Adopting Plants

Over the years, my mindset has changed. I have become a minimalist. Consequently, I like to own less and care less about stuff. I feel like I am on that point already. But however, I bought some things for in my room! I adopted some plants! Today I want to tell you why, and how. Here’s all about adopting plants.

My minimalistic room

For the past years, I have mainly gotten rid of things. I took things oút of my room. But now, I have actually taken in some things. Why? Well, my room is a bit empty now. If you only have the things in your room that you actually need, well, then for me my room is quite empty. And, I have two rooms, since my parents are divorced. So, my room was a bit empty. And yes, I want it to be minimalistic, but I also want it to be cozy. So, no new stuff for me. It’s not minimalistic and it harms the environment. So, I decided to take in some plants!

Why plants?

My taste has changed over the past years, and it will in the future too I think. Right now, I like a bit ‘earthy’ (how do you say this?) colors and materials. Natural and not too flashy. Plants are great pieces for a natural interior! And besides the fact that I like the look of plants, they have more benefits! Because, let’s be real, we all know what a forrest can do to you. A walk there and you are calm, relaxed and feel much better. The benefits I could find on the internet vary a lot. From a more positive mind, a more positive attitude to a more productive life. I don’t know if these are true, but I do know one thing that is true: plants clean the air. Double win! A pretty interior and fresh air.

As you probably know, I try to not buy any new things. New stuff creates the biggest part of your personal impact on the earth (if you’re Dutch) and so if I quit buying new things, I lower my impact tremendously. But how do you buy a secondhand plant? From the plant asylum! There are a few in the Netherlands, but I went to the one in Nijmegen, it’s called Bleshyou. This is a store for new plants, but they also sell a small section of second hand ones. You can hand in your old plants there, and they sell them to someone else for you! Each plant has had a previous owner (and so they have their own story which you get on a card with them).

Plants can be composted of course when you don’t need them anymore, which is zero waste. But! Bringing them to the asylum is better, because then the whole process of growing the plant can be skipped for the next person who wants a plant (me in this case). Growing a plant takes a lot of time and effort, you know. You really value that when you try it yourself sometime. Also, the ground that is used for growing plants for our interior (which we then would throw away if they weren’t an asylum) can be used for food too, and we need more of that (since there are still people starving today). That’s why it would be such a loss to compost a plant, all that energy! Adoption is so much better.

‘Adopt. Don’t shop.’

The costs

Plants are valuable in my opinion, for the things they do. We need them. But, secondhand is always cheaper than new, also with this adoption. I paid 34.80 for four plants. Since they were left there for adoption, most had a flowerpot already (three). The fourth flowerpot I bought in a thrift shop, for 0,75 cents (it’s the pot around the plant with just two leaves, the purple one). I also bought two other flowerpots at the thrift shop because I thought the plants at the asylum would not come in flowerpots. But I can use those (the pink and white one (for 0,50 cents and the brown big one for 7,50) for some more plants in the future!

The prices of the plants were: 4,95 euro for the smallest one (the one with two big leaves), 7,95 euro for the small aloe plant, 9,95 for the middle biggest plant (the Sanseveria) and 11,95 euro for the biggest plant (the Spathiphyllum). Not expensive for something which could last me a lifetime! I love my room so much more now! Adopt don’t shop!