Much of the research on these beneficial houseplants has been done by
NASA scientists researching ways to create suitable space station
habitats. All indoors plants (flowering or not) are able to purify
indoor air to some degree through their normal photosynthesis processes.
But some were found to be more beneficial than others in removing
harmful household toxins,
even removing 90% of chemicals in the air in only twenty-four hours!
The three main household toxins of concern are:
- benzene
- formaldahyde
- trichloroethylene
These carcinogenic chemicals are used in the manufacturing of synthetic
substances and materials and are off-gased from new materials for some
time (up to several years, depending on the material of product in
question). Benzene can also be emitted from gas ranges during use,
making some types of houseplants below great for use in the kitchen.
This means these types of houseplants may just decrease your
risk of cancers, asthma, allergies, auto-immune disorders and other
diseases.
http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/types-of-houseplants.html
Aloe (Aloe vera)
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.
The Ten Most Common Poisons Among Kids:
There are loads of benefits to having plants in the home and of course inside office buildings too. These include:
- Plants can decrease stress while enhancing productivity by some
12%. People intuitively feel that the contact to plants and nature has a
calming effect on them.
- Plants in the workplace attract, retain and enhance the attitude of employees.
- Plants help towards an energy efficient building whilst
counteracting the effects of a sick building syndrome. Plants help with
bottom line savings on sick leave expenses.
- Plants help to reduce background noise levels in buildings. While
some plant species are more effective than others, the benefits are more
pronounced in buildings with hard, reflective surfaces.
- Plants help improve humidity levels inside.
- Plants help influence and improve particle content and odour quality of indoor air.
******************************************************************
And there are more. Simply 'Google' houseplants improving indoor quality and you will find yourself looking at literally hundreds of websites dedicated to this very subject. And they all say the same thing: houseplants indoors = increase air quality.
Simple, really. Don't we want to create the best atmosphere for our children, especially in a learning environment?