Collaboration // Sophie + Tamar

Developing ideas

After further discussion, we have decided to focus on developing the idea of an illustrative, plant based publication.

Directions we could go in:

• represent a small plant business, or market sellers
• health and creative benefits
• psychological
• pollution

As something that is relevant to us both in our fields, we feel that creating something based on the health and creative benefits of plants would be interesting and light-hearted, while being informative.

It also occurred to me that our Level 6 studio is very bare and just plain white... This could be an interesting factor in this project.

Plant and health research

We decided between us that I would plan out the publication and find the content and do some research into the subject.

From the information I have found on how plants are healthy, I discussed with Tamar that for our content we need to narrow it down to the health benefits of plants in the workplace, as there are a lot of pros in the areas of environment/urban/schools.

I came across a lot of websites that provide information but don't back it up, or it seems to be to help them sell a certain product. The website below seems trusted and there are listed sources for the information, that mostly comes from scientific studies.

http://ellisonchair.tamu.edu/health-and-well-being-benefits-of-plants/#.Vi0TJrTtmkp

A summary of the relevant points explained:

Concentration and MemoryFlowers Generate HappinessHealth and RecreationAccelerates Healing ProcessImproves Relationships/CompassionImproved Human Performance/EnergyLearningMedicinal PropertiesMental HealthReduce Stress

Another website with sources:
http://workdesign.com/2012/07/the-benefits-of-plants-in-the-workplace/

This article included some interesting information, including:

The analysis compared symptoms when plants were present and when they were absent. The results showed that:

• Neuropsychological symptoms were reduced by 23% when plants were present. Fatigue reduced the most – by 30%

• Mucous membrane symptoms were reduced by 24% overall when plants were present. Cough decreased by 37% and dry throat by 25%

• Dry or flushed skin was reduced by 23% with plants in the workspace

This is quite an astonishing find, as the percentages clearly prove how plants really do make a difference. However, only 60 office workers were monitored, which doesn't seem like enough.

http://www.ngia.com.au/Attachment?Action=Download&Attachment_id=1430

New University of Technology Sydney (UTS) research made possible by nursery levy voluntary contribution funding has found strong evidence supporting the benefits of office plants for reducing stress and negative mood states in office workers. Plants were found to promote wellbeing, and therefore, potentially performance. Staff who had plants placed in their offices showed reductions in stress levels and negative feelings of a magnitude of 30 to 60%, while those with no plants recorded increases in stress and negativity of 20 to 40%, over the 3-month test period. Importantly, just one office plant was enough to make all the difference.

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/47147-flower-power

Marlon Nieuwenhuis added: "Simply enriching a previously Spartan space with plants served to increase productivity by 15% - a figure that aligns closely with findings in previously conducted laboratory studies. This conclusion is at odds with the present economic and political zeitgeist as well as with modern 'lean' management techniques, yet it nevertheless identifies a pathway to a more enjoyable, more comfortable and a more profitable form of office-based working."

Research overview

I have found some interesting statistics that prove various ways in which plants can benefit us when we are working.

Content plan

From the research I have conducted, I have narrowed it down to certain areas to focus a double page on each:

• Introduction into plants and the benefits
• stress reduction
• improve air quality
• lower background noise
• improve concentration and memory
• flowers generate happiness
• improves compassion
• increases energy
• increases creativity