The air around you is filled with compounds that are hazardous to your health. The WHO estimates that indoor pollution is responsible for more than 1.6 million deaths per year and 2.7% of the global burden of disease (WHO, 2002). Poor air quality contributes to allergies, asthma, reproductive disorders, developmental disorders and various other acute and chronic illness.
This inhalable hazard is a big problem in an indoor environment where air pollution can be concentrated by a factor of 12X. In Alberta, where our homes are designed to protect against the elements and be more energy efficient, and where we spend 90% of our time indoors in recirculated air, the amount of indoor particulate can reach staggering levels, especially considering that our climate is so dry. Indoor air pollutants can include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust, ozone, radon, lead and biological contaminants, coming from the off-gassing of our furnishings and finishes such as paint and treated wood, clothing, glues, building materials, solvents, gas appliances and the water supply.
Don’t forget that we also work in environments where air exchange is poor enough to create health problems, beyond the obvious stale smells of older office buildings.
Air filtration using HEPA filters and charcoal is definitely an option to improve indoor air quality, but have you considered adding more PLANTS in both your home and office?
Research has shown consistently that there are plants that can pull Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) out of the air, transforming air quality. The original research was performed by NASA in an endeavor to look for ways of decontaminating space station air.
More recent research has shown that there are several types of plants that are highly efficient at absorbing and transforming compounds from the air around you, and with the help of the microorganisms in soil, transforming it into less hazardous compounds.
A number of plants are great at cleaning your air:
Mass cane (Dracaena massangeana)
Pot mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
Warnecki (Dracaena deremensis "Warneckei")
Ficus (Ficus benjamina)
Other plants that are effective at general air purification are as follows:
English ivy (Hedera helix)
Marginata (Dracaena marginata)
Mother-in-laws tongue (Sansevieria laurentii)
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum "Mauna Loa")
Chinese Evergreen (Algona "silver queen")
Banana (Musa oriana)
Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
Heart leaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium)
Green spider plant (Chlorophytum elatum)
Janet Craig (Dracaena deremensis)
Ferns of all types are also wonderful air cleaners!
So head over to PLANT and get 10% Off your Detoxifying & Air Purifying Plants and find ways of putting plants into your environment!
