February 18 Questions: Fagun Thakrar

Each month we ask a new eco-maven 18 questions about his or her life, occupation, and advice for other like-minded people. This month we connected with Fagun Thakrar, an actress, producer, and designer. Fagun is also the international spokeswoman for SAHARA (South Asian Helpline And Referral Agency), a culturally sensitive organization that supports women who are affected by domestic violence. Take a look at what she has to say about living an eco-friendly, healthy lifestyle!

1. What is your name?

Fagun Thakrar

2. What is your occupation? 

Actress/Producer/Spokeswoman

3. Do you have a “green” memory growing up? 

When I was a young girl I really enjoyed playing outside.  While it is not explicitly environmental, it is one of my happiest and most enjoyable memories, just being outside and playing; a much different scene than children today glued to their mobile phones.

4. What is your favorite meal? 

I’m a pescetarian, so it’s a toss-up between whitefish, green smoothies and molten chocolate cake with green tea ice cream (though I know cake isn’t really a meal!).

5. Who/What inspires you to be more “green” in your life?

My spirituality is very important to me and creates a strong connection between my inner life and the environment.

6. Where on the “green scale” do you fall? 

I try to stay relatively green and I deeply care about the environment, but I also know that I can strive to do better.

7. What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job? 

As an actress immersing myself in the character at the very beginning of a project is the hardest part. In order to really act a part well one has to absorb the whole world of the script, which can be very challenging for certain roles.  Of course for me the rewarding part is at the end, after all the hard work, seeing the whole film come together as a completed project.

8. Where’s your “greenspot” food, body care/beauty, oceans, home or neighborhood, explain:

I love the beach!  I try to keep all the products I use in my daily life all natural; I really value organic ingredients from food to beauty care.

9. Where do you turn for your news? 

I use different mediums from reading newspaper to online, to watching news on TV. I think it’s very important to collect a variety of opinions in order to be an informed world citizen after all, but as a general rule I turn to the BBC.

10. What is one environmental change you vow to make in the next year? 

I’ve been spending more time in LA, so instead of using taxis I’d like to buy an electric car, I am thinking of getting a Tesla.

I also recently bought a Nest thermostat, so hopefully that will help reduce my electricity consumption.

11. If you could trade places with one person from any time in history (past or present) for one day—who would it be and why? 

I would choose to be the CEO of Union Carbide, the day before the Bhopal disaster.  I would ensure that my plant was safe, my staff trained for the emergency, and that my business was not a threat to the environment.

12. You have a meeting with the leader of every country in the world. You have 30 seconds to tell them anything you want. Go! 

World leadership is not simply economic leadership; it is important to really consider the impact that current economic choices have on the future, on ourselves, and on our planet.  While economic development and the eradication of poverty is of the utmost importance, the biggest challenge is how to accomplish these goals sustainably and in such a way that industry and the environment are not in conflict.

13. You have the chance to send one tweet to all the tweeps in the world. Let’s hear it in 140 characters, or less! 

Live in the moment, not yesterday and not tomorrow, but right now. Look around and do something that benefits your local world.

14. If there was one industry/product that you could make more eco-friendly, what would it be? 

I think it is hard to single any one industry out, as I strongly believe that every product, service, and human being can do better every single day.

15. Where in the world would you most like to be right now?

After a busy time promoting one of my films that was recently released, I have just arrived on a few days holiday in the Himalayas, this is exactly where I’d like to be at the moment because of its tranquility and fresh air.

16. What is the best book you have read recently? 

25 Ways to Improve Your Life by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

17. What makes you cringe? 

I cringe when people smoke around others that are eating.

18. What do you want your legacy to be?

I hope that I have lived every single day to the fullest.  I love working as an actress and being creative; I hope that some of my work will have an impact on the future.