Tag: styrofoam

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SNAP Hydroponics Growers Keep Discarded Styrofoam Boxes Off the Streets

Interior of a car loaded with styrofoam boxes for use with SNAP Hydroponics
Happy New Year!
Our holiday celebrations resulted in trash, lots of it. Just hours after the celebrations have ended our city streets are littered with trash. There are news and social media posts about all the litter we generated as the holiday season concludes.
Screenshot of a Facebook post. The caption reads: ?Reusable styro boxes pile up along Palma Street in Quiapo, Manila after New Years Eve.?
Lots of trash as reported in the Manila Bulletin.

The post above from the Manila Bulletin was shared to SNAP Hydroponics Growers numerous times. It’s a disappointing picture but it is not all gloomy.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

SNAP Hydroponics growers has been actively seeking and picking up these piles of styrofoam boxes for use in their SNAP Hydroponics setups or for sale to other enthusiasts. In doing so, SNAP growers not only keeping trash off the streets, they are maximising the utility we get out of these styrofoam boxes.

A Community Effort

Below are just a few of the conversations our group had about the abundance of the much sought after standard sized styroboxes that SNAP Hydroponics Growers use. As mentioned in a previous post about the availability of grape boxes in the Philippines, the end of December (the last “ber” month) marks the end of the year’s supply of imported grapes from the United States. SNAP Hydroponics enthusiasts are preparing for the eventual shortage of supply and soaring prices of these styrofoam boxes.

creenshot of a Facebook post. It says: PSA. Today and tomorrow is your change to buy or ask for styroboxes that are everywhere these days. Last year, I got 100 pcs. Let's make the most out of it.
PSA. Today and tomorrow is your change to buy or ask for styroboxes that are everywhere these days. Last year, I got 100 pcs. Let’s make the most out of it
Screenshot of a Facebook post the caption reads: ?Styroboxes are scattered everywhere in public markets. Charge! It?s free!?
Styroboxes are scattered everywhere in public markets. Charge! It’s free!
Picture of a facebook post. The caption reads: "Round 1 of merchandise. Get yours in your local market."
Round 1 of merchandise. Get yours in your local market.
Screenshot of a facebook post. The caption reads: "Last batch of styrobox collected today. Anyone who wants to avail for their hydroponics gardening may contact me anytime. God bless and happy gardening to all."
Last batch of styrobox collected today. Anyone who wants to avail for their hydroponics gardening may contact me anytime. God bless and happy gardening to all.

That’s all for today. Thank you to everyone who collected these boxes for use in their hydroponics garden. May this year bring you happiness and bountiful harvests.

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Happy September 1st, 2018

an illustration of an APTCO,LLC box type 5S styrobox

It’s September 1st, the first day of the first “-ber” month of the year. The Christmas season has officially started in the Philippines. Christmas truly comes early for SNAP Hydroponics growers because it also the start of the styrobox months. Ber months signals the coming of imported grapes from the USA.

What is a Styrobox?

In the Philippines expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is colloquially known as Styrofoam. Styrofoam is a trademarked brand of extruded polystyrene (XPS) by the Dow Chemical Company. EPS foams are commonly known as packing foam in other countries. Boxes made of EPS foams are known as styrobox.

What are the Styrobox Months?

During the months of September, October, November, December, January and February styro boxes that are used to transport imported grapes from the US enter the country.

These grapes brings with them the styroboxes that carries them. The standard styrofoam box with the standard size of 24″⨉16″⨉6″ which is typically used in SNAP Hydroponics systems.

Identification Guide

Styroboxes that enter the Philippines from the US typically comes in two brands and a number of box types. Please see the video below for a guide on how to identify them.

Arrangement and Stacking

Here’s a guide on how to arrange and stack them. They can be arranged in such a way that they fit in a 1m⨉1.2m area. They fit a standard size pallet. This arrangement can be used for vegetable production. With SNAP Hydroponics one can grow 40 heads of leafy vegetables in an area only 1.2 sqm in size. This same arrangement is at the core of the design of MJ Garden’s EZ Grower.

styrofoam boxes in pallet arrangment
When arranged as pictured these styroboxes fit in a 1m by 1.2m area.

The same arrangement can be used for storage. When empty these stryroboxes are strong enough to be stacked almost indefinitely.

Here’s a quick tip. You can use standard sized (1m⨉1.2m) wooden or plastic pallets as benches for your styrofoam boxes. All you need to do is elevate them to a desired height. This is just another way that SNAP Hydroponics is helping the environment by reusing materials that are meant to be thrown away.

That’s it for today. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Good luck and happy growing!