Poor indoor air quality can lead to or contribute to a host of problems including irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, sinus congestion, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, respiratory infections, allergies, and asthma. If you already suffer from any of those symptoms, entering or residing in a room with poor air quality can cause you to become more sensitive to allergens, dust, and VOCs. Learn more about Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) at the EPA's website: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html
So...What do we do to control or reduce indoor air pollution and improve air quality? Grow Plants!
Plants remove air-born toxins through tiny openings in their leaves called stomata as they absorb carbon dioxide then release oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. Plants also emit water vapor that creates a pumping
action to pull contaminated air down around a plant’s
roots, where it is also converted into food for the plant. This was studied
in the late 1980s by NASA, lead by Dr. Bill Wolverton, and the Associated Landscape
Contractors of America (ALCA) when they researched to find ways to purify the
air for extended stays in orbiting space stations. The conclusions of the study not surprising proved that the plants did clean the air but what was groundbreaking was that the plants also were greatly successful in reducing the high levels of toxins found in closed environments (sealed buildings) - the study showed that many
houseplants remove harmful elements such as trichloroethylene,
benzene, and formaldehyde from the air. Formaldehyde is used in
many building materials including particle board and foam insulations and can be found in furniture, carpet and drapes.
Additionally, many cleaning products contain this chemical. Benzene is a
common solvent found in oils and paints. Trichloroethylene is used in
paints, adhesives, inks, and varnishes.
The advantage that houseplants have over other plants is that they
are adapted to tropical areas where they grow beneath dense tropical
canopies and must survive in areas of low light. These plants are thus
ultra-efficient at capturing light, which also means that they must be
very efficient in processing the gasses necessary for photosynthesis.
Because of this fact, they have greater potential to absorb other gases,
including potentially harmful ones. Dr. Bill Wolverton highlights the NASA / ALCA study as well as the best plants for removing toxins in his book, "How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office
".
I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the study and want to learn more about the cleaning abilities of houseplants.
". I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the study and want to learn more about the cleaning abilities of houseplants.
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| Bamboo Palm |
Bamboo Palm - Chamaedorea Seifritzii
Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum
English Ivy Hedera Helix
Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
Janet Craig - Dracaena "Janet Craig"
Marginata - Dracaena Marginata
Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
Mother-in-Law's Tongue - Sansevieria Laurentii
Pot Mum - Chrysantheium morifolium
Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum
Warneckii - Dracaena "Warneckii"
These plants are all pretty common and can be found at your local florist or plant store.
Stay tuned!
~Sprout
