Finding A Green Lining in the Pandemic

07.14.2020

Recently, I was asked to write an article for a horticulture industry trade publication sharing my perspective about the impact of the global pandemic on youth interest in plants and green-collar careers. After connecting with a number of industry professionals, I had an epiphany about our future — and a call to action for us all.

The defining moment is now.

Well before the term “plant blindness” was coined in 1998 by botanists James Wandersee and Elisabeth Schussler, the majority of people in the US had lost their collective ability to notice the plants around them. What was common knowledge to our ancestors has become an obliviousness about where our food comes from, the importance of plants to the health of humans and animals, and a failure to appreciate the role of plants in the very survival of our planet. Seed Your Future has been working tirelessly to turn things around and inspire more people — especially youth — to appreciate the role of plants in our world and perhaps explore a career working with plants. Modest gains were being made.

Then the world changed. A global pandemic altered every facet of life for humans including how we live, work, eat, play and socialize. Fear of going outside, fear of connecting with others, and fear of an unknown health plague forced us not only to isolate from one another, but from the natural world. Even though decades of solid research affirms the ability of plants and nature to heal, cure, soothe and inspire, access to outdoor spaces was restricted. Even enjoying one’s own backyard or balcony was seen by many as a risk too perilous to take.

As media coverage exploded about the spread of the pandemic, the Seed Your Future movement searched for the voice we would take to help provide respite from a growing panic. While certainly the pandemic was, and still is, a dangerous issue, we chose to spread messages about the power of plants to support our mental and physical health — especially in times of crisis. Our #NatureNeverCloses and #YearOfThePlant campaigns provide inspiration about plants and nature. We’ve been trying to change the vernacular. It’s about physical distancing not social isolation. Being around plants, growing plants, and even just looking at flowers and plants has been proven by study after study to improve our mood, provide hope, and nourish us from both hunger and despair.

While we can never say that there is a “silver lining” to the pandemic, the fact is — there are more people expressing interest in plants, growing their own food and flowers, purchasing houseplants, seeds, garden supplies and spending their time improving the world around them with plants. A “green lining,” as it were.

As people who have plant-passion, this truly is the defining moment we’ve been working for. Economists report that garden and plant retailers have experienced one of the best sales seasons ever. Families are choosing to spend their precious funds on growing their own food, enhancing their surroundings, and buying houseplants to cheer their isolation.

But people can be fickle, attention spans short, and if we don’t capitalize on this moment, time will pass and interest in gardening and plants may wane again. So, what can we do about it?

I believe the answer is straightforward. It’s you, and me, and other educators, and plant-enthusiasts, and frankly, everyone who already knows that the fate of our world lies in the next generation embracing the importance of plants not only to humans, but to animals, and to Earth.

Our job is to show others the way.

So, how do we do it? I suggest that the focus should be on kids. Families are hungry for meaningful, enjoyable activities for their children. Kids have been cooped up with their families since March of 2020. Boredom, frustration and irritability can be abated if you provide answers for families. Here’s just a few ideas of what you can do today to make a difference:

Show kids the power of plants and the rewards of careers working with plants. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a youth program leader, a horticulturist, or someone simply passionate about plants — YOU can open kids’ eyes to the wonder of the plant world. There are so many excellent resources available to you including:
1. Seed Your Future’s BLOOM! campaign has sample lesson plans, activities, an online learning module and more. Use the activities with your family, your students, and your youth programs.
2. Make it fun! We recently created three DIY videos of fun projects to do with plants. Check them out and do them with the kids in your life. These include: Grow Your Own Plants with Hydroponics, Make Your Own Fun Light Maze for Plants, and Use Plants to Dye Your Own Clothes.
3. Check out one of Seed Your Future’s partner’s resources for gardening with kids. KidsGardening.org has many projects and activities. Pick a few and have some fun!
Encourage families to get involved in one of the cool plant-based citizen scientist projects they can do in and around their homes and communities. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s national BudBurst project is one of our favorites.
Use the excellent #PlantsDoThat free resources and infographics from the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture. They tell the story of how plants make a positive difference in our lives.

If kids don’t notice the plants in the world around them, how can they develop a life-long appreciation for plants, and why would they ever have an interest in a career working with plants? We must show them how plants impact our lives every day, and the diversity of careers across the art, science, technology and business of plants.

But we cannot serve these ideas up to kids “the old way.” Through Seed Your Future’s focus group research with kids across the country — kids gave us some sage advice: stop using “weird” words like “horticulture”, show them through video and social media content how plants can change the world, and have “cool” young people tell them about their rewarding (#ILoveMyPlantJob) careers. They coined the term “plantologist” instead of “horticulturist” and urged us to connect plants to what they are already interested in such as sports, fashion, medicine, technology, art, and more.

We’ve created a few dozen videos already. Check them out on our YouTube channel. But there’s more YOU can do today. Create and share your own fun videos. If you don’t have the expertise to make an informal video, likely you know a young person who does. Ask them to help you make a fun video about your passion for plants. If you are a green-collar pro, talk about your career and tell them why you #ILoveMyPlantJob.

And, check out our free online Career Exploration Tool. With more than a hundred careers highlighted, you and the kids in your life can explore the diverse careers, the education needed, where to study, professional groups to help, and links to scholarships and internships.

Together, we can ensure that the next generation emerges from this pandemic with a life-long interest in plants, gardens, and gardening. Let’s not miss this opportunity to share the “green lining” and teach people how plants can indeed cure, heal, soothe and inspire!

Have a plant power idea to share, or a comment about this BLOG post? Share your thoughts here.

- Susan E. Yoder, IOM is the executive director of Seed Your Future.

Paul B. Redman is an award-winning leader of public gardens, known for his dedication to the beauty and sustainability of gardens, and to the training of future generations of horticulture professionals. A hallmark of Paul’s leadership is building a culture of planning to propel a shared vision forward.

Over the last 12 years, Paul has implemented institutional and strategic reforms that have positioned the Gardens as a premier horticultural, cultural, and educational institution of the 21st Century, while respecting the values of its founder, Pierre S. du Pont. The result has been nothing short of astounding with overall attendance doubling to almost 1.6 million visitors per year; an incredible climb in Membership support from 17,000 to 66,000 households; and earned income that has almost tripled. Most recently and notably, Paul led one of largest projects in Longwood’s history: the $90-plus million revitalization of the Main Fountain Garden, which reopened in May 2017.

A consummate professional, Paul freely shares his time and expertise, serving as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Garden Conservancy; Leadership Cabinet Co-Chair for Seed Your Future, a national initiative to promote awareness and careers in horticulture; and previously serving as Board President and Treasurer of the American Public Gardens Association. His honors include: 2018 National Garden Clubs Award of Excellence; 2017 Distinguished Alumnus from the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University; 2016 American Public Gardens Association Award of Merit; the International Garden Tourism Network’s 2015 Person of the Year; 2015 American Horticultural Society’s Professional Award; 2014 Wyck Strickland Award; 2014 American Society of Horticultural Science’s Dr. William A. “Tex” Frazier Lecturer; 2012 CEO of the Year by the Chester County Chamber of Commerce, Business & Industry; 2008 Distinguished Horticulture Alumnus from Oklahoma State University; and where his professional career first began, Franklin Park Conservatory, receiving the Ann Islay Wolfe Award for extraordinary contributions to the organization.

Paul has been working and studying in the field of public horticulture for more than 25 years. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Science Degree in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University.

John M. Dole is Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs at North Carolina State University and past Chairman of the Board of the American Society for Horticultural Science. John began a lifelong interest in horticulture by working at a local farm market, growing cut flowers in his garden for sale, and picking strawberries, raspberries, apples, and pears for local commercial operations.

He received a B.S. degree from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, both in the area of Horticulture. He began his academic career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Dole moved to the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University in 2000, becoming Director of Graduate Programs in 2004 and Department Head in 2011.

He has a long history of significant research, teaching, extension, and outreach contributions to the field of floriculture, most notably in the areas of production and postharvest handling of cut flowers, cuttings and poinsettias. His students have excelled in a variety of industry, public garden, governmental, or academic positions. As Department Head he focused on student recruitment into horticulture and spreading the word about the benefits of horticulture.

Dr. Dole specializes in floricultural crops research and teaches floriculture courses including Greenhouse Management, HS 440, and Production of Floriculture Crops, HS 442 . In addition, he serves as Executive Advisor for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, and co-authored Floriculture Principles and Species, 2nd edition, 2005, with Harold F. Wilkins.

Dr. Dole has been involved with the Seed Your Future movement since it's founding in 2014. He was an inaugural member of the Steering Committee, and served on the Advisory Council until late 2018 when he joined the National Leadership Cabinet.