Submitted by Jody Holava, holava.1@osu.edu
Ohio State is planting kindness. Several units of the university are working together for the Grow Kindness Project, offering free succulent plants to members of the university community. The program aims to teach that plants are healthy for you in your daily environment and that kindness has healthy benefits as well.
On Wednesday, March 23rd, members of the university community can receive two succulent plants; one to keep for themselves and one to give away in kindness to someone else.
Plants can be picked up at the SAC from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Grow Kindness Project is a collaboration among the Office of Student Life, the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), OSU Extension, Office of the Chief Wellness Officer and Buckeye Wellness, and the University District Organization (UDO).
Altman Plants of Vista, California is donating the plants that will be given out, and ScottsMiracle-Gro, headquartered in Marysville, Ohio, is contributing the soil for the plants.
There is scientific evidence that caring for houseplants is good for your mental health. A review of the research, published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture, found improvements in mood and cognition, reduced stress, and enhanced overall well-being (Hall and Knuth, March 2019).
Another study in the Journal of Psychological Anthropology (2015) found, “Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults.”
Likewise, acts of kindness have been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion and improve mood.
The Grow Kindness Project embodies both benefits by allowing recipients of these succulent plants to enjoy the benefits of caring for it and providing them with a second plant to gift as an act of kindness to someone else.
The succulent plants are available free of charge to any interested student, staff or faculty member while supplies last.