Interview with Haya Aldoserri, An environmental consultant and plant-based coach

Haya Aldoserri is a well-known environmental consultant and activist who has made significant contributions to the field. She is the first and only female environmental influencer in the Middle East who’s vocal about veganism.

She has played a critical role in improving sustainability in the Middle East as the founder and CEO of Green Sprouts Consultations, an environmental consultancy service catering to businesses and individuals in the region.

Notably, Aldoserri is the host of the groundbreaking Green Podcast, the first and only Arabic podcast dedicated to environmental awareness. With over 18 years of experience in the environmental sector and a degree in Environmental Sciences from The American University, she has navigated both the public and private sectors in the UAE and Bahrain. Aldoserri is also a certified plant-based health coach by Cornell University.

Aside from her professional achievements, Aldoserri is a dedicated advocate for environmental protection and sustainability, frequently sharing her knowledge through workshops, lectures, publications, and her active engagement on social media and through her online coaching programs. And through her online courses and e-books, she teaches people sustainable living practices, organic gardening, and vegan cooking.

Her important work serves as a role model for Middle Eastern environmental activists, as she uses her position to raise awareness and motivate collective action to protect our world.

We, at the Middle East Vegan Society, had the pleasure of having a talk with Ms. Haya.

What inspired you to go vegan and become an environmental and plant-based advocate?

I believe we're all born environmentalists and tree huggers, but we forget as we grow up. Since I was a little girl, whenever we went camping or to the beach, I would pick up trash. I'd save injured birds in the garden and put them back in their nests with their mothers. My love for nature and biology led me to study Environmental Sciences at the American University, and that's how I became an environmentalist. It's both my job and my passion.

Veganism, on the other hand, came later in life. Due to health issues, I tried veganism as a last resort to heal my problems when doctors couldn't help me. Not only did I recover, but I also started sleeping better, lost weight, and my skin and hair got healthier. I then connected the dots between veganism and environmentalism and started talking about them on social media to raise awareness.

How do you balance your professional life as a consultant with raising awareness about the importance of plant-based nutrition for health and the environment on your social media platforms?

My vision is to make the Earth a better place to live. Through consultations, lectures, and social media, I bring this vision to life. It's challenging to juggle my actual work with social media awareness, but when you have the burning fire of passion, nothing can stop you. I receive countless messages from people whose lives have changed for the better after learning about veganism and sustainable living through my accounts. When I see the positive impact on my community, I work harder to make my message louder. More importantly, I truly enjoy using my platforms to teach people about this movement, so I try my best to find time for it. It's really a fun hobby for me.

Can you tell us about your collaboration with Greenpeace on eco-awareness and sustainability?

Greenpeace MENA and Greenpeace Global are both great organizations that truly care about the planet. I'm grateful to see our green values align on a global scale. Working with them has been very rewarding, and I always open my door and heart to such devoted organizations with genuine messages. We've worked on many projects to raise environmental awareness, especially among Arabic and Muslim youth. I enjoyed our collaboration during Ramadan and in reducing food waste. Working with them is always a pleasure.

What are the main objectives of your online courses, e-books, meal plans, consultations, and plant-based health programs?

As mentioned before, my vision is to make the Earth a better place to live, and my mission is to guide people towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Through my books, courses, posts, podcasts, consultations, and programs, I work towards my vision. I live a simple, vegan, and somewhat sustainable lifestyle, so I try to show people what I do to reduce my impact on the planet. I read a lot of books on sustainability and work with many companies on green projects, so I share this knowledge and expertise with my clients in consultations. Everything I work on is creating a reality where my vision and mission manifest every day. I feel like a leader, and my followers are my ambassadors who learn sustainability and practice it in their homes so that we can all make the Earth a better place to live, one person at a time. People learn vegan cooking from my cookbooks, grow organic vegetables through my online courses, lose weight on a plant-based diet with my coaching program and build greener businesses through my consultations. One person at a time, I use my work to make this beautiful planet greener and happier.

What are some of the best practices and tips that you follow to live a more zero-waste, plant-based, and eco-friendly lifestyle yourself?

I always ask myself where things come from and where they’ll end up after I use them. For example, where does a T-shirt come from? Who made it? What impact did its manufacturing have and where will it end up once I'm done with it? Will it go to a landfill? I educate myself on materialism and capitalism and try to be mindful about my consumption.

I try to find pleasure in non-material things and meaning in the simplest moments of life. I live with more intention, so when I eat something, my intention is to nourish my body, feel good, flourish, and cause as little damage as possible to animals and the environment.

I have endless internal debates about consumerism and why we buy things we don't need and find happiness in non-material ways. Having said that, I also avoid perfectionism because I honestly cannot master everything that's green and ethical out there.

I try my best to enjoy life with as little impact as I can as a person living in this modern world.

That's why I suggest consuming more plants in your diet without having a label that could intimidate you. You don't need to call yourself vegan, carnivore, or plant-based; you just need to consume more healthy plants in your diet and gradually change for the better as you learn and explore. I also suggest using reusables whenever you can, like reusable water bottles, shopping bags, and food containers. Don't deprive yourself of the things you love; instead, be a conscious consumer. Think about where things come from and where they will end up after you use them.

What are your future plans and goals?

I plan on expanding my follower base on social media across different channels to reach a broader audience and spread my message to more people, especially in the Middle East. I take pride in being the first and only female vegan environmental influencer in the Gulf and the Middle East. I intend to use my influence to support my main causes, which are veganism and environmentalism. As a consultant, I'm collaborating with a wide range of clients and expanding further in the GCC.

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Haya Aldoseri for sharing her inspiring journey as an environmental advocate and plant-based enthusiast. Her dedication to creating a more sustainable world and her passion for raising awareness are truly commendable. We wish her the very best in her mission to make the Earth a better living place, expand her influence, and continue to inspire positive change in the Middle East and beyond. With individuals like Ms. Aldoseri leading the way, we are confident that a brighter, greener future is within reach. Good luck, Haya, and may your vision for a healthier planet continue to flourish!