According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, essential workers are those who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically “essential” to continue critical infrastructure operations. Critical infrastructure is a broad term including work sectors from energy to defense to agriculture.

Most people think of law enforcement, firefighters, doctors and nurses, and other types of frontline first responders as essential workers. But hasn’t your definition changed over the past few months? I bet you’ll add grocery store workers, truck drivers, caregivers, and the people who make toilet paper to this list now. There are so many unsung heroes grinding away who make things work.

Nearly everyone would like to say their work is essential for some reason. But because of the coronavirus pandemic’s real threat to human life, essential work has changed. It is now more widely understood as work considered necessary to meet the basic needs of human survival and wellbeing: food, health, safety, and cleaning.

Good Earth Plant Company has become an essential service too. Many of our clients have a significant investment into indoor plants, living walls, moss walls, and other elements of nature in their workplace facilities and homes. Let’s also not forget that (with the exception of our preserved moss walls), these are living, breathing creatures. Plants are ALIVE. We work every day to keep them healthy and growing.

When your plants are healthy, they will keep YOU healthy. In those days before the coronavirus pandemic (remember those?), we’ve discussed so many times the science behind the health benefits of plants. Just days before we were first ordered to stay at home back in March, we explained how indoor plants improve the poor air quality in most workplaces.

Living Architecture Monitor devoted an entire issue to the contribution of indoor plants, living walls and green roofs to human health and wellbeing – back in 2014! It’s not new – but it’s most important than ever to all of us.

Now we find out by raising indoor humidity, we can slow down the spread of COVID-19. There is no better way to do this consistently than adding more indoor plants in every room.

Our Eco-Warriors take our role as essential workers seriously, and we know safety needs to come first for our clients and ourselves. Our horticultural technicians are following all recommended guidelines, including wearing their masks and sanitizing all our tools. No one works at risk to his or her health, or yours.

We are working with our clients – business owners, facilities managers, human resources directors, and architects, interior designers, and landscape architects to help you add more natural elements including indoor plants and living walls for your health and wellness. Whatever form the workplace takes in the months and years ahead, we have a brand new appreciation for staying safe and well.  Let indoor plants be your essential workers no matter what product or service you provide.

Want to talk about it? I’d love to! We enrich people’s lives with plants. Email me at jim@goodearthplants.com.