Deconstructing the "Elite" Myth

Albert Schiller
Sep 26
3 min read

My NoSmalltalk session with Akshay C S Deshpande

by Albert Schiller

Sustainability is frequently framed, often implicitly, as a premium pursuit – associated with expensive organic foods, high-tech electric vehicles, or niche eco-friendly products carrying a significant price tag. This perception fuels a common misconception, one Akshay Deshpande actively combats: that sustainability is a luxury reserved for the "rich and the elite class". In our conversation, he presented a clear counter-argument, deconstructing this assumption by separating sustainable products from sustainable behaviour. While acknowledging the current cost barriers of some alternatives, he argues forcefully that fundamental sustainability is not about wealth, but about mindset, awareness, and accessible, basic choices available to everyone.

Separating Products from Practice

Akshay concedes the partial truth underlying the misconception: "Yes, if you talk about sustainable products... they are a little costlier, because maybe the raw materials or maybe the technologies that go behind it are a little expensive right now". This acknowledges the economic reality facing manufacturers like himself. However, he pivots sharply, asserting this "doesn't mean that sustainability cannot be followed by a common man". The core of his argument lies in differentiating between purchasing potentially expensive alternatives and adopting fundamentally sustainable practices. True sustainability, in his framework, "can be achieved as basic as possible," requiring not significant financial outlay, but rather "a mindset shift... a little amount of knowledge and basic understanding". This reframes sustainability from a consumer category into a behavioural orientation accessible regardless of income.

Mindset as the Root Cause (and Solution)

Implicit in Akshay's analysis is the idea that the root of many environmental problems, like plastic pollution, lies in human behaviour and mindset, not solely in the existence of problematic materials. "The mindset of our people... needs to be changed, because we humans litter ourselves," he stated bluntly. If the problem originates in behaviour, then the primary solution must also target behaviour and the underlying mindset. This shifts the focus from merely substituting products (which might still be consumed or disposed of irresponsibly) to cultivating conscious awareness and responsible action – reduction, proper segregation, recycling. These actions are largely cost-free, demanding attention and minor effort rather than significant expenditure.

Man in a white polo with yellow background beside a quote on sustainability against a dark purple backdrop. Bold yellow text.

The Plastic Audit: Making the Invisible Visible

To cultivate this necessary mindset shift, Akshay employs a practical, interactive educational tool: the personal plastic audit. He prompts individuals in his awareness programs to track their plastic touch points throughout a single day, "from morning till evening". This simple exercise serves a crucial analytical function: it makes the ubiquitous, often invisible, presence of plastic in daily life concrete and personal. "When they start auditing themselves, they realize, oh, my God! You know, plastic is everywhere in my life, right from my toothbrush to my comb, to my laptop...". This moment of realization, transforming an abstract environmental issue into a tangible personal inventory, is the foundation for change. It empowers individuals by showing them exactly where their impact lies, enabling them to identify specific, manageable areas for intervention ("Okay, how can I make a switch? What are the areas where I can make a switch?"). It democratizes action by focusing on basic swaps and reductions within an individual's control, rather than requiring expensive, systemic overhauls inaccessible to most.

Yellow text on dark background reads: "When they realize that plastic is there in every aspect of their lives, then they realize, Okay, how can I make a switch?" - Akshay Deshpande.

Akshay Deshpande’s approach systematically deconstructs the myth of sustainability as an elite-only club. By distinguishing between potentially costly sustainable products (if not scaled yet) and universally accessible sustainable behaviours, he relocates the core requirement from the wallet to the mind. His emphasis on mindset shifts, personal responsibility ("we humans litter"), and practical tools like the plastic audit provides a logical framework for empowering widespread participation. It posits that meaningful change begins not necessarily with buying expensive green products, but with the fundamental, cost-free act of becoming aware and choosing basic, responsible actions.