Towards the end of 2017, Dia Mirza was appointed as the first United Nations Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India, in an acknowledgement of her strong eco-warrior stance. She is also the ambassador of the Wildlife Trust of India, of Swachh Saathi (a part of Swachh Bharat Mission’s youth-based programme) and a member of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation.
A former Miss Asia Pacific, actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Mirza (of Lage Raho Munna Bhai , Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein , Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. fame) tries to be a friend of the environment in the way she lives her life and the manner in which she advocates for wildlife and nature conservation. She does it with her endearing characteristic charm, of course. Between shoot schedules for Sanju (actor Sanjay Dutt’s biopic where she plays his wife Manyata on screen), she makes time to tell us about her green life and why 2018 is going to see more people reconsider their daily choices. Here’s how she advocates for change and how we can all make a difference.
Stop for a second
Mirza grew up, she says, with both school and family helping her understand that the environment is the pivot of our existence. “The concept of need versus greed was ingrained in us. I am used to questioning myself each time I make a purchase,” she says, of one of the first steps one takes towards being ecologically conscious. She asks herself: “Do I really need what I am buying?” It’s going to be one of the top questions people will ask in 2018, and a mindful reminder of pressing the pause button on purchases and also of appreciating what we already have.
Look for a park
She remembers the time her father turned down a lucrative job offer, even when the family was hard up for money, because it came from an industry that was spewing effluents into water bodies. “We argued with him, but he stood firm. That is what I have learnt from him, that it is all about making choices, and standing by what you believe in, for a better life,” she says. It was the little things, too, she says of her German father and Bengali mother. “I have grown up on a diet of sunrise picnics, learning the names of butterflies, planting trees,” she says. In the coming year, she sees more people moving towards greenery-centric entertainment choices.
Invest in non-plastics
Because of the way she grew up, Mirza realised early that the environment is linked intrinsically with health. For instance, she says no to plastic, knowing that the chemicals it emits are toxic for the earth and our bodies. “I have never stored water in plastic bottles, always in glass, steel or copper bottles and containers. I even carry my own water to work, and refill bottles for drinking. I believe strongly in the conservation of water (all those half-drunk bottles of water we throw away),” she says. She’ll repeat the message to discipline house help. “It takes patience and effort, and I invest it.” She’ll carry her own cloth bags to go shopping, refuse straws at restaurants, compost, and even have a separate box for e-waste. It’s the little things, she believes, that make a big difference.
Look for alternatives
“My logic is, I need to know where something is coming from and where it is going.” So she’ll only buy local, organic produce. Also, “I calculated that if I live upto the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that plastic! So I switched to bamboo toothbrushes years ago.” Similarly, she realised she’d add 150 kg of toxic waste until the approximate age of menopause, if she continued to use factory-produced sanitary napkins. She uses biodegradable ones now. Her voice gets louder with each step she talks about, and she believes that this year, rather than just practising a few small measures, people will spread the message, talk about alternatives, rather than just dissing our current usage patterns.
Forget convenience
“I believe convenience is a lie. We need to go back to basics, to trim the health hazards that we have created for ourselves and our future generations. Environmental degradation and climate change are impacting millions across the globe, now more than ever before. It is critical for us to cultivate consciousness and compassion towards our environment, create awareness, galvanise people, and build sustainable innovations for sustainable development,” she says, grandly, quickly tempering it with, “It starts with being kind towards others and towards nature, to improve the health of our soil, air and water.” And in turn, our own health.
