Plants: Our Children

Oh, I’m weird am I? Is it weird to want to take care of the environment at all costs? Well, you know, I don’t even care. I’m a proud eco-warrior, and if people find it slightly strange that I’ve sewn a special pouch into my slouch bag that means I can keep a pot plant in there, then that’s their problem. I take it out and put it on my desk every single day at work, and it gets to spend a bit of quiet time in the dark, contemplating its busy day of photosynthesis. That’s when I water it, because studies have shown that darkness is the best time to water a plant, because it’s not busy drinking in sunlight.

Yes, this does make the inside of my leather bag a little bit damp, but that’s the price you pay for being a warrior of the ecosystem. For you see, this is all part of a social media trend called ‘Adopt a Pot’. It encourages people who care about the planet to essentially treat a pot plant like a child, taking it with them everywhere and giving it as much love and care as possible, to show the world that plants should be like our children – except they give us life. Most people haven’t gone so far as to sewing a special compartment into their shoulder bag, but I really wanted to show that I was willing to make this pot plant a part of my life by joining it together with another item that almost never leaves my side. Also, my hands are often full when travelling to work so I needed an extra method of holding.

I think it works, though. People SEE my commitment, and once they move past confusion, they will stand in awe and ask me how they, too, can make little pouches in their handbags. They might even start selling them – lovely soft leather shoulder bags with this function built in. 

The little guy sure is growing fast, though. I’m gonna struggle to hold it together when he gets too big for the nest and I have to take him back to the wild.

-Anthea Greene