Plant enthusiasts share environmental, health benefits of growing indoor gardens

For these “plantitos” and “plantitas,” cultivating indoor gardens is not just for aesthetics.

Sharing their thoughts on GMA’s “Stand for Truth,” these plant enthusiasts pointed out the health and environmental benefits of their favorite pastime.

According to Dr. Jerry Cua, being in the medical profession is stressful enough and maintaining a hobby may not be possible. But to date, he has over 100 plants, which he started collecting only in June.

“For someone in the medical field, mahirap mag-maintain ng hobby. It’s helpful to take your mind off work. Pandemic sobrang stressful. This is a good distraction. Relaxing siya, calming effect,” he said.

UP Institute of Biological Sciences Prof. Lourdes Cardenas said plants could also help improve indoor air quality.

“Isa sa tinuturo ko ay paano natin ginagamit yung halaman: maaaring pagkain, pangkulay, medicines,” she said. “Alam naman natin kahit anong halaman, nare-renew niya yung oxygen sa paligid.”

Apart from its known benefits, the botany professor added that they were also studying if plants could be used as treatment for COVID-19.

“’Yung possibility andun pero maraming dapat aralin,” she said. “’Yung RNA ng virus, guguluhin niya yung virus, may alkaloids na pwede niyang gawin ’yun. ’Yung isang halaman immunobooster. Mahabang proseso pero yung posibilidad naroon.”

Maikka Rustia Piquemal is a plant shop owner and vlogger based in Paris who used to live in New York. Long before the pandemic, Maikka said she had turned to plants to help relieve her anxiety. 

“May anxiety ako, part ng therapy is grounding and meditation. Nag-invest ako 5 muna, napansin ko nag-tone down. Umabot sa 100 plants sa Brooklyn,” she said.

“I had to move to Paris to join my then-boyfriend now-husband. Binenta ko ’yung mga halaman ko, doon ako umiyak, hindi sa mga friends ko. Paglipat ko ng Paris, Day 2, labas ako agad bili ng plants,” she added.

For Louise Mabulo, a farmer and climate activist, this trend was a long time coming.

“Napaka-busy ng tao. Hindi nila naa-appreciate saan galing pagkain nila. When the lockdown happened, valuable pala famers. Noong na-highlight yung baking trend, mga ube keso pandesal, people started supporting local farmers and local ingredients,” she said.

Having experienced the onslaught of Typhoon “Nina” in Bicol in 2016, Louise said she knew how important agriculture was to mitigating climate change.

“The Philippines is one of the most susceptible to climate change. With plantito-plantita, it’s aesthetic, but it’s also cultivating this appreciation of nature. This sense of responsibility for our plants and how vital they are. That’s really important now with climate movement,” she said.

“It factors in because it helps with clean air, moisture retention in soil to prevent floods, preventing erosions,” she added.

Apart from its environmental impact, Louise said she simply loved planting for the sense of achievement it provided.

“You grew something yourself and you’re reaping the harvest. I hope mas maraming tao can feel the same joy in different parts of the Philippines,” she said.

Meanwhile, Khevin Yu, a campaigner at Greenpeace Philippines, noted that the benefits of this newfound houseplant craze on the air quality had limitations.

He acknowledged that plants provided clean air in enclosed areas and, in some cases, even reduced volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or chemical vapors emitted by everyday indoor objects, and other forms of pollutants.

But “houseplants will not be enough para bawasan yung air pollutants,” he said. “Marumi ’yung hangin sa ating cities and sa provinces na may industrial establishments.”

Professor Cardenas proposed scaling up the movement to benefit more areas, and perhaps even industries. “At a household level nakikita natin it brings so much: wellness, cleaner air. Sana i-scale up sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pinas.” – RC, GMA News