January 23, 2015 - 20:21
Rank the five locations in order of where you felt happiest.
From happiest to least happy: Nature trail, multipurpose room in the GIAC, meditation room at Woodside Cottage, South Lot, and the organic chemistry lab in the KINSC.
What influenced your comfort level? Why did you rank the locations the way you did?
I equated my happiness with where I felt most peaceful. The nature trail always makes me feel at peace because it offers a place where I can truly be alone (a rare commodity in college). I felt least happy in the science labs because I spend so much time working there during the week. I was antsy to get out. I found that places that allow a lot of natural sunlight make me happy, as well as places where I can hear the wind.
Rank the five locations in order of where you felt plants were happiest.
From happiest to least happy: Nature trail, meditation room at Woodside Cottage, multipurpose room in the GIAC, the organic chemistry lab in the KINSC, and the South Lot.
What influences the comfort level of plants? Why did you rank the locations the way you did?
Sunlight and fresh air bring plants happiness and life. I imagine that traces of development and industry (such as concrete or plastic) make them feel isolated and a little lonely. The nature trail presents plants with a “natural habitat” where they can thrive and be surrounded by other plants. I listed the South Lot as last because, if there is an antithesis to “nature”, it would be a parking lot. Have you ever heard the song, Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell? “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”, she sings. Maybe the South Lot used to be a grove of white pine trees. I don’t think a plant would want to live within the memory of what was once natural and beautiful.
What similarities are there between what plants and humans find most comfortable?
I think humans and plants feel most comfortable in places that have a lot of natural sunlight and accessible water.
What differences are there between what plants and humans find most comfortable?
On average, humans are much more comfortable when they are indoors and sheltered from the elements. But by putting a plant indoors, you are isolating it from it’s natural context and, in essence, encaging it. Indoor plants seem “unnatural” because they are removed from their environment.