Latina Inventors Are Building the Future of Sustainability—From Nopal Bioplastics to Water Filters

As global leaders argue over how to regulate and rid our environments of damage, real change is unfolding elsewhere. In laboratories, rural communities, and overlooked corners of the scientific world, Latina innovators are redefining what solutions look like, proving that climate progress doesn’t wait for consensus, and that science rooted in equity can reshape humanity’s relationship with the planet.

Rooted in ancestral knowledge, community-centered problem-solving, and lived experience with environmental harm, Latinas are uniquely positioned to design sustainability solutions that are both practical and people-driven.

Here are three breakthroughs—bioplastics, water filtration, and precision agriculture—showing how Latina-led science scales solutions.

Sandra Pascoe Ortiz: From Nopal to a Plastic-Free Future

Did you know according to a UNEP report, humanity is expected to consume more than 500 million tons of plastic in 2024 alone, with much of it quickly turning into 400 million tons of plastic waste. Plastic alternatives are very much in demand and a Latina innovator is contributing to this space with her alternative.

Mexican researcher and chemical engineer Sandra Pascoe Ortiz, a professor at Universidad del Valle de Atemajac in Zapopan, Jalisco - Mexico, has gained international recognition for developing a plastic alternative made from nopal juice. It is a non-toxic, 100% renewable, fully biodegradable, and even edible option, though not particularly palatable.

How can cactus (nopal) become biodegradable plastic? Ortiz devoted years to study, research, and analysis to innovate efficiently. She focused on exploring the potential of the cactus nopal before creating this transformative solution. Her research at UNIVA, centered on biopolymer production, involved observing and analyzing the extraction of sugars and gums from nopal, which contain the key components needed to produce the alternative plastic.

Thanks to this process, Ortiz created a biodegradable material that decomposes naturally, offering an optimal solution to plastic pollution and pushing industries toward the use of renewable, sustainable natural resources.

The process is relatively simple: researchers extract the cactus juice, mix it with natural additives, pour it onto a flat surface, and let it dry for a set period. The result is a flexible material, similar to conventional plastic but without the toxic, polluting agents from petroleum.

Currently, Ortiz’s lab produces prototypes in a process that takes roughly 10 days. Despite the resounding success, she continues her research to test its effectiveness and scale up production of this innovative alternative.

María Amorín: Turning Marine Waste into Innovative Filters

Guatemalan scientist María Isabel Amorín focused her research on creating a circular economy around seafood waste and wastewater from the textile industry, one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions, chemical residues, and water pollution.

This challenging scenario provided the perfect motivation for Amorín to invent an eco-friendly filtration system using a natural polymer filter instead of plastics or petroleum-made materials. Her system, made from shrimp shells, absorbs dyes from fabrics, treating contaminated water. The innovative product, designed for artisanal textile production, recirculates water while capturing dye particles.

Recognized by institutions such as the University of Edinburgh and the U.S. Department of State, Amorín’s technology has achieved remarkable results. Her startup earned praise in pitch competitions and accelerator programs for its sustainable solutions.

The proposal is particularly viable thanks to Guatemala’s shrimp industry, which ensures access to shrimp shells—materials that had never been valued before. 

Mariel Pérez: Sensors That Revolutionize Agriculture

Mariel Pérez Carrillo, a Mexican biochemical engineer and entrepreneur, travels widely in search of solutions to protect the environment. On one trip, inspired by rural life, she spoke with local farmers and discovered they often had no insight into the condition of their crops and soils, leaving much of their harvest to chance.

This challenge motivated Mariel to help farmers increase production, improve yields, and reduce waste. After studying the situation, she invented “Enviro,” a device that uses sensors to measure temperature, humidity, conductivity, pH, and salinity, providing detailed insight into soil and climate conditions.

The system can offer personalized recommendations to reduce crop losses and eliminate the need for pesticides and agricultural chemicals that pollute the environment. Mariel has completely transformed agricultural production for many local farmers, helping them better support their families while boosting the national agricultural industry.

While governments around the world get tangled in environmental debates, these innovative Latinas show that real solutions emerge from the urgent need to rethink humanity’s relationship with the planet. Their inventions not only provide technological alternatives; they represent a paradigm shift toward more inclusive and socially responsible science from a community that has a natural relationship to the environment and nature.