Have real plants in your workspace.
Welcome to Week 29 of 50 Ways to Reduce Your Waste Line. Last week, we encouraged you to trying walking, cycling or using public transit as a means of transportation. This week, we encourage you to consider having real plants in your work space.
One Thing You Can Do:
Touch up your office space by keeping plants in your work area. Not only does this make the office more attractive, but it is known to have many psychological benefits as well. Recent studies have discovered that when a workplace is introduced to plants: 58% of workers’ depression drops; 37% of workers report less anxiety; there is a 38% drop in symptoms of fatigue and a 44% decrease in their anger.
Plants also provide great environmental benefits that ultimately promote positive workspaces. In fact, they help clean the air around us by reducing CO2 levels by 10 to 25% according to a study from the University of Technology, Sydney. Another environmental factor that plants help with is lowering noise levels. Plants absorb noise pollution which can make it easier to concentrate. Speaking of focusing, plants in the workplace have also been known to boost creativity by as much as 15% (via the 2015 Human Spaces report).
Additional Information:
Succulents, such as cacti, are great plants to keep in an office environment. They are affordable and small enough to fit in any space. Did you know that different groups of succulents have been known to give off diverse health benefits?
Some include:
- Air purification
- Improved breathing
- Increased focus
- Prevention of diseases
Find more information here: https://www.kew.org/blogs/kew-science/medicinal-properties-succulent-plants-0