| NATURAL AIR FILTERSPlants are the original organic | | | | disorders such as breathing problems, headaches, |
| air purifiers! In our constant societal quest for newer, | | | | burning eyes and throat, lethargy and other allergy-like |
| faster, and better technologies we seem to often | | | | symptoms.PLANTS CAN HELPThe most natural way |
| overlook time-tested and common sense solutions to | | | | to fight indoor air pollution is to use plants. Besides |
| some of our basic needs. In our fast paced society | | | | brightening up a room, they have real benefits in |
| we are more likely to shell out hundreds of dollars on a | | | | improving the indoor air quality. They absorb various |
| quick fix to our problems that to step back and | | | | toxic emissions from the synthetic materials such as |
| examine each situation in a broader context.The | | | | carpeting, paint and furniture. As a result, we can have |
| equatorial rainforests of our planet are the living and | | | | cleaner and more pure air to breathe inside our homes |
| organic air filtration systems for our Earth's | | | | or offices. NASA scientists have found out that indoor |
| atmosphere. Without this delicate biological air | | | | plants can extract volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) |
| purification system our global ecological systems would | | | | from the air. They contain toxic vapors such as |
| slowly deteriorate over time. You can harness the | | | | ammonia, benzene, xylene, toluene, trichloroethylene, |
| same natural benefits of biological air filtration on a | | | | formaldehyde, etc. Plants break down the chemicals |
| much smaller scale by introducing plants into your | | | | after absorbing them into their leaves. They absorb the |
| indoor living space.INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | | | | chemicals through stomata, the microscopic openings |
| RISKSWith the rise in the amount of time most people | | | | in the leaves. Then the toxins reach the root zone |
| now spend within indoor air environments it has | | | | where the root microbes of the plants biodegrade the |
| become even more important to understand the | | | | pollutants. The plants use these biodegraded pollutants |
| threats and risks of prolonged exposure to indoor air | | | | as food.However, you need to remember that some |
| pollution. Our indoor environments are littered with | | | | houseplants can be poisonous to your health. |
| chemicals, compounds, and poisons that are | | | | Therefore, you need to be very careful while choosing |
| continuously breaking down at a chemical level and | | | | plants for your home or office. Read more on which |
| "off-gassing" their irritants and by-products into the air | | | | plants are good organic air purifiers.AIR FILTRATION |
| we breathe.Examples of common indoor pollutants | | | | SYSTEMS CAN SUPPLEMENT PLANTSDepending |
| include cigarette smoke, building materials, floor | | | | on the amount of indoor air space you have the |
| coverings, paints, adhesives and other sources. The | | | | number of plants required to filter your air may be |
| situation becomes worse in office buildings with lots of | | | | impractical and take up too much of your living space. |
| other sources of pollutants. Tools such as printers, fax | | | | This is where it may make sense to research and find |
| machines, photocopiers, paper and pressboard | | | | a decent air purification system that suits your indoor |
| furniture emit different types of harmful contaminants. | | | | environment and help your plants with some of the air |
| Those include ammonia, benzene, xylene, toluene, | | | | filtration duties. There are many types, styles and |
| trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, etc. Regular exposure | | | | models to choose from so we encourage you to do |
| these contaminants leads to different types of | | | | your research and compare them carefully. |