Case Studies
I never get tired of talking to people about the many benefits of plants and nature in the places we live, work, and play. But I admit it’s sometimes a challenge to figure out new ways to help people get the message!
The nonprofit organization Green Plants for Green Buildings has been thinking about this, too. My fellow board members and I put our heads together and we have something new to show you that I’m excited about.
Have you ever seen one of those technology product launch videos? Or maybe the demonstrations by Steve Jobs of new products for Apple?… Read More
Making The Home Office Productive and Healthier
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
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
You Would Be Less Stressed Out If You Were Out There
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
How to Fix Open Office Plans!
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
Art Becomes a Living Thing at San Diego Art Alive
“Art Alive” has been part of my life and my family’s life for several decades. I first got involved way back when I was still a florist. No matter how busy I got, this is one community project I’ve always enjoyed and will always make time for it.
“Art Alive” is now in its 37th year. Local and national floral designers create their own floral interpretations of artworks from the Museum for “Art Alive” every year. There will be more than 100 floral displays of art masterpieces, and a whole weekend of flower-filled activities and events. For me it’s the perfect intersection of nature and art.… Read More
Easter Comes Early for Good Earth Plant Company and Alpha Square
Easter came a little earlier than expected for Good Earth Plant Company, and for residents of the Alpha Square Apartment complex.
Eco-Warrior Jim Mumford and daughter Allie Mumford delivered orchids and bromeliads to residents to brighten their homes. They were enthusiastically received with many smiles.
Good Earth Plant Company also provided orchids to the San Diego Blood Bank as a donor premium. We received wonderful responses. If an orchid or bromeliad can convince someone to donate the gift of life, we are all for it. You can contact the San Diego Blood Bank to learn whether you are eligible to donate (most healthy adults are!)… Read More
Working A Little Plantscaping Magic In Arizona
Sometimes the best solution for one of our clients is a blend of multiple approaches in a customized design.
Good Earth Plant Company recently worked with a San Diego dispensary client with locations in multiple states. For its Tempe, Arizona location, “Tend Tempe,” we needed to find ways to incorporate plants into their facility where the conditions weren’t optimal. Working with Basille Studios on the details, we decided a blend of real and replica (or “faux”) plants would work best.
An “illusion” was created with our materials. Where there was enough light and/or enough access to provide ongoing maintenance, we used living plants.… Read More
Amazon Goes Big With Biophilia: The Spheres Are Open
Seven years, 600 people, 40,000 plants from 300 species, and one really big Ficus tree later, the Amazon Spheres opened this week in the Denny Triangle neighborhood of Seattle. Public officials made speeches, people got their thank yous, and ribbons were cut. Because it’s Amazon, founder and CEO Jeff Bezos did the final honors with the help of Alexa, by saying “Alexa, open The Spheres.”
For an Eco-Warrior and biophilic design advocate like me, something like this gets me as geeked out excited as the most hardcore costume wearing fans at Comic-Con. We wrote about the project under construction in 2016.… Read More
Ten Secrets to Successful Workplace Design in 2018
We get to see a lot of workplaces all year long, and we get to work with a lot of smart architects and interior designers creating the modern workplace. We also talk a lot about what the ideal workplace of the future SHOULD look like when I get together with my fellow interior plantscapers and WELL Building Standard advocates across the country.
There are plenty of studies where people have told us what they like, and also telling us what makes people more productive, more creative, and more content at work.
With 2018 nearly on top of us (how did THIS happen?),… Read More