Dubai girl, 16, turns eco-entrepreneur at Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Dubai: A 16-year-old girl in Dubai has turned an eco-entrepreneur by launching a startup selling planet-friendly stationery at the ongoing Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (Emirates LitFest).

Himakshi Shastri, a student of Dubai College, has founded ‘Sustainery’ to promote the use of sustainable stationery items among students and professionals.

A passionate environmentalist, Himakshi said Sustainery is her new venture into the climate movement. “I firmly believe that small sustainable acts, when multiplied, can transform the world,” she added.

As a student using stationery, Himakshi wanted to end the use of stationery that are harmful for the planet.

“As an environmentalist, I have realised that most of the stationary we use is highly unsustainable. Basic essentials like pens are made of plastic, which can take up to 450 years to degrade. Our notepads are curated from paper which hasn’t been recycled before.”

Himakshi said she had felt guilty when she used a plastic pen to note down a geography lesson about the impact of climate change and how people’s lives are threatened around the world. “I knew this had to be changed,” she added.

‘Trendy, affordable’

She said she started researching about sustainable stationery products two years ago and designed her own products. With her family’s support, she has come up with products that are plastic-free, chlorine/acid-free and recycled.

With captions such as “from earth to you”, “the future is in our hands”, and “let’s stick with the planet”, her products include plantable seed pencils with seeds of five vegetables, eco-pens, acid-free sticky notes, jute tote bags, recycled notepads and notebooks.

“I wanted the sustainable products to be affordable and trendy. When using our products, I want our consumers to feel uplifted and fashionable. We want sustainable options to be the new ‘cool at school’. We are selling these products through Magrudy’s,” she said.

Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and Trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation and co-founder of Magrudy’s was among those who congratulated Himakshi and endorsed her products at the festival.

Author and climate activist

Himakshi had launched her first book ‘Prized Words’ at the Emirates LitFest in 2019.

“Earth is our home – we must do whatever we can to protect it,” she had said at age 10, during her speech at Oxford University in the UK, where Himakshi began her journey as a climate activist.

After winning the award for ‘Best Debater’ at The Sustainable Living Competition in the UK, Himakshi said she was determined to continue her efforts in the environmental sphere.

Upon returning to the UAE, she conducted her own environmental radio show on a local radio station and gave speeches at the National Festival of Tolerance, Rotary Club, Jumeirah and Ted X about environmental justice. She had also collaborated with the Swedish Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai as a ‘Hack 4 Earth’ Ambassador.

Currently, she is head of the Environmental Club at her school and is part of the UAE National Debate Team.