Ritu Bhandari, owner of Green Gift Concepts, Abu Dhabi
I've always had an aversion to over-consumption and wastefulness. Part of this, I think, has to do with my upbringing; the values that were instilled in me.
And part of this has to do with watching my father struggle to build his business, providing a comfortable living for his children and encouraging us to develop a solid work ethic and a sense of self-discipline.
I think I have business in my blood. My father, Sumermel Jain, is an industrialist. He owns some large steel factories in Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India.
I was born and raised in Jodhpur. Eleven years ago, I got married to my husband, Yashpal Bhandari, who is the chief accountant at Mashraq Medical Supplies in Abu Dhabi.
My in-laws also sparked my interest in healthy living. My husband's grandfather started the first pharmacy in Jodhpur. He was also the first in the city to offer English medicine combined with Ayurvedic medicine.
I learned that both types of medicine can be of great benefit to people. Ayurvedic takes more time but has no side effects; in fact, it is excellent for your health. Western medicine typically works faster, but often has side effects. My husband's grandfather and his brother developed great knowledge in both these areas of medicine and worked tirelessly to provide the best service to their customers.
I have always had an interest in business ...
... so I studied for a Masters in commerce and a diploma in business administration. I tried to learn as much as possible from the business people around me and dreamed of one day owning my own business.
After I was married, I moved to Abu Dhabi to join my husband. Like many women, I was very busy setting up my household and adjusting to living in another country. I postponed my dream of starting a business until my two sons – Raunak, now 9, and Umang, 5 – were no longer toddlers and I had more free time. When the children were small they required my full attention. After some time, I started thinking more about starting a business.
Abu Dhabi is a very clean city ...
... there's very little litter on the streets. But when I arrived here in 1996, I noticed that there was paper being thrown into the garbage instead of being recycled – and so much plastic! Even today flimsy plastic grocery bags are everywhere as well as plastic cups for drinking water, plastic bowls, plates and cutlery ... the list goes on!
Seeing this, I constantly thought about alternatives to these products, all of which decompose slowly. Every time I had the chance, I did research on environmentally friendly products. After a while, I started to realise that there were very few biodegradable products readily available in Abu Dhabi.
That was when I decided to open Green Gift Concepts. For about 18 months, I searched for suppliers of eco-friendly products. It was a laborious process. I looked for products made of recycled material and natural fibres that were also decorated and packaged using biodegradable materials. I finally opened the shop in 2005.
I simply couldn't accept every product that claimed to be environmentally friendly. I required proof that products were
eco-friendly. That meant demanding proof of laboratory testing and ensuring that when, say, a paper plate made from sugarcane is disposed of, it will decompose within 30 days with no harmful effects on the ecosystem. The first items I found were organic candles made of vegetable oils. These are smokeless and their scent comes from natural ingredients. I then began to find other gift items such as handbags, jute bags, handicrafts and stationery.
Later, I discovered biodegradable boxes, packaging, paper plates, cups and all manner of containers.
My husband has been totally supportive.
He helped me establish the business and has supported me every step of the way. In a way, this is a labour of love for both of us. We searched for something different that was good for everyone and essential for the future.
It hasn't been a smooth road by any means. We constantly talk to people about environmentally friendly products. People in Abu Dhabi are interested and always surprised about the availability of such products.
I think there needs to be greater awareness of the hazards that waste poses to the environment. It doesn't have to be this way.
Greater awareness is needed.
I think children should be taught more about how to avoid wastefulness. This is the responsibility of parents, schools and society. As a result of a little encouragement, small things can become second nature to children, such as switching off lights when they're not in use, not wasting water, keeping the air-conditioning thermostat above 20˚C, not throwing away food, not littering and limiting consumption of all products.
Once these values are ingrained in both children and adults, then people will go out of their way to look for green products and businesses will go out of their way to provide them.
No matter how you look at it, avoiding waste makes good sense!
Snapshots
My idea for plastic bags:
I think there should be a charge for plastic shopping bags. That will reduce the number of bags considerably, as many people will reuse their bags, use less bags or opt for cloth ones. Plastic bags can be particularly harmful to marine life: small turtles and fish can become entangled in them while other animals mistakenly try to consume them.
Eco-friendly options:
Businesses tell us that plastic products are cheaper than eco-friendly products, which generally cost about 10-15 per cent more in price. However, in other cases, eco-friendly products are the same price, particularly when purchased in large quantities.
Also, the higher price of eco-friendly products is often offset by an increase in customer goodwill. Some businesses realise this and are purchasing eco-friendly products. Others need incentives.
- To contact Green Gift Concepts, e-mail swastikeco@yahoo.co.in
