Making The Home Office Productive and Healthier

| September 6, 2018 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing, Plantscaping
Our horticulture technicians at Good Earth Plant Company visit some of San Diego’s largest and most visible employers every day. We love creating healthier and more productive workspaces by introducing nature and natural elements through interior Plantscaping. Sometimes it’s living plants, and sometimes it’s through built-in structures like living walls and moss walls. Employees tell us they love working in these spaces, and we love helping them be successful while improving their wellbeing. But there are a whole lot of people we aren’t seeing. It’s the growing percentage of the workforce that doesn’t work in a traditional office setting. You might be surprised how big this group is.… Read More

The 10 Best Movies About Nature

| August 30, 2018 | Categories: Case Studies, Environment, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Nature and Wellbeing
The dog days of summer are nearly over. But we won’t be clear of warm temperatures for a while, especially in San Diego. One of the best ways to beat the heat but still enjoy the outdoors is to watch a nature movie. Because of the work we do bringing nature into the places we work and live, we pay special attention to movies depicting the natural world around us. We’re not especially big fans of the “man versus nature” type movie. Think Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant.” Nature can be harsh and threatening to human beings. What we are much more interested in seeing is the awe-inspiring scenery, science, and creatures, and the ways people relate to them.… Read More

Shhhh – Enjoy the Silence

| August 15, 2018 | Categories: Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
For the first half of August, my son Ted and I have been exploring the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetlands located in western Brazil. It is home to hundreds of species of birds, exotic animals including jaguars, capybaras, and caimans. My father Bob Mumford was supposed to accompany us, but he injured himself on a nature photography trip earlier this year to Mongolia. We held out hope, but my dad’s injury hadn’t healed enough to allow him to travel again. We miss you, Dad! You can see his work on his website. We had been planning this three generation trip to the Pantanal for nearly two years.… Read More

You Would Be Less Stressed Out If You Were Out There

| August 2, 2018 | Categories: Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Nature and Wellbeing
You don't have to create the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Colombia to get the full benefits of gardening. Photo: Photoman/Creative Commons License
Feeling a little stressed out? Who isn’t! How stressed out are we? The American Psychological Association (APA) has been measuring American stress levels for ten years now. Surprise, surprise: According to a 2017 study by the APA, more Americans report stress affecting them. But most also admit they are not taking enough active measures to combat the effects of stress in their daily lives. Half the country’s employees say they feel stress in their jobs the majority of the work week (three days or more). ­­More than half of the nation’s workers report stress in their jobs three or more days a week.… Read More

Is Nature In Your DNA?

| July 26, 2018 | Categories: Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Nature and Wellbeing
Can you learn to love nature? Or do you have to be born this way? Photo: RawPixel
My Aunt Nancy recently let family and friends know about an honor my cousin Kathy Mulvey received. (Thanks for ratting her out, Nancy!) Phillips Academy Andover, one of the oldest and most prestigious independent secondary schools in the U.S. based in Andover, Massachusetts, named Kathy one of its “20 Alumni Who Are Saving the Planet.” Kathy works for the Union of Concerned Scientists. Here’s what Andover wrote about her efforts: “Everything we value depends on the ecosystem and on people working tirelessly to prevent its destruction. Kathy Mulvey is the sharp end of the long-running debate on fossil fuels, taking some of the world’s largest companies to task on inadequate climate policies.… Read More

How to Fix Open Office Plans!

| July 19, 2018 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
We can thank the Sixties for a lot of things: some of the world’s best music, the American space program, and the rise of political activism. But we also have to hold the 1960s responsible for the open office floor plan the majority of working Americans are subjected to in 2018. Like a lot of things, strong economic growth after World War II caused office designers to offer companies a low cost way to increase the efficiency of their floor plans so they could add people without renting space or buying buildings. In 1968, American office furniture company designer Robert Probst came up with the cubicle, which provided workers privacy while allowing them a view of the open office if they stood up.… Read More

Summer Indoor Plant Care Tips to Beat The Heat

| June 27, 2018 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
Don't let your indoor plants get sunburned by strong sunlight through windows in the summer. Move them to a protected spot. Photo: Yanoch Kandreeva/Creative Commons License
We love summer, but sometimes the summer heat can be a little overwhelming. It’s the same for your indoor plants. Even when they are in an air-conditioned office or home, your indoor plants can suffer from the negative effects of summer heat. Don’t let your plants sweat it out this summer. Check out our summer indoor plant care tips. Protect your indoor plants from strong summer rays You put on sunscreen to keep the sun’s strong summer rays from causing sunburn. You need to protect your plants from sunburn, too. No, they aren’t going to the beach, but they can get extra doses of hot summer sunlight through south and west facing windows.… Read More

Six Natural Reasons Good Earth Plant Company Loves Summer

| June 20, 2018 | Categories: Biophilia, Environment, Nature and Wellbeing
There is a lot more to love about summer than just the longer days. Photo: PhotoMIX-Company-CreativeCommons License
By the time you read this blog post, it will officially be Summer 2018. The 2018 Summer Solstice officially took place at 3:07 a.m. today – Thursday, June 21. Did you catch yourself smiling or feeling happy about the arrival of summer? In a warm and sunny place year-round like San Diego, you wouldn’t think summer would be such a big deal. But it’s true, there are a lot of things about summer, sunlight, warm weather, and our biophilic connection to nature that make people happier and healthier in the summer months. There’s more and more scientific proof of it. Here are Good Earth Plant Company’s top six reasons why we love summer.… Read More

Hygge and Beyond: Latest Scandinavian Lifestyle Trends

| June 13, 2018 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Nature and Wellbeing
Like a lot of Americans, the Danish approach to life called “hygge” got our attention. The word itself made the Oxford Dictionary’s list of most influential words of 2016, that’s how popular it was. Suddenly it seemed like everyone was interested in lighting candles and gathering around a cozy fire. Hygge is as central to Danish culture as flamenco dancing and tapas are to Spain, and teatime is to England. But it’s not the only lifestyle trend hitting America from Scandinavia. Suddenly there seems to be a wave of books and articles about the latest trend. Every country has its own version of “the good life.”… Read More

Go Marimo For An Unusual indoor Plant

| June 6, 2018 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
We sing the praises of indoor plants on a regular basis, because there’s so much to love and so many benefits. But it’s true not all indoor plants are suitable for every environment. You may have an especially challenging environment with low light, variations in temperature, even limits to where you can put them. Or maybe you admit you aren’t the most diligent about even the simplest plant care. Sometimes the problem is the limitations to the indoor plants available for your conditions. There are a few bulletproof plants so common, I understand if you’re a little bored by them. Well, no more excuses.… Read More