The Impact of Social Media on Plants and People

by Blagovesta :)

Everyone is on social media. The plant community is not an exception.

1. Fast and Scary

Allow me to discuss the dark side of social media: trends. They can either save you or condemn you. New trends can be beneficial because they raise awareness of new information. For example, the plant community has grown because of the trend of having a little jungle in your home. However, because of their temporary nature, trends often promote overconsumption and unsustainable lifestyles, which don’t go well when trying to live greener lives.

2. The Power of Influencers

As with trends, an influencer can be very helpful or ruin the plant caring experience entirely for you. Influencers give valuable information, they try out trends before you have to, and they can advise on topics that interest you. This is a double-edged knife because you do not know if the people behind the camera have ulterior motives. For example, in the plant community, some people may buy fertiliser for their plants without needing it because they listened to the advice. Thats’s why it is good always to double check the information and have trusted no bullshit information sources.

3. More Green!

More Green! Let’s focus on the green. Social media is making the online community popular, and more young adults are taking care of plants as a hobby. The increase of gardening and compost has a positive effect on the environment. Also, when parents take it as a hobby, they introduce it to their kids, making them more connected with nature. Of course, it could have a dark side as it can be harmful if people plant non-native species in their gardens, thus ruining the original ecosystem. Moreover, plant obsession can sometimes lead to overharvesting and unsustainable plant nurseries.

Plants have many effects on mental health (See the blog: Uproot Your Bad Thoughts and Plant Good Ones). So, even though social media can be very harmful to people’s psychological states, especially the young ones, it turns out that promoting more houseplants can be beneficial. In this way, social media helps with relaxation and stress relief and promotes a greater connection with nature. As long as this phenomenon does not demand perfection and having your life together, social media and the plant community could be friends.

4. Yaay, Friends!

Social media has significantly grown the plant community. It is not limited to one city or a neighbourhood but connects people worldwide. People share tips and traditions and find new friends to discuss plants' coolness. The globalisation brought about by social media has led to the introduction of more exotic plants. People are happy to share their experiences caring for them, even if they can live in a climate different from their native one.

Final Thoughts

Social media, like everything around us, has good and bad sides. It has helped the plant community but also worsened the experience for some. It is essential not to worry too much, not try to deduce some secret message that social media says the plant is telling you and leave it alone (house plants can be pretty resilient, they have survived so far, no?)