Rooftop gardening as a sustainable mean to enhance inclusion amongst women in unfavorable situations
“Empowering Women, Cultivating Change" aims to encourage leadership in the social community while incorporating circular economy principles through making the most of a rooftop garden on a social housing site called La CIBA. We want to focus on empowering and educating women who happen to be staying or needing their resources due to unfavorable situations. The biogarden will be creating room for growth, education, autonomy, and a sense of belonging.
Local
Spain
Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, Spain.
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
First name: Martina Last name: Granja Bayot Gender: Female Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: We are working in partnership with Sustainability Worldwide Center 2050. They define themselves as a business proposal that develops processes of research, dissemination and strategic communication for Latin America, on the various issues related to the overall sustainability. Their goal is to contribute to improving the global socioeconomic order to increase the benefits and quality of life of people.
Age: 20 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Spain Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Avinguda Camí de la Fita, 5A Town: Sitges Postal code: 08870 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 640 03 32 01 E-mail:martinagranjabayot@gmail.com Website:https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-granja-bayot
First name: Javier Last name: Dijkstra Martínez Gender: Male Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: Sustainability Worldwide Center 2050 Age: 20 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Spain Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Carrer Antoni Gaudí, 94 Town: Sant Fost de Campsentelles Postal code: 08105 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 644 58 84 13 E-mail:javierdijkstra@gmail.com Website:https://www.linkedin.com/in/javierdima
First name: Zhander Last name: Junco Gender: Male Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: Sustainability Worldwide Center 2050 Age: 25 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Colombia Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Carrer de Lepant 342 Town: Barcelona Postal code: 08025 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 635 86 57 60 E-mail:juncozhander@gmail.com Website:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhander-junco-2b768a249
First name: Hugo Last name: Simo Saurina Gender: Male Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: Sustainability Worldwide Center 2050 Age: 22 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Spain Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Carrer Santa Bárbara 59 Town: La Jana Postal code: 12340 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 608 87 36 92 E-mail:hugo.simo00@gmail.com Website:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-sim%C3%B3-saurina/
We all agree that women who have suffered abuse or who have not had access to the same resources as other members of society would probably need access to education, therapy, a support system… But who would think that something such as gardening could contribute to supporting their education and well-being? We want to prove that rooftop gardening is a sustainable, aesthetic and inclusive practice with many advantages. Therefore, our proposal focuses on implementing a system that will teach agronomy skills, enable data gathering and digitalization to assess sustainability, enhance food auto sufficiency to the community, and potentiate a sense of belonging.
“La CIBA” is a center of resources for women, based in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. It aims to provide women and their families in risk of exclusion with tools that contribute to their personal autonomy in all areas of life. It also gives room for feminist innovation and economics; a high-profile space for training, preparation for the occupation, birth and support of cultural projects; together with the creation of a new social, solidarity and feminist economy inside the community.
The building of “La CIBA '' will soon incorporate a rooftop garden which will be creating circular catering practices with fresh, zero kilometer products for the building’s restaurant. The restaurant is based on circular practices, since they avoid food waste by promoting zero waste management and employing circularity principles in its organization and operation, and on environmental quality and human well-being.
We aim to be role models of circular economy practices and digital transformation among the various local actors and those located in the surrounding cities, creating a major impetus through a practice to be followed by other municipalities in the area. Our project aims to empower women by supporting their well-being, providing technical knowledge and digital skills, and creating community around the rooftop garden.
Women Empowerment
European Bauhaus
Community Gardening
Self-sufficiency awareness
Rooftop Gardening
Rooftop gardening goes far beyond using an unexploited surface on top of a building as a garden for self-sufficiency of food, or to simply decorate. By giving a new, broader, approach to gardening, sustainable practices are expected to be adopted by many more people for many different purposes.
On the other hand, by establishing a rooftop garden we have the ability to bring back green areas into an urban zone (Santa Coloma de Gramenet), and reduce the building’s impact on CO2 emissions, hence decreasing environmental harmful effects. Moreover, the garden assures fresh, local production, for the building’s restaurant without depending on third parties; reducing the pollution generated by distribution systems.
Also, green spaces on buildings act as natural insulation, helping to reduce energy consumption and costs. This is particularly important in urban areas, where buildings tend to trap heat, leading to higher cooling costs. By incorporating green spaces, buildings can become more energy efficient, resulting in significant cost savings for both building owners and tenants.
In addition to providing a safe space for protected blue swallow colonies, the project also aims to incorporate sustainable gardening practices such as rainwater harvesting besides including digital sensors inside the garden beds to gather data such as weather temperature, soil humidity, and rain statistics to monitor and ensure crop success. This data will be analyzed, interpreted, and shared with the community, making La CIBA a model for long-term sustainable change.
Finally, the rooftop bio garden will also play a crucial role in the preservation of endangered species such as the blue swallow, common inhabitant of the region. The garden provides a secure space for these birds to thrive and further reinforces La CIBA's commitment to environmental conservation.
“Empowering Women, Cultivating Change" is a concept based on creating positive emotions amongst women who need it the most. Thanks to this project they are going to find many moments to learn, share and grow.
The design of the bio garden will be arrived at through a process of debates, discussions, and approvals amongst participants. This process will include decisions such as which plants to cultivate, what tools should be provided, and the layout of the gardening beds. As a result, participants will feel a sense of ownership and comfort in the space and have a secure environment in which to exercise, share experiences, and foster self-sufficiency. Additionally, the bio garden area offers a reduction in disease risk, improved health, stress relief, and an enhanced mood, as supported by the Royal College of Physicians.
We want women to feel engaged in society, giving them the resources to have an accessible way towards self-sufficiency and autonomy. By teaching them the skills necessary to perform in the garden, the education on how to gather data and access to digitalization tools to process the previous data, these women will be able to become more independent. But that is not all, the garden will provide a space for gathering and sharing amongst women and children from different backgrounds, hence creating a sense of community, a sense of belonging.
In conclusion, this project is exemplary because it has numerous cultural benefits that can positively impact individuals and communities. By providing a space for participants (including children) to come together, the biogarden can create strong bonds, foster collaboration and teamwork, promote cultural diversity, and provide opportunities for education and personal growth. As well as helping remove barriers between age groups, improve mental and physical health, bring people together, foster positive relationships and create dynamic and prosperous communities within a city that is committed to sustainability.
The main objective of the rooftop biogarden project is to create a space that supports women. To achieve this goal, the project focuses on the following key areas.
Accessibility, which is ensured through the use of raised garden beds, wheelchair-accessible paths, and adapted tools, making gardening activities available to everyone. The project also empowers women through digitalization and gardening activities, providing them with the skills and resources to grow their own food and evaluate sustainability measures.
The project promotes community building by bringing people together through shared spaces and shared efforts. It also provides a space for people from different backgrounds and cultures to connect and learn from one another.
Education is fostered through gardening activities, which can be used to teach life skills, environmental stewardship, and understanding and respect for different cultures. Gardening can also boost well-being, especially for marginalized individuals or those experiencing mental health issues.
The project also aims to create job opportunities, particularly for women facing barriers to employment. Both the prospective bio-garden and the already built restaurant within La CIBA will employ women at risk of exclusion.
Finally, gardening can promote food security by providing access to fresh, healthy food. In the same way, it also contributes to implementing the concept of circular economy, by allowing the food consumed in the building’s restaurant to come from the urban garden.
In summary, the rooftop bio garden project incorporates the New European Bauhaus concept through its inclusive approach benefiting the individuals involved and contributes to the overall health and well-being of the community. The project addresses various social, cultural, and economic issues, creating a more inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable urban environment.
The full participation of women and their children who may benefit or be affected by this project is a crucial part of it. They can be involved in various ways, such as in the planning and design stages, maintenance of the gardens, and decision-making about what types of plants to cultivate and how to utilize the space. On the other side, the role of civil society organizations such as La CIBA or the City Hall is to support and promote the development of this and other future rooftop gardens.
The involvement of women and their little ones in unfavorable situations can lead to several positive outcomes. It fosters community engagement and sense of ownership, which can in turn lead to long-term sustainability and circularity of the gardens. Additionally, the gardens will be designed to meet the needs and preferences of the community, leading to greater use and enjoyment of the space. The participation of these citizens and civil society organizations also promotes inclusiveness and equity, which encourages community support for the project. Consequently, the project is likely to be embraced and supported by the community.
To sustain the involvement and engagement, the project plans to organize friendly activities and events to promote self-autonomy. This will encourage participating women and their children to take an active role in maintaining and caring for the gardens, leading to a sense of pride and ownership. By providing these kinds of opportunities for them to participate and take charge, the project aims to create a vibrant and thriving rooftop gardening community.
Local: Santa Coloma City Council and "La CIBA" Our project represents a strategic line of great interest for "La CIBA" to become a pioneer centre in the development of policies to achieve real equity for women and to be a reference in social transformation from a feminist perspective.
The "Agrupació de Comerç i Indústria de Santa Coloma (Totama.cat; belonging to the PIMEC agrupation): is committed to incorporating the business community of Santa Coloma de Gramenet in the project.
Center of analysis and Scientific Dissemination Sustainability Centre 2050: provides research, systematizations, communications, as well as publications of findings and transitory results of the project.
Universities: contributing to the design of an intervention model in neighbourhoods of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and with the participation of different institutional actors of the district, in addition to the community, aiming for similar models in some physical spaces.
Feminist collectives from Santa Coloma: such as "Espai Banús", which is one of the feminist collectives that places women at the centre as experts in their lives and needs.
Regional/ European: Municipalities and similar populations that are aiming to implement learned and replicable actions of our intervention.
Private business sector: there is the possibility to generate public-private alliances to advise on the implementation of similar structures in other areas, both local and European. There are public and private funds interested in developing strategic proposals for replicability of experiences, based on the progress and transitory results of the project.
Private and public universities are interested in taking the experience to classrooms as an experimental and exploratory model of the fusion between Circular Economy, Inclusiveness, New European Bauhaus, and Women’s Empowerment.
Those Centres/Hub's that at regional level work for feminist and social empowerment, governance, inclusive development.
We have joined forces between Social and Behavioral sciences and International Business to develop an integrated perspective around a concept for the development of public policies to achieve equity and to be a reference in a feminist social transformation. Innovations come from many sources, not only from advances in science and technology, but also from creative uses of existing knowledge and technologies. We allow ourselves to develop a service concept involving a vulnerable group (women in recovery from male violence), public authorities (the LA CIBA building is managed by the city council), businesses (the circle of entrepreneurs operating in the building), and academia; in its design, development and implementation.
Through Empowering Women, Cultivating Change we listen and understand the needs of the community of Santa Coloma de Gramenet; we intend to involve the women from the beginning of the project and through all its phases in order to understand their needs and benefit from their knowledge. Data collection tools will be based on qualitative and quantitative data collection and recording techniques:
- Explorative and semi-structured interviews: to collect information regarding which plants, what tools, and the layout of the gardening. As a result, participants will feel a sense of ownership, and will have a secure environment in which to exercise, share experiences, and foster self-sufficiency.
- Academic sources that have allowed us to get to know the context of the place of intervention (Santa Coloma de Gramenet), of the population studied, and of the social associations that arise from them. In quantitative terms we will make use of the measurements obtained through the digitization tools that allow us to gather the gardening technical data. It will be analyzed, interpreted, and shared with the community. By understanding the data, we understand the decisions and the impacts of acting informed.
A feminist bio garden roof with digital knowledge integration and a focus on education, self-sufficiency, and social awareness has several innovative features. Firstly, let us address a study named "I Grow Every Day, Like Plants." An Evaluation of a Gardening Program for Women in a Residential Community Corrections Setting. It was demonstrated that women reported mental and physical benefits while working in their garden. Altogether, there was evidence of therapeutic and de-stressing effects, increased exercise, and improved understanding of nutritious food. Additionally, the activity helped build team culture and encouraged positive relationships and stronger social skills among participating women.
Secondly, by incorporating digital technology, the bio garden roof can provide a platform for the gathering and analysis of data related to the growth and health of the plants, as well as the environmental factors that impact their growth. This information can then be shared with the community through educational initiatives, workshops, and a data screen, helping to educate and raise awareness about the importance of sustainable gardening practices.
Thirdly, the bio garden roof is linked with feminism, promoting the empowerment of women and addressing the structural inequalities that lead to their marginalization. By providing women with the resources and skills needed, the bio garden roof can help increase their economic independence, improve their well-being, and provide them with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Overall, the bio garden roof is an innovative and unusual alternative that brings together digital technology, education, self-sufficiency, social awareness, to create a space that is inclusive, empowering, and impactful. By providing a platform for learning and community engagement, the bio garden roof can help to promote sustainability, food security, and equity, and make a positive impact on the lives of women in critical situations.
First, the Project implementation site is an infrastructure committed to climate action and inclusion. La CIBA has carried out building renovation actions to generate a transition to an energy-efficient infrastructure. In the same way, all the activities that are promoted in this place will be circular. Moreover, La CIBA is a center of resources for women that aims to provide women and their families at risk of exclusion with tools that contribute to their autonomy in all areas of life. In this way, La CIBA follows the approach of sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics and New European Bauhaus as its raison d'être. The project, through its core or adjacent activities, will ensure its scalability beyond the municipality of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, and preferably beyond the Spanish framework.
Secondly, La CIBA's philosophy, mission and vision are based on sustainable and advanced practices (mainly circular economy) and ensures an organic and holistic approach to "sustainable services": by applying the circular economy in all organizational and service delivery aspects of the La CIBA building. To this end, we want to focus on empowering and educating women who happen to be in unfavorable situations through a bio garden creating room for growth, education, autonomy, and a sense of belonging for Santa Coloma and surrounding communities.
The Empowering Women, Cultivating Change Project wants to prove that rooftop gardening is a sustainable, aesthetic, and inclusive practice with many advantages. Therefore, our proposal focuses on implementing a system that will teach agronomy skills, enable data gathering and digitalization to assess sustainability, enhance food self-sufficiency in the community, and potentiate a sense of belonging. Our project aims to empower women by supporting their well-being, providing technical knowledge and digital skills, and creating a community around the rooftop garden, in a unique way.
The bio garden roof promotes woman empowerment by reducing isolation and providing a supportive community for women in critical situations. By involving women and their children in the planning, design, and maintenance of the garden, they are empowered to make decisions about their own lives and take control of their health and well-being. The feminist movement is integrated into the project to ensure that the space is inclusive and equitable and that the voices and perspectives of women are valued and respected.
Additionally, the project addresses the global challenge "Act Locally, Think Globally" by promoting local food production and reducing dependence on imported goods. This not only helps to reduce carbon emissions from transportation but also provides fresh and healthy food options for the community. Additionally, the bio garden roof creates job opportunities and helps to reduce unemployment by providing women with the skills and resources to become self-sufficient and enter into the labor market.
In addition to promoting sustainability and equality, the bio garden roof also serves as an educational tool that teaches life skills, environmental stewardship, and digital technology. By integrating digital knowledge into the garden, data can be collected and analyzed to provide insights into the garden's performance and promote greater understanding of sustainable gardening practices. The screen with data collected from the bio garden insights serves as a platform for learning and encourages community engagement.
In conclusion, “Empowering Women, Cultivating Change" addresses a wide range of global challenges and promotes sustainability, food security, equity, and women empowerment. By providing a platform for learning and community engagement, it also can make a positive impact on the lives of women in critical situations and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable world.
