In Defense of Plants Quotes

“One of the biggest myths that people must overcome is that idea that nature is full of peace, harmony, and balance. These concepts are human inventions and are applied to the world so that our feebly conscious minds can deal with the unfeeling, uncaring essence of nature and the universe as a whole. Just as the phenomenon known as pareidolia causes us to see faces in the rock formations on Mars or the Virgin Mary on a burned piece of toast, our need to apply meaning to the world causes us to see altruism in what are essentially cases of selfish give and take, and harmony where it doesn’t exist.”
― Matt Candeias, In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants

“Because plants set the foundation upon which all other organisms, from microbes and fungi to insects and birds, depend, destroying plant communities causes disastrous ripples that reverberate throughout the entire biosphere of our planet.”
― Matt Candeias, In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants

“Across all walks of life on our planet, we tend to see more “altruistic” behavior when organisms share DNA. Parents care for their own children more than the children of others; siblings care more for each other than non-siblings. We refer to this as kin selection. Simply put, life is DNA and DNA “takes care” of its own copies.”
― Matt Candeias, In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants

“One of the best things you can do for plants and the environment as a whole is get rid of as much lawn as possible. Maintaining a lawn is akin to sterilizing the landscape. The turf grasses and other non-natives that comprise most lawns serve almost zero ecological function, especially compared to a garden filled with species indigenous to your region.”
― Matt Candeias, In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants

“To connect with plants is to be in connection with Earth. Figuratively speaking, you will begin to put down your own roots in the place you live. You will be more in tune with life. In the words of Edward Abbey, “It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here.”
― Matt Candeias, In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants

“Getting mad and sharing articles or memes on the internet isn’t going to lift us out of impending ecological disaster, but getting up and doing something can. We can’t afford to spend all our time being keyboard warriors. We must take action, and we must start now.”
― Matt Candeias, In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants