Celebrating Earth Day and beyond with @sustainably.mili 🌏 🌱

Plant stylist, regenerative gardener, 'Mommygrapher', slow-living enthusiast, Shweta Mukherjee, wears a lot of different hats. Known by a lot of us as Sustainably Mili, she is an eco-influencer from Goa who chose to switch to slow and sustainable fashion four years ago. And what better way to mark Earth Day than a candid chat with a sustainability advocate?

Read on to find out more about our conversation with Sustainably Mili where we talk about everything under the sun (quite literally) from life in Goa, to eco-friendly motherhood, gardening, Shweta's initiative, ‘A Million Forestsʼ and much more...

What made you begin your journey towards sustainability?

Almost eight years ago I started a documentary project with artisans around India. I learnt about fairtrade, fair practices and handmade products. That is when I started making a gradual switch towards Sustainable fashion. Eventually, I understood that sustainability is a way of life. It demands us to come out of our selfishness and comfort zone for a bigger cause.

What does gardening mean to you? How did practicing gardening/growing your own produce help your sustainability journey?

"The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway." - Michael Pollan

Gardening and interacting with soil plus working with soil has changed the meaning of the way I live my life. In the last three years I have built a mini jungle around the rented space where we are living. We love the biodiversity around our home now, watching different species of birds, butterflies, insects. I am growing a small food produce as well, eliminating the need for plastic packed salads.

Could you tell us more about your initiative ‘A Million Forestsʼ?

A million forests is my brand that I launched during the pandemic. I closed the retail shop later on where I was selling handmade planters.

I am now working on a preloved concept where every sale will also contribute to a tree. I am also building sustainable community activity through A Million Forests. The brand should be re launched soon now.