Earth Day is this week on April 22, but the single-day theme can definitely be used all month long during April. Often we associate Earth Day activities with being outside in the sun and natural environment, but one topic that has been newsworthy lately are the effects that plants may have on indoor air pollution. Some sources, including NASA, show research that house plants can have a very beneficial effect on indoor air contaminants, and to the point that some even “clean the air.” The EPA is a bit more conservative and states that more research needs to be done, and the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is still through mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Either way, indoor and outdoor plants are a welcomed sight to our buildings and facilities. Our guests and staff alike seem to “breathe a little calmer” when they are walking in one of our gardens, sitting next to a planter, or working in an office with a plant on their windowsill.
To learn more about this topic, please visit these sites: “9 house plants that clean the air and are hard to kill” and “Can plants control indoor air pollution?”
(Image: Sean Hagen/Creative Commons)
