We are a part of the environment and not apart from it. We have only one planet that we live in. The population is ever increasing and this puts a lot of strain on the existing resources, resulting in its scarcity. It is therefore unclear what future generations will find, if ever, and what life will be like for them if we exploit all the current resources. Thus, it is the need of the hour that we find ways and means to conserve our environment. We need all to be mindful about our acts and how it effects the environment.
One such visionary who believes in sustainable living is Ms. Vijaya Pais who believes that we can reduce waste by encouraging eco-friendly and locally produced goods.
I was extremely delighted to interview this firebrand visionary who, with her simplicity yet profound ways, is making an impact in the state of Goa. A Mumbai-based girl, she left the rough and tumble of city life and found her calling in the quaint town of Candolim in Goa.
Welcome Vijaya and thank you for speaking to us today.
VD: How would you describe Vijaya Pais to our audience?
VP: I’ve always been very sensitive towards suffering of all sentient beings. Environmentalism, conservation, animal welfare have been my areas of interest since I was a kid. It took me a while to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life, to find what really gave me happiness until I had one of those eureka moments when I realised what truly gave me happiness was not service to self but to be of service to others. I am thoroughly enjoying this journey now living and working with purpose. Though I am quite a procrastinator, I still dedicate 100% of my time and energy to the causes that I support. I run a community-centric initiative called Offbeat Goa under which are multiple initiatives that promote sustainability like the Good Karma Treasure Shop, New Earth Gathering, Sisterhood of Goa, etc.
VD: That’s great. What’s special about the name Good Karma Treasure Shop?
VP: As you sow so shall you reap. That’s basically what Karma is. The Good Karma Treasure Shop is an opportunity for us to sow well. It’s an opportunity for us to share what we have in excess with others, to de-clutter our spaces, to consume second-hand – thereby reducing unnecessary waste that burdens our planet, part of the proceeds raised at the Good Karma Treasure Shop goes towards empowering a different local NGO/ charity every month. Karma is cyclical as is what we do at the shop.
VD: That surely makes sense. But how did you chance about that idea?
VP: The Good Karma Treasure Shop started out as a pop-up back in 2016. The idea germinated when I was clearing out my cupboard. I had a load of fabulous clothes to give away, most of which still had tags on. I had no idea to whom to give them. The orphanage or old age homes would certainly have no use for them. I figured it made sense to sell these clothes to people who would actually want them and give the money to the orphanage instead. That’s how the first pop-up happened. Lots of other friends donated clothes to the pop-up and it all turned out to be a huge hit. I continued to do pop-ups every few months. I would put a post out on my Offbeat Goa platforms and the donations would come in droves. I had amazing people who would volunteer to help out and many people offered space at different locations to host the pop-ups. Hundreds of people would come in to shop. I decided to take it online in October of 2020 with the website www.goodkarmatreasureshop.com Taking it online was a whole new learning experience but I soon realised that we also needed a physical space. That’s when I launched India’s first physical thrift store at ‘Gratitude’, a lovely vegan café in Anjuna, Goa in December 2020. The Good Karma Treasure Shop now has a baby and kids’ section too at the Assagao Birthing Centre. We are looking to expand to other areas in Goa and to wherever else we are led to expand. The Good Karma Treasure Shop isn’t just about shopping. It’s meant to break a mindset, it’s meant to make you think, it’s helping you be part of the solution while also giving back.
VD: What was your motto behind this venture?
VP: We aim to promote sustainable shopping through the use of second-hand/ pre-loved. Why? Because we humans have gone totally over-board with our rampant consumerism. People have gotten used to shopping – not out of necessity but more for retail therapy, a quick dopamine hit. Shopping has become even more easily accessible thanks to the advent of the internet. Fast fashion has become the norm. In all this excitement, we fail to consider from where these clothes come and we don’t think about where they go once we are done with them. Well! Consumers throw away 60% of their clothes in the first year. In 2020, an estimated 18.6 million tonnes of clothing ended up in a landfill. It also means that fashion is a massive contributor to the 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions released each year.
VD: Whoa! That’s some bit of trivia that is handy knowledge. So how important is it to be a part of the environment?
VP: It may not seem like a big problem to most people now but it is going to be catastrophic in the near future. Our choices determine the kind of planet you’ll be leaving for your children. It is very important that we make informed, conscious choices now before we deplete all resources.
VD: What is Upcycling?
Upcycling equals giving something that would otherwise be discarded a new lease on life. We upcycle items at the store that do not sell. Old jeans are made into hair scrunchies. Old T-shirts are made into bags. This way nothing ends up in a landfill. The old is recreated into something new.
VD: How is the idea of thrifting picking up in India?
VP: We have many cool, young, urban kids travelling through Goa who stop by at the shop. We love it when they tell us that they only buy second-hand. We also have a lot of locals, settlers, expats and foreigners who are regulars at the shop. Thrifting is the norm in most western countries and it’s definitely picking up in India too but it’s still quite taboo with the general public who think things are ‘jhoota’ if they’ve been used. That’s exactly the mindset that we want to break.
VD: What are the challenges you face in a venture such as this?
VP: Our team is still small so managing inventory and all the nitty gritty is sometimes challenging but it’s so rewarding in so many ways the challenges seem trivial.
VD: If there’s one thing that everyone could do today to help at protect the environment, what would that be?
VP: Please be very conscious and mindful about your choices; from what you eat to how you consume and how you choose to live. I know it’s hard with our very busy lives but take some time out to do some research. The onus is on us to leave the future generations a planet with clean water, air, soil and plentiful resources.
VD: What are your future plans?
VP: I’d love to be the change I wish to see in this world! That would entail very many future plans, but for starters I’d love to take the Good Karma Treasure Shop national. I’m super excited to have Schulen Fernandes who was Creative Head for Wendell Rodricks as part our team. We’ve got lots of plans and ideas to make thrifting easily accessible and the new normal for shoppers.
VD: What advice do you have for our readers?
VP: Find what truly makes you happy – that may not tick society’s clichéd boxes but you’ll be living with true passion and meaning. Don’t be afraid to live your dream. You’ll always be guided and protected if you are truly living in alignment with your purpose.
Thank you so much for having spent your time in sharing your insights and your work with us. It is truly inspirational and I’m sure all our readers including me will be mindful about what we buy in the future. After all, in the end only three things matter; how much you loved, how gently you lived and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.
Vanessa D’Cruz has been associated with education for the past 19 years and finds teaching to be a very enriching experience. She currently works as Senior Co-ordinator at Rose Manor International School. She is happy to be a member of the EduFOCUS Editorial Team as it gives her a preview into the latest trends in the field of education, the lives of teachers and students and allows her to interact with different intellectuals and educationists who work to meet the challenges of an ever-advancing knowledge-based society and a dynamically changing environment.
