What Kind of An Environmental Citizen Am I?

During the 1970’s there was an energy crisis that shook the world and people began to realize that natural resources like coal and petroleum were finite. This was the time when increases in consumerism and population growth were occurring simultaneously. There was an increased global demand for fossil fuels to such an extent that it was the second most world-changing event after the Great Depression. This low period of history also led to the emergence of the concept of environmental preservation and the curtailing of overexploitation of resources.

Despite the shortsighted human nature of perceiving the future, there were various grass-root movements and economic models that grew out of this crisis. Environmentalists like Wangari Maathai and economists like E.F. Schumacher inspired the movements that were emerging around this time. The banner of being an environmental citizen was finally raised and influenced people to be a part of it.

Switching off the lights, buying organically grow fruits instead of those that are mass produced using fertilizers, toilets that conserve water when flushing, utilizing a bucket instead of the shower to bathe, reusing old shirts as rags instead of paper towels are the eco-friendly things I do at home. To play my role in protecting the environment, I have tried to be a good if not the best, eco-friendly citizen that I can be.

General regard about various environmental issues still lacks support. There are people in this world that still believe global warming to be a myth, even if there is evidence to prove otherwise. The lack of concern is due to lack of awareness.  The simple act of recycling newspaper changes the way we function as a household. As Gandhi said, “ You must be the change you wish to see in the world”, we can only influence others if we are the ones who affect and introduce that change. Protecting the environment is all about identifying various areas of concern and finding solutions to them

During my summer before university started, I interned for a consultancy based in Mumbai, called the Environment Management Centre (EMC). Dr.Prasad Modak, who is a key figure in the Environmental field in India, founded it in 1996. It is a well-known company that frequently partners with the UN. They handle lots of regional and international assignments. My job as an intern was to push the idea of a ‘Green Directory for Office Supplies’. The Green Directory was the first of its kind in India. Being a publication of the Green Purchasing Network of India (GPNI) it serves as a resource pool where customers can make an informed decision before buying an eco-friendly office products. It is divided into a featured and a general version. My task was to research and find the background of around 200 suppliers in Mumbai that sell eco-friendly office products. I had to contact and follow up with these individual suppliers and then collect the product information. I had to make online surveys regarding the market for eco-friendly goods in India, as well as do a literature review about the type of product that was in demand. It was an interesting experience, as I had to make a few field visits. I saw how eco-friendly goods were sold at a premium price and how people in the private sector were willing to buy such goods and switch over to a sustainable living.

By interviewing many buyers and talking to the manufacturers I got a good sense of how the upcoming market functions and why being ‘green’ plays a big role in it. It made me change a few habits at home as well, such as using more recycled paper, investing in a staple-less stapler and buying products that are made using fair-trade. Based on these experiences I concluded that there is a slow but upcoming market in eco-friendly products and services. The experience of working in an office environment, researching for a project that is related to the field that I can see myself working in the future, is a valuable one! 

Author's Note:Most university kids in the West, end up doing full time jobs every summer break! These jobs may be completely unrelated to the courses we take or even the careers we pursue after school, however there is a lesson to be learnt from each and every experience. Waiteressing or being a Salesperson can help one attain social skills or become just as efficient as one would in an internship --- it all depends on our attitude! It is obviously important for a student to earn their way through school but we should always have a open mindset no matter what we do! Each and every job has a learning curve and we must not only keep that in mind but also realize that in time, as we zoom through four years of undergrad, it becomes vital for us to start having experiences in the field of our choice! Building up the resume with a lot of volunteering stints is one such way to get good internships and co-op placements. The summer stint at EMC taught me the importance of pushing oneself to achieve what we think is impossible. It made me realize that I have the confidence to put myself out there and be the best! And that in itself is one of my greatest victories!
(This blog post is the first essay I wrote as an university student! Hope you enjoyed reading it)