Sunita Rajesh, founder of OnlyPlanet.in , a website that helps one to calculate the carbon footprint is a concerned citizen. “Every small action of ours has an impact on our environment. According to Statista.com, India ranks 12th in carbon emission globally. On an average, a single individual produces 1.6 tonnes of carbon footprint in one year. The number has steadily increased over the years and it is alarming,” she says.
The 45-year-old worked an executive assistant with an IT firm in Mumbai when she had her life changing moment. She was in a car stuck at a traffic jam in 2016. That’s when she wondered why people did not carpool. “If we did that, how much we could reduce that carbon footprint,” she says.
Sunita who is based in Coimbatore, researched on the subject for nine months. “Personal carbon footprint can be defined as the impact of one’s lifestyle choices on the planet. It is calculated over a span of one year,” she explains.
She quit her job, sold her car and learnt to cycle. “I stopped shopping for new things. Instead, I share my clothes now with my friends.”
Kolkata, Date:23/06/2015. A vegetable vendor is waiting for buyers when prices of vegetables are quite high at local market in Kolkata. Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty
To reach out, she developed the website. “After 18 months of preparation, I launched it with the help of Harish Phuleria, Professor, Centre for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, IIT Mumbai. The website went live last year,” she says.
OnlyPlanet.in measures the carbon footprint based on one’s mode of transport, food and electricity consumption, waste management and monthly expenditure. “Mindless expenditure is common now. People equate happiness with what they buy. But we forget the ecological impact behind it. Instead of this let us practise ‘letting go'. Give away stuff that are of no use to you but can be used by others. Buy local. Things that are made somewhere else will have negative ecological impact due to its transportation and packaging.”
Sunita is on a mission to demystify the misconception that living eco-friendly is inconvenient and expensive. “In fact, it is the opposite. When you are mindful, you will save a lot of money and energy. It is good for you and for Nature. But we have to put in the effort,” she says.
Sunita has conducted 23 awareness programmes across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Coimbatore. “It is heart warming that most participants are keen to know on how they can contribute to the environment. In future, I hope to bring in more features that will help track the carbon footprint,” she says.
Sunita will lead the Mango Open House #104 on November 13 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Mango Education, GV Residency, Uppilipalayam. Entry is free but registration is a must. Visit http://bit.ly/36H5Mya to register.
Call 9952243541 for details
