Tell us about yourself
My name is Neeha Mujeeb. I am 34, Indian, grew up in UAE, Turkey and the US and relocated back to the UAE in 2016. I’m a consultant for governments and love the impact a well thought out public policy or project can achieve. I’m a lifelong nerd and am currently doing a Masters in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School to learn more about how public institutions can be harnessed to fight climate change.
What inspired you to embrace eco-friendly practices and make a shift towards sustainability?
It started out with the idea of ‘conscious consumerism’. After having paid off student loans and starting to save and invest, I started to think more about what I was enabling through my purchases. I finally had the luxury to think beyond buying the most economical product and instead think about whether my money was going to products and services that were trying to make the world a better place. We often underestimate the power of demand we create as consumers, and I wanted to exercise this power.
What are the primary steps you take to integrate eco-friendly practices into your lifestyle?
Apart from the simpler lifestyle changes such as sorting out trash and recyclables, carrying my own water bottle, keeping a tote bag etc. I’ve tried to keep a compost going in my balcony which helps my plants but needs a bit of attention to ensure it doesn’t attract pests. I also try to buy from local companies as much as possible to avoid transport emissions, and do grocery shopping in smaller amounts with specific recipes in mind so that I avoid wasting ingredients.
Share some of the most effortless yet impactful eco-friendly changes you’ve made in your daily routine.
Switching out daily use products with more sustainable alternatives. Paper products such as toilet paper and tissues can be bamboo based. Cleaning supplies such as disinfectant sprays, washing machine liquid, dish soap can be changed to refillable tablet form products from non toxic brands.
What difficulties have you encountered while striving to live in an environmentally conscious manner?
For someone who enjoys traveling, I find myself constantly fighting the temptation to take the next flight every time there is a holiday trying to balance my love for travel with the high carbon footprint associated with it. Another part of my lifestyle that I know needs to change is moving to a less carbon intensive diet. Red meat, coffee, chocolate (yes – even chocolate), cheese, and rice all have high carbon footprints and are among my favorite ingredients (check out the full list here: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/food-emissions-supply-chain).
What are some misconceptions about being eco-friendly that you’d like to debunk?
That being eco-friendly is about recycling, when in fact it starts from the purchase itself. Do we really need that product or service, do we need it in the form it is being provided in, do we need to use it as much as we do. When we are done with a certain product, can it be repaired, donated, reused or repurposed. Only after we have exhausted all options should we think of recycling. Being eco-friendly is about reducing consumption and conserving resources
How do you plan on continuing your sustainability journey? What other aspects do you plan to change?
I hope to work on policy and projects that can support sustainability at a global level. I hope to continue advising governments on their journey to net-zero and implement change top-down.