I met Sunita Rajesh at a book exchange organized in Chennai and sat down right then and there to calculate my personal carbon footprint on her engaging site OnlyPlanet.In
I was engaged and enlightened and had to share it with a wider audience.
Some preliminary insights about the OnlyPlanet.In team from their website:
Founder, Sunita Rajesh, is a 45-year old
mom, with no background in environment or in business. She quit her corporate
career of 20 years in the role of Executive Assistant to business heads when
she decided to build OnlyPlanet - a layman’s (or woman’s!) take on the
environmental challenge. Going live in
October 2018, after 15 months of research, and 11 months of coding (in
parallel) is the first milestone @OnlyPlanet.
Sunita believes that a problem we caused, will
be solved when we get involved.
Using the fact that today the
world is connected on the mobile phone and we are a global community – reaching
anyone, anywhere, rapidly. She visualizes the power of a community that is a
million strong, equipped with know-how on personal carbon footprint.
Shabnam Sikander, Sunita's collaborator, has an MS
in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University and a 9-year career with
Sun Microsystems. The next 5 years were
devoted to adoption of solar energy in the US. An exceptional individual,
marked by her drive and enthusiasm to adoption of cleantech, Shabnam is now
busy making OnlyPlanet a visible force.
"OnlyPlanet is built by bootstrapping. We have plans to build more innovative features and seek funding."
The dynamic Sunita Rajesh, shares some of her insights in the Q&A that follows:
Q1 Could you share a little bit about your journey from a
normal job to becoming a green
entrepreneur with Karma and launching OnlyPlanet.In
Sunita: I began working before I turned 18! 22 years in big
corporates, in various positions, essentially assisting business heads in
operations, data, reporting, and IT driven process improvements. When my son
Ishan was born, I took a 3 year sabbatical in which I volunteered for
TeachIndia and also launched a computer literacy program for homemakers/senior
citizens.
Karma was the brainchild of a traffic jam in Pune.
Traffic happens, every single day, in every mega-city,
because our time and direction match.
Equipped with a smartphone, we are so connected, yet the adoption of
carpooling has not taken off. Traffic impacts us and the environment. That led to the train of thought of how we,
urban citizens, and our day-to-day choices create the environmental scenario
that affects all life, in turn. In other words, personal carbon footprint
!
Q2. What inspired OnlyPlanet.In?
Sunita: A problem
that we cause, will be resolved, when we get involved.
Raising awareness and building a movement in today’s times
is technically easier as you can reach anyone, anywhere, rapidly.
The need to break the myth that going green is expensive,
inconvenient and difficult. Provide
solutions that are exactly the reverse – Things that save time, save money, are
easy to do and benefit you personally along with a positive impact on the
environment.
Build a localised, global community that has know-how and
awareness to become a positive force.
Q3. What impact have you seen once people get an idea about
their carbon emissions?
Sunita: For most of
them, it is the very first time they have done this calculation. So, it is a process of discovery and
learning. That going green is far beyond
not using plastic, and not littering. That driving, flying, spending, using
electricity, and causing waste are big elements of our carbon footprint. We need to be alert about these actions and
take responsibility.
They are startled at the size of their carbon footprint.
Willingness to reduce is established.
Also they wish to spread the awareness by sharing on social networks.
Q4. How did you come to make up Shado?
Sunita: My son Ishan
met a dog named Shadow at his playschool, named so, as he would accompany you
everywhere you go :) That is what carbon
footprint is – tagging along with us, every step, every choice we make.
Q5. What message do you have for students and young people to inspire them to take Green jobs and start Green and sustainable businesses and start-ups?
Sunita: The planet is home, to you, me, all plant and animal life. Leading a sustainable life is our primary responsibility. Enabling that is a fantastic way to be a disruptor – a force that reverses blatant consumerism and its pitfalls. If this resonates with you – go for it!!
Q6. Why do you think people should use OnlyPlanet.In and how
should they incorporate the findings to make their lives and home eco-friendly?
Sunita: Meet Shado,
your personal carbon footprint and put a number to what is your individual role
in the global environmental scenario.
Use it again, to see the impact you can make by not driving one day a
week, or using the train instead of a plane for a short journey, be mindful of
all that you buy, consume and waste. Take this awareness to your family and
friends. Spread this to your school,
college, workplace.
Q7. What are the other organizations you collaborate with?
Sunita: Centre for
Environmental Science & Engineering, IIT Bombay
The Energy Research Institute of India (TERI)
Looking forward to collaborate with many other organisations
that work in this field, creating impact on ground and also via services – such
as EFI, Yulu.
Q8. Who is a personal role model/eco-hero/eco-shero?
Sunita: Yet to get
there – still learning and imbibing the ideologies and work of leaders. The
work of these individuals and their encouragement has furthered my journey
incredibly.
Mike Berners Lee, author of How Bad Are Bananas
Prof Dr. Harish Phuleria, my guide
Dr Anjali Parasnis, TERI
Dr Kala Seetharam Sridhar, ISEC Bangalore
Q9. What are your future plans for Karma and Only Planet?
Sunita: To build a
community of 1 million+ that is aware of personal carbon footprint and active
in reducing it. Build features that make environmentalism doable for every one
of us, most of all, the busy urban citizen.
Q10. Climate Change is the existential threat of the 21st
century and people with over-consuming lifestyles have the biggest negative
impact, what do you think is one thing if adopted by the affluent you think
would have a significant impact in reducing emissions.
Sunita: Today, flying is becoming cheaper and many of us think it is “essential,” a convenience we can’t do without. However, neither the airlines nor the passengers seem to pay for the environmental impact, which is staggering at 314 kg CO2e/passenger.km.[*] If you fly, and do that often, do offset the carbon footprint with a direct impact action such as - use of solar to meet your energy requirements, enable/sponsor composting and biogas plants in your neighbourhood.
[*] source: Carbon emissions of flying one hour:
http://www.carbonindependent.
Carbon Footprint of Flying, DGCA. Govt. of India - http://dgca.nic.in/env/Carbon%
Carbon Footprint of Flying, DGCA. Govt. of India - http://dgca.nic.in/env/Carbon%
Q11. If you could make a wish to improve one aspect of the
state of the planet what would it be?
Ishan [Sunita's son]:
I would wish for the ozone layer to be repaired and be given the power
of being indestructible.
Sunita: cities of the
world turning into sustainable communities!
Q12. Finally could you let us know a little bit about the
kind of events and awareness workshops/consultations you conduct?
Sunita: We have done
awareness events at schools, colleges, libraries and corporates. We engage with
audiences to zoom in to the environmental scenario as a problem owned by us,
not governments and environmentalists. A
hands-on calculation of personal carbon footprint and commitment to raise
awareness by sharing is accomplished.
