Boxes of greens at sM aura premier
SM Aura Premier recently launched Boxes of Greens, a sustainable greenhouse envisioned serve the Taguig community and its neighboring cities. A take-off from the urban gardening concept, it is a partnership between Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio and SM Aura Premier with support from SM Foundation.
Located at SM Aura Skypark, Boxes of Greens is the neighbourhood’s new staple for fresh herbs, microgreens, indoor plants, and other vegetation and florae. It is the first fully operational herb garden situated inside a mall that not only promotes a green environment in a bustling city, but also sustains the livelihood of rural communities.
Built and run by Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio, Boxes of Greens aims to inspire children and adults alike to care and appreciate nature. It also offers weekend workshops about the growing and upkeep of plants.
Indoor plants, fresh herbs and veggies that can be found in this urban garden. These include fruits like kalamansi, veggies like tomatoes, siling panigang, eggplants, chilis, hot and sweet pepper; as well as herbs like basil, pepper mint, are coriander, tarragon, thy me, and lemon grass.
Taking part in growing green were Taguig City Councilor on Committee on Environmental Protection and Ecology Edwin Eron, and Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio director Father Eduardo Dumaual, as well as SM Foundation’s Debbie Sy, Linda Atayde and Cristy Angeles.
There was also a lot of star power with the presence of celebrities with a cause: WWF Philippines Ambassador Iz aC alza do, environment son Fernandez, and TV and movie actress Rhian Ramos. Also present during the launch were the Miss Earth 2018 winners: Halimatu Yushawu, Miss Water Philippines 2018 Berjayneth Chee, Miss Earth Philippines 2018 Sylvia Celeste Cortesi, Miss Fire Philippines 2018 Jean Nicole de Jesus, and Miss Air Philippines 2018 Zahra Bianca Saldua.
Through its partnership with Tulay Lingap ni Padre Pio, all Boxes of Greens proceeds will go to building schools, planting trees, emergen- cy assistance for disasters, and developing feeding and medical clinics for the underprivileged.
Likewise benefiting from the garden’s earnings are the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan graduates — scholars of the SM Foundation — who will be leading Boxes of Greens’ day-to-day activities.
Boxes of Greens is the first step in SM Aura Premier’s Lush Initiative: a green movement that creates awareness about the environment and inspires change through becoming the country’s first mall to initiate a zero-waste culture.
SM Aura Premier is the first mall to receive a gold LEED certification by meeting international standards in indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and energy and water efficiency. In the coming months, SM Aura Premier will further strengthen its trash-tocash recycling market every first Friday and Saturday of the month, and will be launching programs on zerowaste management, eco-bricking among others.
Boxes of Greens is at the Skypark, 5th level of SM Aura Premier, and will be open during mall hours. For more information on Boxes of Greens and on SM Aura’s Lush Initiative, follow @ SMAuraPremier on Instagram.