Our
Story
We are a small group of friends with diverse backgrounds in various industries such as food, technology, real estate and education. One thing we do have in common is the realization of the enormity of the problems caused by paper and plastic pollution. Even more devastating is the fact that our very own Philippines is currently among the top five countries that contribute to about half of the world’s plastic waste that ends up in oceans. This is what compelled us to source and locally manufacture innovative and sustainable solutions to contribute to a greener Earth altogether. Thus, Oikos Sustainable Solutions, Inc. was established.
Why Oikos? “Oikos” is the ancient Greek word from which the prefix “eco” was derived. It refers to three distinct yet related concepts – the family, the family’s property/belongings, and their house. As a company, we believe that a better Earth starts in our own homes, in our workplace and surroundings.
At Oikos, we have made it our mission to make greener choices more widely accessible for all of us to collectively make a difference.
As a first step to achieving our vision of becoming a one-stop-shop for greener solutions, we are thrilled to offer biodegradable bags made from cassava and corn starch as alternatives to both paper and plastic bags.
Why is paper not a better option?
Paper does not break down faster than plastic, takes 300% more energy to manufacture than plastic, and it uses 10% more energy to recycle than plastic.
It is also a little-known fact that plastic bags were invented to save the planet, according to the son of Swedish engineer Sten Gustaf Thulin. Thulin created plastic bags, as we know them today, in 1959. The bags were developed as an alternative to paper bags, which were considered bad for the environment because they resulted in forests being chopped down. More than 60 years later, estimates suggest that about 42 million trees are felled daily to make paper and other products. To produce 1 ton of coated, higher-end virgin magazine paper (as used for high-end magazines), studies estimate that more than 15 trees are cut down. Paper is not better. Plastic bags were not meant to be single-use.
“To my dad [the inventor of plastic bags], the idea that people would simply throw these away would be bizarre.”
- Raoul, son of Sten Gustaf Thulin
While eagerly exploring new and better ways to eliminate single-use plastics, we are currently focused on building strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors to accomplish the greater goal of significantly reducing global pollution. Will you join us in this quest? Contact us and find out how.
meet
the
Team
Lizzie Guerrero
Chief Executive Officer
Faith Nacarato
Chief Client Officer
Katherine Buenaventura
Chief Operations Officer
Dan Nacarato
Strategic Advisor