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Domesticated Plants
Environmentalists have labored mightily to clean up the Great Outdoors. But what about the Great Indoors? Furniture, fabrics, paint, and particleboard all leach volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which may cause eye and throat irritation, headaches, asthma, even cancer.
Luckily, there's a remedy. Potted plants pull chemicals into their leaves and roots, where they’re broken down and rendered harmless. Two 12- to 14-inch plants in a 100-square-foot room can significantly shrink VOC levels, says Bill Wolverton, coauthor of the upcoming book Plants: How They Contribute to Human Health and Well-Being. Rubber plants, Janet Craig, English ivy, Ficus alii, and Boston fern all work well. And try expanded clay pebbles instead of soil -- Wolverton says these can be up to 50 percent more effective in cleaning the air.
Nicely written article!
I have fairly extreme seasonal allergies, of which can become a little over powerful even indoors. I work from home as a Chicago freelance web designer and have been looking for ways to clean the air inside. Adding a plant inside sounds a little odd, especially for someone with allergies, but all it all I feel great and the air has been crisp!
I've been doing plants inside for a couple years they really do help on the headaches. Plus they look great and help the earth. Spider plants work well too.