Pollution is an ever-evolving problem. In different places all over the world, air quality is becoming worse. More people are getting asthma and other illnesses because of bad air quality. You may be thinking, “What can I do to help?” “How am I supposed to contribute to this cause when I am so busy?”
I’m sure you are already familiar with this saying: “Even small things can make a big difference.” And you know what? It’s true. You can help clean the air pollution by planting things inside and outside your house.
There are many houseplants that take in a lot of pollution. Here are six suggested houseplants to cut indoor air pollution:
Peace Lily: This beautiful plant is very popular and also very good at taking in tiny pollution that infiltrate the air. It removes indoor air pollutants that are released every day, from electronics, cleaning products, furniture and much more. This plant humidifies the air to make it cleaner for us.
Spider Plant: This is another plant that’s great for removing indoor air pollutants. It is vital in removing Formaldehyde, Carbon Monoxide, and Xylene. This plant is also pet friendly.
Aloe Vera: Not only does this plants’ gel heal cuts and burns, it also pulls in indoor air pollutants too. Aloe Vera is vital in removing a harmful air pollutant known as VOCs. It also takes up Carbon Dioxide and provides clean oxygen. It is a very useful plant.
Areca Palm: This plant is one of the most popular palms, with its appealing yellow green fonds. This plant is productive in removing Toluene and Xylene. It is also very productive in removing the toxic trio that is very damaging to your health. It emits large amounts of water vapor acting as a natural humidifier, which is great for dry places.
Snake Plant: The plant effectively removes Carbon Dioxide, Benzene, Formaldehyde and Xylene. This plant needs very little light to grow. It also has low amounts of toxicity. It is safe to touch, but should not be eaten or be near children and pets.
Money Plant: This is a great indoor plant that cleans the air by removing VOCs, Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene and Carbon Monoxide. It can grow in places that have either little or a lot of natural light.
In closing, here is a list of the different molecules (as mentioned above) and what they do:
Carbon Dioxide: Carbon Dioxide is something we hear all about. It’s what warms up the planet, making holes in earth’s atmosphere. Trees already take this harmful chemical in, but as the saying goes, “the more, the merrier.” The more plants the cleaner the environment is and the happier people are! Dangerously the levels of Carbon Dioxide have been climbing higher each year. This is bad for earth and humans.
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP): This harmful chemical is used in printing inks and adhesives. DBP was banned in the European Union in 2015. It is still used in the United States in perfumes, body lotions, nail polish, etc. DBP enters the bloodstream from the skin and may cause developmental issues and endocrine.
Formaldehyde: This well-known chemical is not famous for a good reason. It causes lung cancer and ear, throat and nose tumors.
Toluene: Toluene causes ear and eye irritation and causes harm to the nervous system. Toxic Trio: The toxic trio is a combination of DBP, Formaldehyde and Toluene. VOCs- Volatile Organic Compounds, otherwise known as VOCs, are emitted from a large list of objects. From furniture to cloth, these things are not sweet. They cause different illnesses, such as headaches, fatigue, and breathing problems. a longer time of exposure could cause you to develop lung cancer and other diseases.