Common house plants are effective in removing indoor air pollution. All plants clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. This process filters the air we breathe by absorbing harmful pollutants, including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (benzene, trichloroethylene), radon, and pesticides. According to NASA research, certain plants were found to remove as much as 87 percent of indoor air pollutants within a single day.*
The air you breathe at work or home may cause you to become sick. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a combination of ailments ranging from allergies, headaches, soreness, fatigue, and cancer caused by breathing poor quality air. Poor quality air is often caused by a buildup of moisture, mold growth, and toxins emitted from furniture, building materials, and cleaners.
Many of the symptoms of SBS can be minimized by regularly changing air filters and keeping plants around. Plants continuously purify the air by absorbing many of these harmful pollutants through their roots and leaves, then transforming it to plant food and oxygen.
Plants make us feel more connected to the natural world when modern life requires us to be indoors. Recall that plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen (O2), while humans do the opposite — breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. This symbiotic relationship between flora and fauna demonstrates the significance and connectivity between all forms of life.
Outdoor Herbivore recommends keeping these 5 EASY TO GROW plants for improved air quality:
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And…don’t forget to open the windows every so often to allow a fresh breeze to stir up the stale indoor air!
Sources and Additional Information:
Colorado State
Wikipedia
Eartheasy
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