What is the importance of plants in nature and human life? 7 reasons why plants are important

Every day we meet with the plant world, whether in parks, wild places of nature, gardens, orchards, on the street and even in our homes. But do we really understand the vital role of plants for humans and nature in general? The very thought of this should make us pay more attention to the beautiful vegetation that surrounds us. Let’s look at the 7 main beneficial qualities of plants, without which our life would not be possible.

FOOD

We eat plants to get the energy stored in their cells. Even our ancestors used plants as a source of food. They began to learn ways of farming to make their lives easier and grew plants that provided them with food. About 7,000 different plant species have been cultivated and used for human consumption. Although people can live off animal products, this does not reduce our dependence on plants, since cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, rabbits and many other animals eat plant foods.

AIR

The air we breathe is mainly composed of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen . But it is oxygen that is vital for our cells to produce energy. During photosynthesis , plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce energy and release oxygen into the atmosphere as a by-product of their metabolism. We, in turn, breathe in oxygen, which is vital for us, and breathe out carbon dioxide, which plants need. Take a deep breath of oxygenated air and realize that we are alive because of plants.

WATER

Where there is water, there is life. Plants regulate the natural water cycle by distributing and purifying the planet’s water supply. Through transpiration , water from the soil moves through the bodies of plants and evaporates into the atmosphere. Moisture builds up in the clouds and eventually drops of water return as rain to revive life on earth.

MEDICINE

Many medicines are made from plant extracts or synthesized plant compounds. Aspirin is obtained from willow bark. Mint leaves contain mentha, which is used in throat lozenges, muscle salves, and nasal medicines. Quinine from the bark of the cinchona tree is used in the treatment of malaria. According to the World Health Organization, about 65–80% of the world’s population use plant medicine as their primary form of health care.

HEALTH

The introduction of green technologies in various areas of our lives shows that society is aware of the value of including natural components in a man-made environment for psychological and physical health. Plants around us promote health, happiness, awareness, and productivity. Live plants placed in living or working spaces freshen the air, control humidity, reduce stress levels and improve people’s overall well-being.

LOCATION AND CLOTHING

Plants form the basis of the earth’s diverse landscape, providing hundreds of unique habitats that are essential to the lives of millions of species of animals and other organisms. Meadow flowers and grass sway in the wind. Trees rise in their habitat and are the dynamic lungs of the Earth, supporting life everywhere. Birds gather twigs, leaves, bark, and other items to make a cozy nest in a tree, shrub, or even tall grass. Our ancestors used thatched roofs made of grass, reeds or palm leaves to protect their homes. Industrial hemp was one of the first plants from which 10,000 years ago began to produce fibers for making clothes. Plants in all their diversity support a continuous life cycle on our planet.

CLIMATE 

Excessive release of carbon into the environment is the cause of the current climate change that we are facing. But not everyone knows that plants store carbon by capturing it from the air. Plants help keep most of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels from the atmosphere. We owe our temperate climate to the green landscape that covers our world.