So, obviously, a beginner wants to start with a hardy plant, and I guess a cheap one, and one suited for the conditions the houseplant will be living in, and one they like the look of. But my intention with this hobby is to become more connected with my environment, not to exploit it in the way most convenient for me. I want to understand: what is a good, or minimally harmful, houseplant? Are the ecological footprints very different between different houseplants? I’ve been told that if you live above a certain floor on an apartment planting natives isn’t important since pollinators don’t get up to your level anyway–is that accurate? Do people ever uhhh…just like scoop up plants growing around them and just pot them and grow them at home? Are all plants that would thrive as houseplants commercially available or is what’s commercially available mostly influenced by other factors like subjective/cultural aesthetic value & hardiness under transport conditions & stuff like that?
There are houseplants that are taken from nature endangering the species or grown in tropical countries and imported. But this isn’t that common, especially for plants that are meant for beginners. Most countries will also have very strict laws and policies that prevent importing invasive, endangered species, or any plant that may become a threat.
Most houseplants are grown much closer to the place they will be sold (if you live in Europe, the ones you find in stores probably come from the Netherlands. Many will have their Plant Passport that can tell you where they exactly come from!), which not only reduces the impact but it also helps the plants to be better acclimated to those places.
I am not really sure if you can grow native plants indoors unless you live in a tropical country. Plants in colder climates usually need to experience the cold of the winter! Which is hard to provide in a home. Also, some plants are protected and can’t be taken from nature.
My favorite houseplants are pothos, philodendrons and other aroids.
But I would suggest you look into Tradescantias instead. They are very hardy and easy to grow. And they come in many different colors!
You just must be aware that they are considered an invasive species in some places. However, as long as they are kept in pots inside the house (or a balcony, for example), there shouldn’t be any problem.
Since they are so easy to grow, many people sell or give away cuttings (check for example this thread on Mastodon). You wouldn’t need to attend a commercial store if you don’t want to support the environmental impact all the greenhouses and nurseries have.
I don’t think cuttings are usually a good idea for beginners cause they grow so slow!! But you don’t have that problem with Tradescantias.