Biophilia

The concept of biophilia suggests an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. Biophilia is the science exploring the human connection to nature and all living things. In his 1973 book The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, Sociologist Erich Fromm described it as “the passionate love of life and all that is alive.” Biologist Edward Wilson wrote in 1984 that human beings are biologically hardwired to need a connection with the natural world.

Whether in architecture or interior design, basing design on the principles of biophilia seeks to connect building occupants more closely to nature. Biophilic buildings incorporate natural lighting and ventilation, natural landscape features, and other elements to create a more productive and healthier built environment for people. Natural light, living plants, living walls, natural textures and materials, and nature views will provide a positive impact. Simulations such as artwork, moss walls, and replica walls are equally effective.

Good Earth Plant Company leverages its expertise in horticulture and plant styling to enrich peoples’ lives with plants, a key element of biophilia by bringing Nature into the built environment with container plants, living walls, moss walls, green roofs, and more.

Time to Let It Shine

| December 17, 2019 | Categories: Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
When you live in San Diego, you've got plenty of sunshine during the shorter winter days to enjoy for good health. Photo: Monica Volpin, Pixabay
Are you feeling a little blue? You might be tempted to blame it on the hectic nature of the holidays, or seeing too much political talk on TV or social media. But it might not be the only reason you aren’t your usual cheerful self. Several weeks ago, we went through our annual change back from Daylight Time to Standard Time in the United States. Just the one hour of difference means most people are going home from work in the dark, and it also makes us aware we are slowly losing daylight a few minutes at a time until we reach the winter solstice this Saturday, December 21.… Read More

Turn Black Friday into Green Friday This Year

| November 20, 2019 | Categories: Biophilia, Environment, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
#OptOutside Good Earth Plant Company Thanksgiving Sustainability Living Walls Plants
For five years in a row now, REI has closed its stores on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. It processes no online sales and it paid all its 12,000 employees to spend the day outside with friends and family. How big is Black Friday? It is routinely one of the largest U.S. shopping days, both in stores and online. Adobe Digital Insights Inc. estimates that the single day in 2018 brought in $6.2 billion in online sales in the U.S. We’re completely into the #OptOutside concept at Good Earth Plant Company – we caught on in year number two and told you about it back then.… Read More

Not Your Garden Variety Session at San Diego Green Week’s 2019 Conference & Expo

| October 10, 2019 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Environment, Green Roofs, Living Walls, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
Jim Mumford will participate in a panel discussion as part of the San Diego Green Building Council's Conference & Expo Oct. 18. Info and registration: http://www.sd-gbc.org
Good Earth Plant Company’s Jim Mumford featured on panel discussion planting seeds about the benefits of incorporating nature into building projects. SAN DIEGO, Calif. (October 10, 2019) – Dozens of studies demonstrate the benefits of incorporating nature into building design to human health and wellness, but doing so is still often seen as a luxury. Jim Mumford has spent more than 40 years working to change this perception. As part of the San Diego Green Building Council’s (SDGBC) 2019 Conference & Expo on Friday, Oct. 18, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Good Earth Plant Company owner and founder Jim Mumford, CLP, GRP, will join Calina Ferraro, PE, CPD, LEED AP, WELL Accredited Professional, Principal, Integral Group Design Studio; and Jennifer Montgomery, PLA, SITES AP, LEED AP, Asociate, Schmidt Design Group for “Not Your Garden Variety Design: Optimizing Building Integrated Vegetation.”… Read More

Next Generation of Eco-Warriors Leads the Way

| October 9, 2019 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilia, Environment, Green Roofs, Living Walls, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
The next generation of Eco-Warriors paid a visit to Good Earth Plant Company.
Recently, a group of fifth grade students from a San Diego area private school visited Good Earth Plant Company as part of their after school program, the extra-curricular “Lego Robotics Club.” Kids in the club were tasked with identifying a local problem in their city, and then exploring possible solutions. The students decided to focus on the diminishing tree canopy within the city. This is something we’ve also been concerned about, and have written about here on the Good Earth blog. According to the team’s adult leader, Noel Kim, the team is competing for the first time in the “First Lego League” (FLL) Robotics Competition.… Read More

Good Day Sunshine! Jump Start Your Day Naturally

| October 2, 2019 | Categories: Biophilia, Gardening, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing, Plantscaping
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Hit the snooze button? Brush your teeth? Get some coffee? Check social media? Go to the gym? A survey conducted by the consulting firm Deloitte isn’t much of a surprise.  Forty-three percent of people check their phone within five minutes of waking up. Seventeen percent check immediately, some even before they get out of bed. In a study of morning rituals by management expert Laura Vanderkam and Inc. Magazine, successful people start their day with water instead of coffee, exercise, work on either a priority business project or spend time on a personal passion project, spend time with family, meditate – and one-third say they make their beds every day.… Read More

Time to Celebrate National Indoor Plant Week Sept 16-22

| September 11, 2019 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilia, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
Summer is nearly over, and the big holidays of the year – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s – aren’t too far away. But we are already like little kids waiting for Christmas, because next week is officially National Indoor Plant Week. Yes, it’s a real thing! It’s right up there with Naked Outdoor Gardening Day in May. It is celebrated the third week of September every year. In 2019, this is Monday, September 16 through Saturday, September 22. What, you haven’t made your plant party plans yet? (Say it fast three times). No problem. Good Earth Plant Company can get you started as we celebrate by spreading the word to you about the benefits of having indoor plants in your work and home environment.… Read More

Get The Picture About Biophilic Design

| July 25, 2019 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Nature and Wellbeing, Plantscaping
Biophilic design is a trend transforming modern workplaces. Infographic: NewPro Containers and Green Plants for Green Buildings
Are you not entertained? We try to use the Good Earth Plant Company blog to provide information and educate people about plants, and do it in an entertaining way. Last week at the Society of Professional Journalists San Diego Chapter annual Journalism Awards, the Good Earth Plant Company blog was named the Best Digital Blog in San Diego County! Thank you SPJSD. You like us, you really like us! But we also recognize different people have different preferred ways of learning and absorbing information. Depending on which theory you prefer, there are either seven learning styles, or four. The VARK theory counts four: Visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic (learning by doing).… Read More

The Best Sandwich I Ever Ate

| July 11, 2019 | Categories: Biophilia, Environment, Good Earth Plant Company, Nature and Wellbeing
With the Bavarian Alps as your view, it's hard not to enjoy a picnic! Photo: Jim Mumford
Many people think the start of summer is Memorial Day weekend. The ‘official’ start to summer is the day of the Summer Solstice, June 20. For others, it doesn’t really feel like summer until the Fourth of July weekend. Whatever you think, summer is now in full swing. Summer means getting outdoors. Even though we have beautiful weather all year in San Diego compared to the rest of the U.S., the longer days and the relaxed attitude combine to draw us outside for more activities. One of those is cooking. Even someone with limited kitchen skills can turn out a great meal on a barbecue grill.  … Read More

Here Come Summer – Time to Get Out!

| June 20, 2019 | Categories: Biophilia, Environment, Nature and Wellbeing
It's officially Summer 2019 - and Nature is calling you! Photo: Darius Garza / Pixabay Good Earth Plant Company
Ready or not, here comes summer! More precisely, the summer solstice. The solstice takes place at a precise point in time. This year it will be Friday morning, June 21, exactly at 8:54 a.m. PT according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. People usually refer to the entire day when this happens as the “Summer Solstice.”  You could go to Stonehenge to visually experience the Solstice or closer – visit our client, the  Salk Institute in La Jolla.  This is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning it has the most hours of sunlight and the shortest night.… Read More

Our Love For Blue Flowers: It’s Complicated

| May 22, 2019 | Categories: Biophilia, Gardening, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing
Closeup of a beautiful hydrangea. Do you see blue or lavender, or something in between? Photo: LL Marei, Flickr - Creative Commons License
With Memorial Day coming up and the Fourth of July not all that far away, the red, white and blue decorations are starting to appear, including garden and floral displays. Commercial garden centers and big box stores are putting their red, white, and blue flowers and plants front and center. Forty years ago when I sold flowers downtown, the only option I could offer to patriotic customers were red, white and blue carnation bouquets. I’ll let you in on a secret: those blue carnations were NOT found in nature. Naturally blue flowers aren’t just rare. They don’t exist. True blue pigment doesn’t exist in plants of any kind.… Read More