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Get Rid of Indoor Air Pollution With House Plants
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Do you know that formaldehyde, a
colorless, pungent-smelling gas can cause severe health effects to
us? Sources of formaldehyde are:-
1. environmental tobacco smoke and combustion sources (burning wood,
kerosene and by automobiles)
2. preservatives in some paints, cosmetics and coating
3. finish used to coat paper products
4. pressed wood products and furniture made with these pressed wood
products
5. certain insulation materials such as urea-formaldehyde foam
insulation (UFFI) and fiberglass insulation
6. durable press drapes, other textiles, and glues.
Wow! Looking at the list, there must be plenty of formaldehyde in
our homes! The scary part is formaldehyde can cause watery eyes,
burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in
breathing when exposed at elevated levels. It has also been shown to
cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. Health
effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and
coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions. High
concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma.
Since research shows that people spend approximately 90% of their
time indoors, be sure to keep our homes well ventilated all the
time. Besides that, try placing the following plants in your home:-
- Chrysanthemum
- Dracaena
- !vy
- Boston fern (Nephrolepsis Exaltata)
- Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus Lutescens)
- Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
- English Ivy (Hedera Helix)
Apparently, NASA in 1973 has made an experiment to find a solution
to maintain air quality inside confined spaces and the results show
that the above plants are able to remove pollutants from the air.
Since different plants absorb different pollutants, it will be a
good idea to mix a minimum of two plants per 100 square feet of
floor space. Of course, there are no harms in having more (not in
bedroom though, you will need the oxygen at night!) as long as you
know where to place them.
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