Growing Clean Air

      
House plants have added beauty and warmth to our homes, offices and buildings for many years. Researchers have also found that certain house plants can improve the air we breathe.

During the energy crisis of the '70s, people were encouraged to insulate their homes and offices, add caulking to walls and ceilings, and add more weather-stripping - all of which is effective in conserving energy resources.

But sealing our homes, offices and buildings has also contributed to what is now called "sick building syndrome." Gases from synthetic materials can be trapped inside well-insulated buildings. Some researchers believe there is a link between long-term exposure to these chemical vapors and an increase in a number of diseases, including allergies; asthma; eye, nose and throat irritations; fatigue; headache; nervous system disorders; respiratory congestion, and sinus congestion.

Several common house plants are believed to help clean the air in our homes and offices by removing trapped chemical vapors. Here are ten of them: rubber plant, Dracaena, English ivy, ficus, Boston fern, Spathiphyllum (peace lily), corn plant, Schefflera, weeping fig, and spider plant.

Now you can enjoy having plants in your home and work place - and breathe a little easier at the same time.