Meet Catarina Barreiros - zero waste brand co-founder

My name is Catarina Barreiros, and I am a specialist in communication and strategy in the field of sustainability. 

In 2019, I founded the Do Zero project, one of the leading references in sustainability education in Portugal. Through social media, the Do Zero podcast, consulting projects and other initiatives, I have helped brands, institutions and citizens to better understand issues such as environmental responsibility, energy transition, conscious consumption and social impact. 

I’m the creator of Cidade Do Zero (a weekend programme with over 150 workshops, talks and activities for all ages and over 150 Portuguese brands that gathers around 20.000 people over the weekend) and co-founder of projects such as Zeroo Cups (a reusable cups project) and Norm. (an absorbent underwear brand). I have been recognised for my work, named by the Portuguese newspaper Expresso as one of the 50 profiles that could shape the country's future. 

I was also a member of the Presidency of the Republic's think tank ‘O Futuro já Começou’ (The Future Has Already Begun) and continue to produce daily content on Instagram and TikTok, making complex issues related to the environment and social justice accessible. 

Nature has played a huge role throughout my life. My grandparents come from the Portuguese countryside, and it is in Fundão that I feel the happiest. It brings you a sense of freedom and belonging that is hard to explain without experiencing it firsthand.  

That is why I believe so profoundly in the role of legislation and the creation of protected areas - especially areas that humans are invited to participate in (with due respect for nature and when human action is not endangering other species), because being with nature reminds us something we so often forget - that we are part of the ecosystems we live in. In nature, we connect not only with ourselves but also with our deepest roots: nature. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catarinafpb/ 

Co-founder of Norm. : normperiod.com