Fibers from plants provide clothing. The paper for this document and the wood used to build our homes come from plants. Future fuel needs may also be met by plants, whether it be hydrocarbons derived from such species as the gopher plant or alcohols derived from corn and the sugar cane. While many of the most important industrial products come from relatively common plants, rare and uncommon plants have provided exotic substances ranging from insect repellent to lubricants. The quality of the air can be greatly influenced by plants.
Vegetation can restrict the movement of dust and pollutants.
Plants are extremely important to the quality of the water we use. A diverse cover of plants aids in maintaining healthy watersheds, streams, and lakes by holding soil in place, regulating stream flows, and filtering sediments from water. The delicate wildflowers that dot the hillsides through spring and summer protect the soil from rampaging rains as they have done for thousands of years. Without adequate plant cover, wind and water erodes the thin mantle of soil upon which our existence depends. Forest and marshes, for example, can greatly moderate local climates.