Plastic flowers and mowed lawns: the exploration of everyday unsustainability

ABSTRACT

In human-controlled environments and in cultivated landscapes, the plants accommodate social, cultural and economic needs. This article will focus on the use of plants for agriculture, urban planning, forestry, environmental education and indoor decoration in The Netherlands. This exploration, based on literature review and observations, reveals mostly anthropocentric, instrumental and unsustainable practices. In urban landscapes plants are pushed to the margins, if not entirely eradicated. This article shows that moral recognition of plants is an ethical imperative, which is also critically important to achieve environmental sustainability. In line with ecocentric ethics and in the interest of long-term sustainability, this article suggests alternative, more ethical and sustainable ways of relating to plants in The Netherlands and beyond.

KEYWORDS:

• Environmental ethics
• environmental sustainability
• plants
• urban environment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Helen Kopnina

Helen Kopnina (Ph.D. Cambridge University, 2002) is currently employed at The Hague University of Applied Science (HHS) in The Netherlands, coordinating Sustainable Business program and conducting research within three main areas: sustainability, environmental education and biological conservation. Kopnina is the author of over 90 peer reviewed articles and (co)author and (co)editor of 13 books.