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Friday, March 29, 2024

Sustainable living starts at home

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Majority of Filipinos are intent on living sustainably. Kantar’s latest “Who Cares, Who Does” report  revealed 75 percent of consumers are seeking eco-friendly brands that offer ways “to offset their impact to the environment”. 

“Sustainability is an important topic and the pandemic has put an emphasis on the importance of health and wellness for consumers,” said Marie-Anne Lezoraine, general manager of Worldpanel Division at Kantar Philippines. 

However, the road to a sustainable life cannot only be paved with good intentions, as the report also underscored the fact that environment-friendly alternatives are either hard to find or more expensive, as pointed out by more than half of the respondents. 

LIVE GREEN. More Filipinos want to lead a sustainable lifestyle as the pandemic highlighted the importance of health and wellness.
LIVE GREEN. More Filipinos want to lead a sustainable lifestyle as the pandemic highlighted the importance of health and wellness.

That’s where the problem lies. 

Most people make choices based on convenience (what’s available) and cost (what’s affordable). And humans are hardwired to resist nonessential changes (the amygdala interprets change as a threat), especially one that requires a sacrifice – as in looking for the sustainable option someplace else or shelling more money than intended for a product. 

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“Based on our research, there is huge potential for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry in the Philippines to apply more environmental practices as more Filipino shoppers are ready to embrace sustainable living and support eco-friendly brands,” Lezoraine noted.

So it helps if these products are accessible and cost-effective.

Plant-based cleaners that guarantee effective disinfection

Circling back to the first point, majority of Filipinos want to switch to natural, good-for-people-and-the-environment products (92 percent, according to Kantar) like household cleaners “but are apprehensive about their effectiveness,” said Marvin Chua. 

“It’s a challenge to convince people to convert to plant-based cleaning products when efficacy is the top consideration,” he added. 

Marvin is the other half the brother co-founders of a new natural household and personal cleaning brand. Together with Bryan, the two launched Wonderhome Naturals formulated with plant-based probiotics. 

Recognizing the apprehension of consumers about the effectivity of plant-based cleaners, especially amid a pandemic wherein disinfection is of paramount importance, the brothers had their products tested and certified to ensure they are as effective as their chemical-based counterparts.

Filipino natural cleaning product brand Wonderhome Naturals uses plant-based probiotics to deliver a cleaning power certified 99.9 percent effective against household germs.
Filipino natural cleaning product brand Wonderhome Naturals uses plant-based probiotics to deliver a cleaning power certified 99.9 percent effective against household germs. 

“Our main goal during product development was to benchmark Wonderhome’s cleaning performance against leading chemical-based products instead of other natural-based brands,” shared Marvin. 

The biodegradable formulation of the brand is certified by Intertek to kill 99.9 percent of household germs and is lab-tested to eliminate viruses and prevent recontamination for up to 72 hours.

“Our products are lab-tested, hospital-grade, and certified 100 percent safe to ensure families live in clean and green surroundings,” added Bryan Chua, president of BFI, the maker of Wonderhome Naturals.

He continued, “What’s more, our sustainable efforts of upcycling, recycling, refilling, and using biodegradable formulations and packaging reflect our commitment to do our part in protecting the Earth and its natural resources.”

The bottles used for the brand’s products are made from a combination of upcycled ocean plastic and biodegradable wheat. Wonderhome does away with plastic fillers when shipping by ensuring the bottles fit snugly in the box. 

“The Philippines is the third biggest plastic polluter in the world, producing 2.7 billion kilos of plastic waste annually,” Bryan lamented. “Moreover, 74 percent of our collected plastic waste ends up in the ocean. Wonderhome Naturals calls for a clean revolution. We want to lead the charge towards a greener future by providing consumers with a strong yet safe and sustainable option.”   

Wonderhome Naturals is currently available at www.wonderhomenaturals.com, and e-commerce platforms LazMall, Zalora, and ShopeeMall.

Appliance brand highlights eco-friendly products

A European home appliances maker believes sustainability and innovation go hand in hand, if depend on each other, that efforts in advancement must be prioritized for both. 

“By making sustainability a business model and integrating it into everything we do, we strive to reduce human environmental damage through developing high-performance, durable, affordable home appliances that are also eco-friendly,” Gürhan Günal, country manager of Beko Pilipinas Corporation, said during Beko’s Global Sustainability Virtual Launch. 

Ensuring consumer products have sustainability at the core – from the make to the functions – enables the people who will use them to minimize their carbon footprint. 

Beko and its parent company Arcelik’s move was affirmed by a survey they conducted across six countries in Europe (a total of 1,800 respondents from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain).

Arcelik chief executive officer Hakan Bulgurlu speaks at Beko Global Sustainability Virtual Launch, as the appliance brand introduces its seven sustainable products designed to reduce carbon footprint.

Majority or an average of 83 percent of those surveyed said they felt it was their personal responsibility to make a difference by minimizing waste, water, and energy use in their daily lives, on the back of general concern for the environment. 

“Our research showed us that we are absolutely aligned with our customers on our sustainability goals. It’s encouraging that people want to be doing the right thing for the environment and believe that their actions can make an impact,” said Günal. 

During the virtual showcase, Beko unveiled its “seven sustainable products” made with recycled materials and equipped with features that help reduce use of finite resources.

The tubs of its EcoTub Washing Machine and Washer Dryer use up to 60 recycled 500ml PET bottles, which has translated to a 2,200-ton reduction of carbon emissions (from the 58 million plastic bottles recycled) since the project started in 2017. 

The plastic parts of its GreenDry Tumble Dryer use an average of 15 percent recycled plastic, which  in two years led to 2,420 tons of plastic recycled. Likewise, the plastic parts of EcoFiber Oven utilize 5 percent recycled fishnet waste and 65 percent industrial thread waste. 

Developed using bio-composite technology, the egg trays of Beko’s BioCycle Refrigerator are made with eggshell wastes from five eggs along with bioplastics, while the BioCoffee Espresso Machine is made with five cups of coffee residue which translates to 5 percent reduction in carbon footprint.

Finally, its AutoDose Dishwasher uses up to 28 percent less detergent to minimize water use. 

“Our goals in sustainability and our leading efforts in innovation are two great parts of the same whole. Their evolution depends on each other. It is up to us to find better, more environmentally conscious ways of conducting our lives,” said Hakan Bulgurlu, chief executive officer of Arcelik.

Product availability, however, differs per market. Beko appliances are present in select SM Appliance Centers, Robinsons, All Home, Anson’s, Savers, Great World, Manila Imperial Appliances Stores, and Asian Home Appliance Center in Cebu, as well as online on Lazada and hat.com.ph. 

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