphold and sustain a peaceful and harmonious world. Dharma are those actions that allow all living beings to flourish. So, if we live a life of Dharma, there’ll be harmony in society and the natural world flourishes. How can we achieve such a state? By practicing values such as Ahimsa (causing the least harm) and selfless actions that benefit the world (Karma Yoga). Hindu Climate Action aims to promote these values to inspire the Hindu community to go green.
You touched on the importance of climate action being recognised as a form of worship, rooted deeply in Hindu dharmic traditions – can you elaborate on this?
For many Hindus, bhakti (devotion) is an important part of their religious practice and it influences their daily life. For example, many Hindus start their day by performing puja (rituals) and saying prayers at home. However, Hindus shouldn’t just see God in murtis (sacred images), we should see God everywhere and in all living beings. With this elevated level of consciousness, becoming environmentally friendly comes natural to us.
The world is our Mandir and climate action is our puja.
Being carbon conscious in a practical day-to-day sense can be quite costly – how can people easily and cost effectively make a difference? Do you think being sustainable is accessible to everyone?
This is a really good question, some of the things I’ve done for the environment have been expensive such as the electric car and solar panels but there’s still so much that you can do:
a) Going plant-based is great for your health and if you eat more whole foods (as opposed to meat substitutes), you’ll actually save lots of money going vegan whilst also helping the environment. It’s a win-win!
b) Some of the cheapest energy deals on the market are ‘green tariffs’ so this is a simple switch you can make.
c) You can reduce the amount of energy you use at home e.g. reducing the temperature on the thermostat, wearing more layers instead of heating, ensuring all your lights are LEDs and getting loft insulation. These measures will cut your bills and help reduce your home’s carbon emissions.
d) Instead of driving short distances, why not walk or cycle?
e) Say no to buying new things. Reducing the amount you consume is great for the environment and your wallet too!
All these measures are relatively cheap and in some cases, even free!
What advice would you give to younger generations in relation to sustainability and the environment?
Climate change is happening now and sadly, it’ll only get worse unless we take action now. There’s no point waiting for politicians to take action. If you want to live in a world free from the catastrophic effects of climate change, make steps to become more sustainable now. As Gandhi ji said, ‘be the change you wish to see in the world.’
I’d also say don’t be intimidated by the magnitude of the problem. By implementing sustainable changes in your life and starting climate conversations with friends and family, you can inspire others and this causes a ripple effect. We can’t control what’s happening in the world but we can control what we do.
Can you share one life story which has deeply impacted you?
I’m part of an amazing organisation, Youth for Sewa. It’s a self-development program through serving underprivileged communities in the UK and India. A few years ago, my wife and I visited several projects in India ranging from uplifting tribal communities to educating and caring for disabled children. Hearing the inspiring stories of how each project started and how the workers devote their whole lives for the upliftment of society taught me the importance of contributing something positive to the world.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the campaign or otherwise?
We are a new organisation and while we’ve made a great start, we are a small team which limits the amount of projects we can run. We’re always on the lookout for more volunteers so if you’d like to contribute to our work, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback and ideas so do send us a message in our direct messages or email us on namaste@hinduclimateaction.org
South Asians for Sustainability 