Breathe In Some Green Air
May 25, 2008 by Jennifer
You can invest in a big old air purifier to clean the air in your home; an often loud and expensive choice, not to mention the energy needed to manufacture and ship such machines. OR you could just grow some plants.
Hmmm. Tough decision. Plants can naturally clean your air of toxins and chemicals, reduce stress, and improve your overall well-being. Also, plants are just so much more aesthetically pleasing than a fatty white box. Here are some pretty options:
Gerbera Daisy
Bamboo
[Via Savvy Gardening - read: Bringing Up Bamboo]
Christmas Cactus – not just at Christmas time, these plants actually can last 30 years.
[Available at Cactus Limon]
To learn more, you have to see this amazing chart from Good Magazine.
The chart (once bigger) will show you common household pollution issues and the plants that fight them. An excellent chart and resource!
You can also look for the following at the library; How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office – one of the better books I’ve read on this topic. This book covers plants that work well in small and large spaces, and also plants that do well with low light, meaning, you can have air cleaning plants in a bathroom or office space with no windows.
[Gerber daisy image via Stock.xchng]
Wow I didn’t know bamboo was on the list. I will definitely look into some more.
I love lists like these, but am not very successful in keeping plants alive in the house. Outdoors, on the other hand – particularly if they are plants I don’t want – somehow they flourish perfectly. I have tons of Lilies of the Valley and Tiger Lilies … and crab grass. :p
Love this list! And I thought the plants in my office were just for good looks….turns out they’re saving my life!
@Kisha I didn’t know about bamboo either – that’s cool huh.
@Hil I’m the worst with gardening. I love it, but I was not born with a green thumb. Lately, we’ve been growing some plants that are doing ok though, so maybe practice makes perfect – or at least better.
@Melinda some studies show that plants in the office actually help relieve work related stress.
Can I suggest a post? I love indoor plants, but before I knew better I kept philodendron inside. A lot of people do, but it is very dangerous. I found out first hand when my daughter tore a leaf and just rubbed her face with her hand after dropping the leaf. It was so strong her skin looked as if it was burned.