0:00:09.809,0:00:12.873
(Applause)

0:00:12.873,0:00:18.910
Good afternoon, thank you.

0:00:18.910,0:00:23.708
Thank you for the introduction.

0:00:23.708,0:00:27.197
As you just heard, we sell packaging

0:00:27.197,0:00:31.371
that is disposable, organic[br]and environmentally friendly.

0:00:31.371,0:00:34.678
I don't know who amongst you,[br]during your coffee break or lunch hour,

0:00:34.678,0:00:39.540
had the chance to use one of these cups.

0:00:39.540,0:00:43.207
Everyone. (Applause)[br]I'm going to hand them over to you,

0:00:43.207,0:00:45.873
so I can explain some[br]of the material's characteristics

0:00:45.873,0:00:47.830
and so you can touch them and see

0:00:47.830,0:00:51.087
that they were Green Pack cups.

0:00:51.087,0:00:57.599
Can you do me the favour[br]of passing them around.

0:00:57.599,0:01:00.388
The disposable organic compounds[br]that we sell

0:01:00.388,0:01:02.933
are substitutes for plastic

0:01:02.933,0:01:05.764
but with superior characteristics.

0:01:05.764,0:01:10.514
If you have ever bought coffee[br]in a styrofoam cup

0:01:10.514,0:01:17.813
or in a plastic one, you'll have ingested[br]more than 23 different toxins,

0:01:17.813,0:01:24.418
which is not ideal for drinking coffee.

0:01:24.418,0:01:28.990
So, we are focused[br]on developing new technology

0:01:28.990,0:01:33.925
to make a product that is 100% organic,

0:01:33.925,0:01:38.501
which is what we are made of.

0:01:38.501,0:01:42.173
We use an inedible corn starch

0:01:42.173,0:01:46.386
which is not approved by the FDA,[br]in case anyone wants to attack me,

0:01:46.386,0:01:51.140
for making prices go up,

0:01:51.140,0:01:55.416
because that's not the case.[br]If we didn't use this rejected corn

0:01:55.416,0:01:57.777
to make packaging, it would be burned.

0:01:57.777,0:02:00.998
So we use inedible corn starch

0:02:00.998,0:02:05.895
and inedible tuber starch.

0:02:05.895,0:02:09.038
How does this work?

0:02:09.038,0:02:12.625
Well, in reality, thanks to the technology[br]that we have developed

0:02:12.625,0:02:15.611
for packaging material,[br]we have made a product

0:02:15.611,0:02:23.794
that has a microscopic porous texture,

0:02:23.794,0:02:25.921
which enables micro-organisms[br]to degrade it

0:02:25.921,0:02:29.379
and that is what it really means[br]to be "biodegradable,"

0:02:29.379,0:02:31.376
it's the ability for a raw material

0:02:31.376,0:02:34.889
or a finished product to be degraded

0:02:34.889,0:02:39.797
by micro-organisms[br]over a certain period of time.

0:02:39.797,0:02:48.471
Certain plastics, like OXO,[br]contain additives

0:02:48.471,0:02:51.475
which enable the plastic to degrade

0:02:51.475,0:02:53.477
and to break down,

0:02:53.477,0:02:55.964
but it is never consumed[br]by micro-organisms,

0:02:55.964,0:02:58.254
so we're talking about something[br]that is worse

0:02:58.254,0:03:02.225
because it's harder to collect

0:03:02.225,0:03:04.481
and only a small percentage

0:03:04.481,0:03:08.498
of these products are compatible

0:03:08.498,0:03:11.442
with normal plastic recycling systems.

0:03:11.442,0:03:15.198
So, it's worse,

0:03:15.198,0:03:17.094
but really,

0:03:17.094,0:03:19.094
I won't talk to you[br]about how harmful plastic is,

0:03:21.094,0:03:23.096
because I think that we are all aware

0:03:23.096,0:03:28.180
of how harmful plastic is[br]to our ecosystems.

0:03:28.180,0:03:30.152
I took the liberty[br]of including some slides

0:03:30.152,0:03:35.075
so that you can see the things

0:03:35.075,0:03:39.983
that happen every day[br]but which we don't see.

0:03:39.983,0:03:43.128
These are really alarming pictures.

0:03:43.128,0:03:45.978
In this one, it's not that the bags[br]are really well coordinated. (Laughter)

0:03:45.978,0:03:47.314
It's a photoshopped image[br]alluding to what animals eat

0:03:47.314,0:03:53.399
because some animals eat jellyfish.[br]There is a food chain

0:03:53.399,0:03:58.104
and it is sad to see animals eat plastic

0:03:58.104,0:04:01.547
and then end up dying.

0:04:01.547,0:04:03.293
Two million turtles die every year,[br]solely due to the consumption of plastic.

0:04:03.293,0:04:07.451
It's a truly alarming statistic.

0:04:07.451,0:04:12.294
Can someone tell me what this is?

0:04:12.294,0:04:18.966
No, How about now?

0:04:18.966,0:04:28.133
60,000 plastic bags are eaten

0:04:28.133,0:04:30.540
every 5 seconds, that's astonishing!

0:04:30.540,0:04:37.241
Personally, ever since I was a boy

0:04:37.241,0:04:41.946
I thought it was incredible[br]to be given something disposable

0:04:41.946,0:04:44.525
whose purpose is to be useful[br]for a very short period of time

0:04:44.525,0:04:49.555
and then one has to throw it away,

0:04:49.555,0:04:51.457
and that this raw material takes[br]some 600 to 800 years to bio-degrade.

0:04:51.457,0:04:56.738
To me, something doesn't add up,[br]I don't know about you...

0:04:56.738,0:05:01.604
I don't know if you remember[br]what we used to use

0:05:01.604,0:05:07.048
before the iPod came out?[br]Walkmans, Discmans...

0:05:07.048,0:05:11.678
The Walkman was huge.

0:05:11.678,0:05:13.686
If you went jogging with a Walkman,[br]you would end up like Julio Martinez.

0:05:13.686,0:05:17.544
Because your shorts would be down here.

0:05:17.544,0:05:20.218
(Laughter)

0:05:20.218,0:05:22.048
And if you were mugged,[br]you could hit the thief

0:05:22.048,0:05:23.942
with the Walkman and knock him out.

0:05:23.942,0:05:27.831
There's a Steve Jobs quote[br]that I really like.

0:05:27.831,0:05:33.244
When he introduced the iPod, he said:

0:05:33.244,0:05:36.411
"I like to think that in our own small way

0:05:36.411,0:05:39.276
we are making the planet a better place,"[br]and that way of thinking

0:05:39.276,0:05:45.789
is what I'm so fond of.

0:05:45.789,0:05:49.405
This is the way we think[br]every day at Green Pack.

0:05:49.405,0:05:55.052
We believe that we are making[br]a change with the product we sell

0:05:55.052,0:06:00.861
and I don't know if you can tell,

0:06:00.861,0:06:02.661
but I speak about this with great passion

0:06:02.661,0:06:05.803
and I love my product.

0:06:05.803,0:06:09.373
I'm actually going to change[br]the subject briefly.

0:06:09.373,0:06:12.443
I think the last time I messed up[br]an business meeting,

0:06:12.443,0:06:18.310
I remember it was a few years ago,

0:06:18.310,0:06:22.454
was when we went to a hennery[br]to develop a new egg box

0:06:22.454,0:06:26.331
and the manager told me,[br]"Look, your product is very good

0:06:26.331,0:06:31.062
but I need my eggs to be on display."

0:06:31.062,0:06:35.435
(Laughter)

0:06:35.435,0:06:39.570
We didn't have a good start, right?

0:06:39.570,0:06:43.969
So, we didn't fulfill this requirement,

0:06:43.969,0:06:45.905
because our packaging isn't transparent.

0:06:45.905,0:06:52.497
There's a statistic here in Guatemala

0:06:52.497,0:06:59.795
that one in every two kids

0:06:59.795,0:07:03.327
under 5 years suffers[br]from chronic malnutrition.

0:07:03.327,0:07:06.269
That's alarming!

0:07:06.269,0:07:08.573
If you think about it,[br]that's 50% of all kids

0:07:08.573,0:07:13.095
under 5 years old suffering[br]from chronic malnutrition.

0:07:13.095,0:07:16.798
I think it's incredible.

0:07:16.798,0:07:22.795
A few years ago, thanks to my wife,

0:07:22.795,0:07:27.585
I got involved in an organization called[br]"Un techo para mi país."

0:07:27.585,0:07:32.904
We helped with construction in Santa Rosa,[br]and I've been involved ever since.

0:07:32.904,0:07:34.284
As of that moment,

0:07:34.284,0:07:38.027
my sense of social commitment[br]was awakened.

0:07:38.027,0:07:42.766
That's why I decided to continue[br]to be involved in this initiative,

0:07:42.766,0:07:45.744
and I started to experience first-hand

0:07:45.744,0:07:49.411
the level of malnutrition[br]that really exists in these communities.

0:07:49.411,0:07:51.135
It's staggering!

0:07:51.135,0:07:54.109
The kids are skinny,[br]not because they are from Zacapa

0:07:54.109,0:07:57.847
or because it's "cute," no, they're skinny

0:07:57.847,0:08:01.314
because they have a high level[br]of malnutrition

0:08:01.314,0:08:06.951
and that is really alarming.

0:08:06.951,0:08:08.726
So, after that I decided

0:08:08.726,0:08:11.073
to get in touch with my uncle

0:08:11.073,0:08:14.429
who has dedicated roughly 40 years[br]to social service.

0:08:14.429,0:08:18.350
I said I had to work with him,[br]I had to meet him

0:08:18.350,0:08:20.042
to brainstorm some ideas[br]at the very least

0:08:20.042,0:08:21.652
and see what comes out.

0:08:21.652,0:08:29.583
And he told me about a plant

0:08:29.583,0:08:34.446
that has 3 times more protein[br]per 100 grams than eggs,

0:08:34.446,0:08:36.914
it has 4 times more calcium than milk,

0:08:36.914,0:08:39.385
7 times more vitamin C than oranges,

0:08:39.385,0:08:41.854
3 times more potassium than bananas,

0:08:41.854,0:08:46.058
and 2 times more iron than spinach.

0:08:46.058,0:08:48.471
How?

0:08:48.471,0:08:50.579
Incredible!

0:08:50.579,0:08:53.302
And besides this, he told me

0:08:53.302,0:08:55.948
it's one of the fastest growing[br]plants in the world;

0:08:55.948,0:09:00.078
it grows 3.5 meters every 9 months.

0:09:00.078,0:09:03.214
This is great!

0:09:03.214,0:09:05.515
Then he said, "this is very interesting."

0:09:05.515,0:09:09.414
If the seeds are cold pressed,

0:09:09.414,0:09:13.718
in other words put through[br]a simple manual press,

0:09:13.718,0:09:16.725
oil can be obtained.

0:09:16.725,0:09:20.878
This oil has the same properties

0:09:20.878,0:09:23.959
as vegetable oil. What does this mean?

0:09:23.959,0:09:28.108
It means you can use it to cook.[br]And what's so good about that?

0:09:28.108,0:09:29.477
The nutrients will be passed

0:09:29.477,0:09:32.831
from the oil to the food

0:09:32.831,0:09:35.003
This can't be!

0:09:35.003,0:09:38.047
It's yet another excellent property[br]of this plant.

0:09:38.047,0:09:40.148
Then he says, "But that's not all,

0:09:40.148,0:09:43.783
after you press the seeds[br]and obtain the oil,

0:09:43.783,0:09:48.346
you'll be left with the skin,[br]and in the middle of this skin

0:09:48.346,0:09:52.287
there's a thin layer that's very sticky

0:09:52.287,0:09:54.964
that breaks the skin when pressed

0:09:54.964,0:09:58.286
and becomes exposed."

0:09:58.286,0:10:02.360
He tells me that I can take[br]a bucket of waste water,

0:10:02.360,0:10:07.336
river water, lake water,[br]whatever is close to the community,

0:10:07.336,0:10:10.338
I can take the skin[br]and put it in the bucket,

0:10:10.338,0:10:13.203
stir it for about ten minutes,

0:10:13.203,0:10:17.814
and this sticky substance[br]makes the small particles of impurities,

0:10:17.814,0:10:22.974
14% of the bacteria,[br]and the dirt, stick to it,

0:10:22.974,0:10:27.598
so that when I remove the skin,[br]all these impurities are removed with it.

0:10:27.598,0:10:30.555
I won't get a bucket of drinking water,

0:10:30.555,0:10:33.667
but I will obtain a bucket of water[br]suitable for washing containers,

0:10:33.667,0:10:36.496
for washing clothes,[br]and for many other uses

0:10:36.496,0:10:39.100
that have developed in the community.

0:10:39.100,0:10:42.985
It's an incredible plant, can't be true,[br]and he tells me "that's not all."

0:10:42.985,0:10:44.967
(Laughter)

0:10:44.967,0:10:47.730
I'm basically drooling.

0:10:47.730,0:10:53.225
He tells me, "This plant is used[br]in many countries.

0:10:53.225,0:10:55.897
It's native to India,[br]but it's used in many countries

0:10:55.897,0:10:58.975
where it's interspersed with other seeds."[br]What does this mean?

0:10:58.975,0:11:02.352
Well, needless to say,

0:11:02.352,0:11:07.428
if I'm growing pimiento chilis,[br]for example,

0:11:07.428,0:11:12.367
I can plant Moringa oleifera trees[br]between the chilis,

0:11:12.367,0:11:16.558
and during the dry season[br]their roots have such a capacity

0:11:16.558,0:11:18.556
that they can store enough water

0:11:18.556,0:11:23.448
to feed the crops during the dry season.

0:11:23.448,0:11:25.617
This means that not only[br]is the plant good for eating,

0:11:25.617,0:11:29.567
but it also helps other crops to grow.

0:11:29.567,0:11:33.116
I thought this was impressive.

0:11:33.116,0:11:35.311
From there,

0:11:35.311,0:11:40.671
we decided to start the project.

0:11:40.671,0:11:42.780
I said, "I've got to do something[br]with this plant, now!"

0:11:42.780,0:11:48.863
and so we implemented it in Green Pack.

0:11:48.863,0:11:52.083
And it has been a way to trade

0:11:52.083,0:11:55.436
while being socially responsible. Why?

0:11:55.436,0:11:57.731
Because people are interested[br]in showing our product

0:11:57.731,0:12:03.810
because it is very innovative[br]and low cost,

0:12:03.810,0:12:09.938
and here's where I give you[br]the key word: it's sustainable.

0:12:09.938,0:12:13.822
This plant foliates year-round,

0:12:13.822,0:12:16.858
it continues to grow and produce seeds

0:12:16.858,0:12:23.078
and the results in the community[br]have been outstanding!

0:12:23.078,0:12:29.798
The 3.5 meters that grow[br]every 9 months did even better,

0:12:29.798,0:12:34.568
we managed 4 meters in 7 months.[br]This is incredible!

0:12:34.568,0:12:37.570
The soil in Guatemala is very fertile

0:12:37.570,0:12:43.318
and it's obviously suited[br]to growing this plant.

0:12:43.318,0:12:48.710
As I say, we introduced it[br]using a very simple method.

0:12:48.710,0:12:53.458
And I repeat: it's sustainable, low cost,

0:12:53.458,0:12:58.321
and uses a small amount[br]of resources, yet it's effective.

0:12:58.321,0:13:01.724
We take the plant....[br]Well, we have more than 37 families

0:13:01.724,0:13:04.374
currently enrolled in the pilot scheme

0:13:04.374,0:13:07.124
in San Basilio Suchitepéquez.

0:13:07.124,0:13:12.532
And this is just the beginning[br]of what we intend to cover

0:13:12.532,0:13:17.345
across the entire region;[br]it's a very, very simple system.

0:13:17.345,0:13:20.045
This is literally the first family

0:13:20.045,0:13:22.306
that we helped here in San Basilio,

0:13:22.306,0:13:25.706
the clip that you see here is our film.

0:13:25.706,0:13:28.290
And it's biodegradable.[br]So it's a social program

0:13:28.290,0:13:32.758
with no environmental impact,[br]which is also very important.

0:13:32.758,0:13:35.258
That's something we're very proud[br]to be able to say.

0:13:35.258,0:13:39.400
We also produce a homemade fertilizer.

0:13:39.400,0:13:43.009
What does it include?[br]It contains onions, garlic,

0:13:43.009,0:13:50.117
detergent for washing dishes,[br]cigar tobacco.

0:13:50.117,0:13:55.983
A good use for tobacco, right?

0:13:55.983,0:14:02.363
Again, it's something very low cost

0:14:02.363,0:14:10.666
and it works.

0:14:10.666,0:14:13.340
This is the first harvest.

0:14:13.340,0:14:16.290
We're already growing the plant here.

0:14:16.290,0:14:20.710
This is the first crop[br]that we were able to produce.

0:14:20.710,0:14:23.286
After approximately two months

0:14:23.286,0:14:24.907
we decided to implement a barrier,

0:14:24.907,0:14:28.786
because one of the problems

0:14:28.786,0:14:32.382
was that plagues of ants[br]were eating the crops.

0:14:32.382,0:14:38.121
Like in every project, there are flaws[br]at the beginning, and you correct them.

0:14:38.121,0:14:41.869
So we decided to introduce[br]one of these biodegradable cups,

0:14:41.869,0:14:43.754
we cut it here and placed it[br]around the stem

0:14:43.754,0:14:46.967
then filled it with fertilizer.

0:14:46.967,0:14:49.413
This means we can optimize[br]the use of fertilizer

0:14:49.413,0:14:53.910
by only having it around the stem.

0:14:53.910,0:14:59.262
Water is also optimized[br]because only a certain area needs watering

0:14:59.262,0:15:04.115
We use 8 ounce cups,[br]which are watered with 8 ounces of water.

0:15:04.115,0:15:08.175
It is a really wonderful plant.

0:15:08.175,0:15:13.069
Like I said, this is the plant that,[br]after 6 months,

0:15:13.069,0:15:18.127
had already reached a height[br]greater than expected,

0:15:18.127,0:15:22.351
which meant that the project works.

0:15:22.351,0:15:25.549
So then, how is it used?

0:15:25.549,0:15:30.285
We hold workshops in the community[br]on how to use the trees.

0:15:30.285,0:15:31.798
The truth is they ended up[br]giving me a workshop

0:15:31.798,0:15:34.556
on how to harvest,

0:15:34.556,0:15:37.957
because obviously I won't teach them[br]how to harvest crops,

0:15:37.957,0:15:40.498
when they have been doing that[br]their entire lives.

0:15:40.498,0:15:44.425
So, it is a very simple process[br]and everything is manual.

0:15:44.425,0:15:48.176
The plant is cut,[br]and then left to dry for 4 days.

0:15:48.176,0:15:52.336
After exactly 4 days,[br]it goes through a manual sieve

0:15:52.336,0:15:54.040
and it is sieved using a spoon. Simple.

0:15:54.040,0:15:57.915
This produces what is called[br]Moringa flour.

0:15:57.915,0:16:00.657
This Moringa flour is what contains[br]all the nutrients

0:16:00.657,0:16:04.584
that I told you about earlier,

0:16:04.584,0:16:09.217
and this Moringa flour is used[br]in meals typical to the community

0:16:09.217,0:16:14.923
such as tortillas, chicken soup,

0:16:14.923,0:16:19.333
and I'd like to tell you,[br]it made me very proud

0:16:19.333,0:16:23.474
when I visited that community once,

0:16:23.474,0:16:26.798
and was greeted[br]with chipilín and moringa tamales.

0:16:26.798,0:16:29.594
To see them using it[br]and creating their own recipes

0:16:29.594,0:16:34.940
was truly amazing.

0:16:34.940,0:16:38.138
And, finally, the rationing of Moringa.

0:16:38.138,0:16:42.984
Why do we ration it?[br]Because we have strategic partners,

0:16:42.984,0:16:47.139
and I'll take this opportunity[br]to thank New Guatemala.

0:16:47.139,0:16:49.592
Through these partner foundations,

0:16:49.592,0:16:53.324
we want to bring the Moringa[br]to communities

0:16:53.324,0:16:57.155
where it cannot be grown,

0:16:57.155,0:16:59.147
because chronic malnutrition is a problem

0:16:59.147,0:17:00.518
not only where this plant grows,[br]but throughout the whole country.

0:17:00.518,0:17:03.501
So we ration it, using[br]biodegradable packaging, as always.

0:17:03.501,0:17:07.140
(Laughter)

0:17:07.140,0:17:09.661
And so that is the reason we ration.

0:17:09.661,0:17:13.477
It makes me very sad.

0:17:13.477,0:17:16.616
When I arrived in San Basilio,[br]I saw the Health Center looking like this.

0:17:16.616,0:17:22.689
It was desolate and abandoned,[br]I don't know for how long.

0:17:22.689,0:17:28.429
But what happens to these health centers?

0:17:28.429,0:17:30.601
There's enough budget to buy Incaparina

0:17:30.601,0:17:32.579
for a period of 3 months, to buy protein,

0:17:32.579,0:17:34.703
to buy vitamin A and vitamin C.

0:17:34.703,0:17:37.881
But what happens after those 3 months?

0:17:37.881,0:17:41.295
Now, there is no budget.[br]And so it isn't followed up.

0:17:41.295,0:17:46.119
In my opinion, there is a solution,[br]if you forgive the repetition,

0:17:46.119,0:17:53.412
a sustainable and low cost solution[br]that can continue feeding

0:17:53.412,0:17:59.293
the community of San Basilio.[br]Not only that,

0:17:59.293,0:18:02.350
but it also generates[br]a revenue for the community.

0:18:02.350,0:18:04.934
The only way to get to San Basilio by car

0:18:04.934,0:18:07.612
is to drive for over an hour[br]on a dirt road.

0:18:07.612,0:18:14.207
A very rough dirt road, I might add.

0:18:14.207,0:18:19.358
And so, no matter how much they harvest,

0:18:19.358,0:18:22.781
it is all used to feed themselves.[br]They don't sell anything,

0:18:22.781,0:18:25.868
because no one goes[br]all the way there to buy things.

0:18:25.868,0:18:30.324
And that's our work, channeling sales

0:18:30.324,0:18:33.728
to generate income for the community

0:18:33.728,0:18:38.940
and to transport the Moringa[br]to other malnourished communities.

0:18:38.940,0:18:43.471
And I hope this is only[br]the beginning of a project

0:18:43.471,0:18:46.198
that will include many regions[br]in Guatemala,

0:18:46.198,0:18:52.372
because it's an ambitious project.

0:18:52.372,0:18:55.915
For me, it's a pleasure[br]to bring opportunity

0:18:55.915,0:19:03.037
to the community of San Basilio.

0:19:03.037,0:19:05.150
You must get to know[br]the people of San Basilio.

0:19:05.165,0:19:10.654
I urge the companies and individuals[br]present here today

0:19:10.654,0:19:14.196
to pay special attention

0:19:14.262,0:19:18.165
to corporate social responsibility

0:19:18.334,0:19:21.049
because if every company took action,

0:19:21.142,0:19:25.069
Guatemala would be different.

0:19:25.069,0:19:29.361
Thank you.

0:19:29.361,0:19:41.336
(Applause)