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Plants
and Indoor Air Quality
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Did you know that spending numerous
hours in an indoor working environment can greatly impact your
quality of life?
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Did you know even in huge, busy cities,
outdoor air is usually cleaner and preferable to indoor air
because the air outside is constantly being filtered by plants and
trees? |
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Did you know that certain houseplants
are better than others in purifying the air (not only producing
oxygen from CO2, but also absorbing benzene, formaldehyde and/or
trichloroethylene)?
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Problem: Projects like installing new
carpet and painting walls can release chemicals that pollute indoor
air. These are called VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), they’re
chemicals used to manufacture and maintain building materials,
interior furnishing, cleaning products and personal care products.
The majority of VOCs found in the indoor environments originate from
building materials, indoor furnishings, assorted electronics and
computers, cleaning supplies, consumer products and processes, such
as printing, cooking, hobbies, cleaning, interior renovations and
pesticide applications.
Studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (U.S.EPA) and other researchers have found that VOCs are
common in indoor environments and that their levels may be two to a
thousand times higher than outdoors. There may be anywhere from 50
to hundreds of individual VOCs in the indoor air at any one time.
Some may produce objectionable odors at very low levels, but many
have no noticeable smell. Many VOCs are irritants and can cause
headaches, eye, nose and throat irritation and dizziness. Long-term
exposure to certain VOCs may lead to chronic diseases or cancer. At
high concentrations, some VOCs are toxic. |
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Solution: Luckily, some houseplants
moonlight as efficient purifiers. For the best results, put as many
plants as you can care for in the rooms you use most. That means
you'll want at least two plants (in 10- to 12-inch pots) per 100
square feet of space (average office size); if you're in the middle
of major renovations, aim for more plants. By bringing these plants
into your office or home, you can improve the quality of the air
around you and of others:
An official research study was conducted by
NASA to determine the most efficient air purifying plants. The
plants were based on how well they remove chemical vapors, resist
insects, and how easy they are to maintain for your home or green
office space. |
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Aloe
This easy-to-grow, sun-loving succulent helps clear formaldehyde and
benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based
cleaners, paints and more. Aloe is a smart choice for a
sunny kitchen window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the
gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns. .
Succulents prefer well-drained soil so their roots are not
always wet. Using a ceramic pot is beneficial and letting
the soil dry slightly between watering.
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Areca Palm
The top air purifying plant as ranked by NASA’s study is the Areca
palm tree. Dubbed “the most efficient air humidifier” by
MetaEfficient, the Areca can be counted on to keep your home
or office moist during dry times and continuously remove
chemical toxins from the air. During winter time, it can
literally replace the use of electric humidifiers
altogether! |

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Bamboo Palm
Featured prominently in CasaSugar.com’s “Plants
That Purify” series, the Bamboo palm thrives when
kept moist (but not wet) in indirect sunlight. Provided
these conditions are kept stable, the Bamboo palm can be
counted on to purify the indoor air of anywhere you happen
to be. |

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Boston Fern
Ninth on NASA’s ranking of top air purifying plants is the
ever-popular Boston Fern. Cool and relaxing, the Boston Fern
has been called the “most
efficient filtering plant” by MetaEfficient.com
for its time-tested ability to expel mold and toxins from
indoor air. Plus, it’s sure to make any home or office more
forest-like! |

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Dendrobium orchid
Orchids have a bad reputation as being finicky and difficult to grow,
but really, the
opposite is true. Most people end up killing
their orchids with kindness (too much water and sunlight).
Orchids rid the air of xylene,
a pollutant found in many glues and paints so they make
wonderful housewarming gifts for anyone who recently moved
into or renovated a new space. Unlike some other plants,
orchids also respire and give off oxygen at night - so
they're great for the bedroom.
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Dracaena
The red edges of this easy dracaena bring a pop of color, and the
shrub can grow to reach your ceiling. This plant is best for
removing xylene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde, which
can be introduced to indoor air through lacquers, varnishes
and gasoline.
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English Ivy
If the air where you live has gotten stale and dry, English ivy might
be just the ticket! WebMD describes the effervescent plant
as “a
fix for allergies“, noting that 60% of airborne
mold in the room vanished just 6 hours after English ivy was
brought in. Ditto for 58% if airborne feces! Those with
asthma, allergies, or the desire to breathe cleaner, fresher
air would do well to give English ivy a shot! |

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Florist’s Mum
Florist’s mum provides a brilliant display of colors. With a cool
location, adequate lighting and frequent watering, this
plant should bloom for six to eight weeks. Once blooming has
peaked, the plants are rotated out. Florist’s mum is one of
the best flowering or seasonal plants for removing
formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia from the atmosphere. |

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Gerbera Daisy
The gerbera daisy has handsome sparkling flowers, which in its natural
state are yellow, red or orange. This plant was included in
the early NASA studies and proved to be extremely effective
in removing chemical vapors from the air. Its colorful array
of flowers, combined with its high transpiration rate and
ability to remove toxic gases, make it a highly valued
seasonal indoor plant.
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Golden Pothos
This fast-growing vine has a reputation for flexibility. You can pot
it with something to support it, plant it in a hanging
basket, or train it to climb a trellis. Dark green leaves
with golden streaks and marbling make it an eye-catching
addition to a home or office.
How it Helps: Like many other vines, it tackles
formaldehyde, but golden pothos also targets carbon monoxide
and benzene. Consider placing one in your entryway, where
car exhaust fumes heavy in formaldehyde are most likely to
sneak indoors from the garage.
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Lady Palm
Neck and neck with the Areca palm tree for NASA’s top-ranked air
purifying plant is the Lady palm (or Rhapis excelsa.)
A versatile
plant, the lady can be kept in dry or humid
climates (anywhere from 20-100 degrees Fahrenheit) and is
fiercely resistant to most types of plant insects. |

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Peace Lily
All that’s needed to keep and maintain this beautiful indoor air toxin
killer is plenty
of water and a modest amount of sunlight.
Preserve these conditions at all time and you’ve got
yourself an all-natural air purifier that will remain hard
at work 24/7!
It’s able to remove all three of the most common VOCs — formaldehyde,
benzene and trichloroethylene. It can also combat toluene
and xylene.
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Philodendron (Heart-Leaf)
This climbing vine plant isn’t a good option if you have kids or pets
— it's toxic when eaten, but it's a workhorse for removing
all kinds of VOCs. Philodendrons are particularly good at
battling formaldehyde from sources like particleboard.
(bookshelves and furniture with a laminate are usually made
of particleboard.)
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Rubber Plant
Fourth on NASA’s scoring is the rubber plant. According to AvianWeb,
rubber plants excel at removing chemical toxins (especially
formaldehyde) from indoor air, requiring less
light than many other plants and outperforming all other
ficuses.
A word of caution, though: rubber plant leaves can be toxic,
so be mindful of that if you have pets roaming around!
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Snake Plant
Also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, this plant is one of the best
for filtering out formaldehyde, which is common in cleaning
products, toilet paper, tissues and personal care products.
Put one in your bathroom — it’ll thrive with low light and
steamy humid conditions while helping filter out air
pollutants.
How it Helps: In addition to helping lower carbon
dioxide, the snake plant rids air of formaldehyde and
benzene.
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Spider Plant
Even if you tend to neglect houseplants, you’ll have a hard time
killing this resilient plant. With lots of rich foliage and
tiny white flowers, the spider plant battles benzene,
formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in
the leather, rubber and printing industries.
How it Helps: Put a spider plant on a pedestal or in
a hanging basket close to a sunlit window and you'll benefit
from fewer airborne formaldehyde and benzene molecules. |
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Earth
Ethics Institute •
An Earth Literacy Resource Center Serving MDC Administrators, Faculty,
Staff, and Students, as well as the South Florida Community
Miami Dade College
• 300 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Room 1201,
Miami, FL 33132-2204
• t: 305-237-3796
• f: 305-237-7724 |