Your perfect partner – green leafy & lush

Plants (living, fresh, healthy plants as opposed to dead or plastic dusty ones) bring nature into your home or  workplace and have the same positive effects as nature imagery: If A Picture Paints A Thousand Words Then What Do Your Walls Say About You?  In addition, plants contribute to our physical environment in a number of ways.

Firstly, plants absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen which is opposite to us humans who absorb oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.  The increased oxygen from plants will have a positive effect on our brain function as well as reduce our fatigue so are ideal in a workplace.  Plants also control humidity to a level that is beneficial for humans.  Therefore we are perfectly suited to live in harmony with plants. 

As well as oxygen plants give off negative ions.  These are found in the atmosphere and are noticeable in places that you associate with fresh air such as the sea or in a rural area away from roads and industry.  Positive ions are also found in the atmosphere and are given off by electrical equipment and manmade materials such as plastic or nylon.  Positive ions can cause fatigue and lower our immune system and we need to counteract them with negative ions.  Plants are therefore ideal to counter some of these effects and improve our wellbeing.

Finally plants take in gases that are noxious to humans and can have a purifying effect on the atmosphere.  Research carried out by  Dr BC Wolverton for NASA, attempting to create a breathable environment for a lunar habitat, found that houseplants are the best filters of common pollutants such as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene. These poisonous chemicals can be released by furniture, carpets and building materials, which are then often trapped by the ventilation systems in our workplaces.  This in turn can cause respiratory and allergic reactions for people working in these places.

Energetically, plants can also have a distinct effect depending on their species and are often used in Feng Shui to balance Yin & Yang energies. 

So, befriend your plants and look after them because they can bring a lot to your relationship and it could be the start of something beautiful.

Jackie Notman is a copywriter, feng shui consultant and e-commerce retailer.  This article is from her blog ‘Life – and everything else’ where you’ll find an eclectic mix of articles and information.

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