2018 ASHS Annual Conference

The Economic Committee of the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture worked throughout 2017 to April 2018 to operationalize a peer-reviewed publication by Hall and Dickson (2011). Their publication, Economic, Environmental, and Health/Well-Being Benefits Associated with Green Industry Products and Services: A Review contained citations of 134 studies that extolled the benefits of plants. In order to gain widespread adoption and use of plant benefits, the committee developed the first Infographic entitled The Power of Plants: Enriching Lives, Creating Jobs, Building Wealth, Saving Money which was released in 2017. Given the tremendous number of plant benefits, the committee was encouraged to create four additional infographics in a series under the banner #PlantsDoThat Inside Where We Live, Learn, Heal, and Work. The free infographics are available on the NICH website for use by any company or enterprise to endorse the benefits of plants using research-based information. The goal is to facilitate the objectives of NICH to educate the public on the multiple benefits of plants and encourage more purchase and enjoyment of plants by the American public.