Houseplants VS. VOCs
Houseplants can help remove certain harmful volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from indoor air. Things nobody wants around their lungs or their kids.
According to NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) in the late 1980’s they conducted a study of 19 houseplants and found that the plants had potential for capturing harmful gases. The study was an attempt to find ways to purify air for extended stays in orbiting space stations.
Many of these plants are adapted to tropical climates and grow under dense canopies and low-light conditions. They have to be superefficient in capturing light as well as in processing the gases necessary for photosynthesis. Because of these traits, they have greater potential for purifying the air in your home by capturing the harmful gases.
The next time you visit a local nursery, pick up a few of these common houseplants: palms, ferns, corn plant, dracaena, rubber plant, weeping ficus, english ivy, peace lily, dieffenbachia (dumb cane), schefflera, orchid, philodendron, pothos, dwarf banana and Chinese evergreen. Florist mums and gerber daisy will also do the job for you. What they learned in outer space can be applied to your inner space as well.
thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com
July 1st, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Great write-up on how houseplants clean indoor air. They are powerhouses when it comes to scouring the air for harmful VOC’s and even allergens. One important point to mention: It’s a good idea to have a plant within any “personal breathing zones,” which are areas of 6 to 8 cubic feet where you spend a lot of time–such as your bed, desk, etc. And the more plants the better. I discuss all of this, as well as what harmful chemicals are cleaned by what plants in my book, Indoor Gardening the Organic Way.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:07 am
Hi Julie,
thanks for the tip regarding “personal breathing zones” that’s very important. I’ll be sure to check out your gardening book, “Indoor Gardening the Organic Way”.
Haline