© Dani Codina
Rubèn Garcia, the force behind Growinpallet.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Rubèn Garcia worked as a researcher for one year at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. However, he wanted to turn his career around; he was a chemist and was becoming increasingly more interested in the renewable energy sector. After studying for a master’s degree and working for five years in an energy sector company, he decided to start up his own personal project. “When I saw the speculation in the energy sector and the underlying political interests, I decided to throw myself into a project to promote a social and sustainable economy.” And that was when Growinpallet saw the light, which consists of “spreading a network of urban allotments over the rooftops of the city of Barcelona, producing organic vegetables and minimising environmental pollution,” he explains. “Firstly, vegetables absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, and secondly, transport is reduced because the city’s inhabitants consume a kilometre-zero product.”
The project won first prize for the 2013 Barcelona Incubaeco programme, which serves to promote ecoentrepreneurship. “Growinpallet makes it possible to create allotments in grow tables made from recycled materials, which means no reforms are needed on rooftops. This makes for fast installation.” Cities like San Francisco have already shown an interest in the proposal and it is gradually spreading all over Barcelona. “We don’t want to be just another urban allotment company,” says Rubèn Garcia. “Our project is based largely maintaining the allotments, promoting a new job profile: the urban farmer, who acts as an advisor to the people who sign up for the service.”
Neighbours’ associations, restaurants, hotels, businesses, schools and homes for the elderly are potential customers. “One very interesting example is nurseries and schools that organise related educational activities. Education is crucial in producing far-reaching change that will make new generations aware of the importance of sustainability and the environment.” Is anyone else interested? “Some companies have hired the service to improve employee productivity, as well as organic restaurants that seek to reduce costs by growing their own vegetables,” says the creator of Growinpallet.