OAKLAND — ‘Tis the season to take a deep breath, relax and let Mother Nature soothe your soul.
At least, that’s the message Oakland International Airport is trying to convey to holiday travelers dealing with the stress of waiting in line to have bags checked.
The security checkpoint at Terminal 2 — which leads to gates for Southwest flights — has been decorated with a 1,500-square-foot “living wall” with 34 different plant species, decoration clouds suspended from the ceiling and speakers playing “soothing sounds of nature,” according to a news release from the airport and Kaiser Permanente, which teamed up for the initiative.
“Our goal with transforming Terminal 2 is to help improve the travel experience for people and to help them find a bit of calm in what can often be a stressful environment,” said Dr. Don Mordecai, Kaiser Permanente mental health and wellness spokesman and physician.
Several of the plant species on the living wall are proven to help clean indoor air, according to the news release. New water stations installed past the security checkpoint dispense purified drinking water.
Panels throughout the checkpoint have messages such as “breathe in,” “relax” and “thrive.”
OK, you likely won’t be fooled into thinking you’re hiking in the redwoods — unless maybe it reminds you of the crowds at Muir Woods. But even a little less stress can help ease a bit of holiday traveling headaches.
