We can't live without plants!

The plant kingdom is extremely useful to mankind in innumerable ways! The science that studies the many uses of plants by human beings of all cultures is called ethnobotany.

The first use that comes to mind is of course food. Wheat, rice, and maize provide over half the food humans eat, but many thousands of plants are just as edible. Whether the be in the form of fruits, leaves, seeds, tubers, roots, stems or even flowers, plants are at the beginning of practically all animal food chains since they transform sunlight into food by photosynthesis. Just think of all the foods you eat and see how much of it comes, directly or indirectly from the vegetal kingdom!

Another common use of plants is in medicine. Many modern pharmaceutical products either come directly from plants or have been synthesized to imitate plant constituents, as for example morphine (from the poppy plant), quinine (from quininia), and even aspirin (Willow bark ). All of the plants kingdom's medicinal ingredients are far from all having been found, yet many diseases are awaiting the discovery of cures that might just be growing secretly in some tropical or boreal forest.

Humans have always used one major natural plant material: the wood of trees. All species of trees have different woods. Each type has its particular use either in building construction, furniture woodworking or more specific items such as musical instruments. Just look around you at all the objects made of wood. Are they all made from the same wood? Woodworkers can identify the tree species of the wood they work with by its color and texture. Can you tell the difference between spruce, pine, maple and oak wood? Do you know which are the best uses for different woods and why? Can you guess what common everyday material made from wood serves as the most important communication medium in history?

Reeds, which belong to the Graminae family, have been used since prehistoric times for baskets, carpets, walls, roofs, etc. . Many fibrous plants, such as nettle or sisal, are transformed into string, cords and ropes. Other fibrous plants, such as cotton or flax, are made into clothes. Even a lot of the dyes used to color clothing also comes from plants...

Plants also contribute to our well-being. Tree and shrubs can serve as hedges, as wind barriers, or simply as shade. Vegetation helps soil retention, and many deforested areas have their rich soils washed down into rivers and seas because no plants are there to retain the soil. In warmer climates, deforestation transforms arable lands into deserts. Any type of natural vegetation cover, such as forests, provide an essential habitat for wildlife and a refuge for the diversity of life.

Finally, plants are also just beautiful to look at! Gardens, house plants, yard arrangements and simple flowers all consist of a widespread human trait: the love of plants.

Do you have an idea of the contribution plants make to our daily lives? Try and evaluate their importance while going about your life. In a logbook, draw several columns with the following headings: Food, Health & Personal Hygiene, Clothing, Textiles, Tools, Equipment, Furniture, Musical Instruments, Sports, Games, etc.. Jot down the objects and substances derived from plants in each of the appropriate columns.