'Zerowasteadda', Pankti Pandey, an Ahmedabad-based proponent of sustainable living, posts green living advice on Instagram. After reading an article about managing landfills during her pregnancy, she adopted a minimalist and zero-waste lifestyle. She now works as a composting educator and encourages workshops and waste audits. Pankti Pandey, an Instagram user from Ahmedabad, describes herself as a "zero waste practitioner" and "slow fashion advocate" and has amassed 255K followers. She produces content that offers straightforward do-it-yourself methods and hacks so that individuals may make sustainable decisions in their day-to-day lives, mostly based on lessons she has learned from her personal experience.

What Made Her Click? 

•  "I had some free time during the lockdown to browse Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites." The majority of the shared content encouraged consumption. People continued to promote the consumerism mentality even throughout the pandemic.
• All of this encouraged her to post her internet habits and sustainability tips. As she started, people began to enjoy her content and ask for more advice. She believed that this platform's power could be exploited to spread awareness of sustainability. Auditing her house and monitoring her behaviors was how she started her trip. Pankti has always prioritized reducing and reusing; recycling was never an option. She discovered that kitchen waste, empty shampoo cleaning bottle bottles, and grocery bags produced the most waste.

On Her Pursuit to Promote Sustainable Living ~ 
( Source: Google Images)  

Here’s how Pankti handled the situation ~ 

• Groceries were now bought in containers instead of plastic bags. In case of no other option, she used to buy them in bulk quantities to avoid the consumption of multiple bags. 
• The kitchen waste was composted, which turned into fertilizer for her garden. Pankti also began community composting in her society. 
• She made her natural cleaners, and personal care products to avoid any waste of empty bottles.

The Influencer Journey ~ “Sustainability is more than a mere passion; it is our profound responsibility” ( Via A One on One Interview with Femina) 

You will find influencers that motivate you to buy stuff and try them in today’s time. Pankti is the type of influencer who tells you to reduce your consumption and reuse whatever you can. Her Instagram handle is filled with tons of DIYs that will help you make your life more sustainable and eco-friendly. Pankti began sharing about sustainability on Instagram during the pandemic and here’s what she has to say about this new beginning, 

 In an exclusive conversation with Femina, she unveils her zero-waste secrets. According to her, the definition of sustainability is very simple. It entails adopting a mindset where we prioritize the planet – a coexistence that goes beyond human interests, encompassing the well-being of our environment and its diverse species.  Adding to this notion, she strongly believes that the ethos of resource-consciousness has always been an integral part of our Indian society. However, her journey down this path only began when she came across an article on landfills, particularly its creation and management. She realized that conscious living was merely the beginning, a more profound shift towards adopting a low-waste lifestyle was imperative.


A Camera's POV in Her Recent Workshops ~ 
(Source: Google Images) 

Introspecting yourself goes a long way in initiating a lifestyle change, and that’s exactly what she did. She began with a waste audit of her household to assess the amount of waste generated and how it could be reduced. Later she delved into composting through trial and error, which paved the way for her current role as a composting educator, conducting sessions and workshops. Initially, it was difficult as she was often met with remarks like "Can the actions of a single individual truly have an impact?” Her intention, however, was clear: to chronicle her journey devoid of any preachiness and that is how her page 'Zero Waste Adda' came into being. If her experiences could, in turn, ignite inspiration within others, that would be an added source of fulfillment. 

Three tips for individuals aspiring to adopt a sustainable lifestyle ~ People need to understand that sustainability is not just about living a plastic-free lifestyle or about composting. It is related to a lot of different parameters :

• Incorporate local foods like millet into your diet.
• Opt for local/native clothing, particularly handloom, which reduces carbon footprint and supports the economy.
• Be very conscious of your waste, both in terms of proper segregation and disposal.  

Takeaway ~  A Tip For Beginners In The Sustainability Journey: 



There Is Always A Judicial Way To Consume Resources ~ 
( Source: Google Images) 

Here, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Pankti is adamant that each person's path toward sustainability is unique and influenced by a variety of circumstances, including their lifestyle, work history, place of residence, and many others. The aim should be to find ways to cut waste and your carbon impact while assessing your lifestyle. Soon, Pankti will be observed holding a professional position in the field of sustainability. Regarding sustainability, she wants to be the voice for change. Her goal is to preserve our world for future generations by doing everything within her power.

“We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” - Howard Zinn