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Respecting plants involves seeing them as valuable beings on their own terms, and not just as sources of raw materials for human use. It means that plants deserve moral consideration in all of the ways in which people interact with them.

Actually, this is not a new idea at all! In many cultures, past and present, plants are treated with honor and respect. 

These terms have different nuances, but one commonality is that plants are treated more respectfully in each of these approaches.

There are many books, articles, videos, and audio recordings that provide valuable background on this topic. 

A good starting point is a 50-minute radio show "Plants as Persons" from To the Best of Our Knowledge that aired December 19, 2020 and includes interviews with Robin Wall Kimmerer, Matthew Hall, Monica Gagliano, and Brooke Hecht. 

Here is a range of recommended resources:

Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology (ECNH), The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants: Moral Consideration of Plants for Their Own Sake. (2008) 

• This important plant ethics document was produced under direction of the Swiss government to explore issues related to moral consideration of plants in experimentation and otherwise.

Monica Gagliano, Thus Spoke the Plant (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2018)

• An Australian plant scientist describes her research on plant sentience and plant intelligence as well as her personal experiences of communication with trees in the Amazon under the guidance of a shaman.

David Haberman, People Trees: Worship of Trees in Northern India (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013)

• Describes tree worship in India and the importance and nature of sacred trees in that country.

Matthew Hall, Plants as Persons: A Philosophical Botany (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2011)

• Provides an excellent introduction to the concept of plant personhood including how various cultural traditions view plants as well as argues for more respectful treatment of plants.

Robin Wall Kimmerer Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions, 2013)

• This book by a Potawatomi botanist illustrates the deep connection between her Indigenous culture and plants.

Florianne Koechlin, Tomatoes talk, birch trees learn – do plants have dignity?, TEDxZurich video. (January 2016) 

• This video argues for the dignity of plants.

Stefano Mancuso and Alessandra Viola, Brilliant Green: The Surprising History and Science of Plant Intelligence (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2015).

• Provides a good summary of the various capabilities of plants in easy-to-read yet scientific terms. 

Michael Marder, Plant-Thinking: A Philosophy of Vegetal Life (New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2013)

• Provides an important conceptual framework for considering ethical treatment of plants.

Natasha Myers, How to grow liveable worlds: Ten (not-so-easy) steps for life in the Planthroposcene, (2020) 

• Inspiring suggestions for how to collaborate with and learn from plants.

Michael Pollan, The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World (New York, NY: Random House, 2002)

• Offers insight into how plants and humans have coevolved to serve each other’s needs, with recognition of plants as active agents in this process.

Suzanne Simard, How Trees Talk to Each Other, TED Talk video, (June 2016) 

• This video by a Canadian forest ecologist describes how trees communicate with each other in a forest setting.

Christopher D. Stone, Should Trees Have Standing: Law, Morality and the Environment (Third Edition) (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2010)

• This analysis by a legal scholar argues that trees and other nonhuman beings should be given legal rights and helped to launch the Rights of Nature movement.

Paul Taylor, Respect for Nature (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2011 (first printed 1986))

• A philosopher discusses legal rights as applied to plants and animals.

Anthony Trewavas, Plant Behaviour and Intelligence (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2014)

• A comprehensive scientific discussion of the complexity of plant behavior, including plant intelligence.

James Wandersee and Elisabeth Schussler, “Toward a Theory of Plant Blindness” Plant Science Bulletin, 27(1), (2001) - Pages 2 - 9.

• This article describes the important concept of “plant blindness” while also explaining the importance of plants for humans.

Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees (Vancouver, BC: Greystone Books, 2016)

• A German forester calls for more humane treatment of trees in forestry practices in the light of their advanced capabilities.