Fun Holidays - International Plant Appreciation Day

The diversity and beauty of the flora on our planet gives people aesthetic pleasure. Thanks to plants, the air is filled with oxygen, and the body receives the nutrients necessary for its existence. Trees and shrubs absorb formaldehyde, benzene and other volatile compounds that cause respiratory diseases, asthma and cancer. April 13 is International Plant Appreciation Day, calling for respect for plants and conservation of nature. International Plant Appreciation Day began to be celebrated at the beginning of the 21st century, when environmental pollution and destruction of flora and fauna by humans acquired gigantic proportions. Plants not only provide food for many types of herbivores, but also provide fiber, vitamins and minerals to the human body. Trees and shrubs are planted to create a certain microclimate in a specific area, reduce noise levels and prevent soil erosion. As is the case with any other link in the ecosystem, the disappearance of plants leads to disruption of biogeocenosis and the death of other species of wildlife. Trees, shrubs and flowers have a positive effect on a person's mental health. Scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark conducted research confirming a direct connection between the greening of urban areas and the number of mental illnesses among residents of the locality. In areas with parks, gardens and squares, adults have a 55% lower risk of developing money disorder than those whose houses are surrounded not by plants, but by stone, asphalt and brick. An insufficient number of contacts with objects of the natural world leads to affective disorders and anxiety in children living in the city. Children from big cities, according to scientists, have a 2 times higher risk of developing schizophrenia than their rural peers. Scandinavians successfully practice the integration of existing natural environmental objects into the urban landscape - rivers, ponds and forests. In addition, people have long practiced sowing grass to create lawns and planting flowers in flower beds near multi-story buildings. Growing indoor plants in apartments is also one of the ways to get closer to living nature, of which humans are a part. International Plant Appreciation Day highlights the importance of trees, shrubs and grass to all life on Earth. A shady corner near an oasis in the desert, an element of landscape design to protect the area from the wind, a habitat for birds and animals of the Amazon forest - this and much more is provided by natural vegetation. Taking care of the environment should be everyone's business. This is what International Plant Appreciation Day calls us to do.