Consider adding houseplants to your home to purify the air.  As the Air Quality Health Index reaches a “four” today in Calgary, and a faint smell of smoke lingers in the air, the purification benefits of household plants come to mind.  (A reading of four indicates a moderate risk from the air we breathe). Many of the palms make excellent air purifiers, as do rubber plants and peace lilies. These and other plants can provide excellent benefits in enhancing our surroundings while purifying the air and protecting our health. We probably all know people who are suffering from environmental toxins and “sick building syndrome.” Asthma is increasingly affecting young people. Home occupants become ever more sensitive to the toxins around them, as synthetic foam mattresses and new carpets off gas noxious chemicals. One of these toxic chemicals, formaldehyde, may be found in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues, particleboard, and personal care products. The spider plant, snake plant, English ivy, golden pothos (Devil’s ivy), Boston fern, Areca palm, and azalea are all known to remove formaldehyde from the air.

The spider plant and Boston fern also remove xylene, which may be found in paint removers, varnish, shellac, and rust preventatives. Benzene, found in glue, paint, plastics, furniture wax, cigarette smoke, and detergent, can be filtered out by the Gerbera daisy, Boston fern, English ivy, Areca palm, and chrysanthemum. Beauty at what cost? Fond as you may be of nail polish and perfume, using either may expose you to toluene. Toluene is also used to produce pop bottles, pharmaceuticals, and dyes, and can be found in cigarette smoke. Why should we really care about these chemicals? The health hazards are far from minor. Benzene may cause anemia and leukemia. Formaldehyde is suspected to cause cancer. Xylene at low levels can cause dizziness, confusion, lack of muscle coordination, and headaches. Toluene may cause central nervous system dysfunction, arrhythmias, and unconsciousness. NASA researched plants for their ability to purify space-station air, and gave certain plants a rating according to their ability to purify the air.

Dr. B.C. Wolverton and NASA have compiled lists identifying the air purification benefits of houseplants, as well as the plants’ potentially harmful effects on pets, livestock, and humans. You may need up to two dozen houseplants to clean the air in your home. Before you rush out to your local garden centre, though, you may wish to check out plant toxicity on Wiki, and other, sites. For more information on air quality, you might find some of the websites linked to the Purair site to be very informative. air purifiers ozone dangersThen go exercise your green thumb!avalon air duct cleaning (Just as we might want to fight the harmful effects of toxins in our homes, mummers also portray battles between good and evil. 3m filtrete air purifier for compact spaces

Below are the Morris dancers of Bowen Island, B.C.)Houseplants provide beauty and interest, bringing a bit of leafy, green, outdoorsy ambiance to the indoor environment. However, plants play an even more important role by helping to improve air quality in your home. Research by a team of NASA scientists indicates that these helpful houseplant air purifiers clean the air during the natural process of photosynthesis. The pollutants, absorbed by the leaves, are eventually broken down by microbes in the soil. Although all plants are believed to be beneficial, researchers discovered that some plants are especially effective at removing dangerous pollutants. Air purifying houseplants include several familiar, inexpensive, easy-to-grow houseplants. For example, golden pothos and philodendron are superior air purifiers when it comes to removing formaldehyde, a colorless gas released by glues and resins in particle board and other wood products. Formaldehyde is also emitted by cigarette smoke and fingernail polish, as well as foam insulation, some draperies, synthetic carpeting and household furnishings.

Spider plants are powerhouses that remove formaldehyde, as well as carbon monoxide and common pollutants like benzene and xylene. These low-maintenance plants are easy to propagate by planting the small, attached plantlets, or “spiders.” Place spider plants in rooms where carbon monoxide is likely to concentrate, such as rooms with fireplaces or kitchens equipped with gas stoves. Blooming plants, such as peace lilies and chrysanthemums, help remove Tetrachloroethylene, also known as PCE or PERC, a chemical used in paint removers, water repellents, glues and dry cleaning solvents. Indoor palm trees, like lady palm, bamboo palm and dwarf date palm, are good all-around air cleaners. Areca palms provide an additional benefit by increasing the level of humidity in the air. Other general-purpose air purifying houseplants include: Most types of dracaena and ficus, along with succulents such as aloe vera and sansevieria (snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue), help purify the air as well.

The attractive, all-purpose plants are helpful anywhere in the home, but do the most good in rooms with new furniture, paint, paneling or carpeting. NASA studies indicate that 15 to 18 healthy, vigorous plants in medium-size pots can effectively improve air quality in an average home.Meg's Classic Glamor Apartment (Image credit: Kim Lucian) Would it shock you to know that the air you're breathing indoors can be up to 5 times worse than the air outside? Neglecting the quality of the air you breathe on a daily basis can result in illness, allergies, asthma, frequent headaches and it can even be harmful to your digestive system! But you don't have to settle for poor air quality. Here are five simple, natural ways for you to purify the air in your home without purchasing an expensive air purifier. Before we begin, what should you already be putting into practice to improve your home's air quality? At the top of the list should be using low-VOC or no-VOC paints, testing your home for radon and avoiding harsh chemical-laden household cleaners.

Now that we have that covered, what can you bring into your home to help clean the air? (Image credit: Kimber Watson) A Himalayan Salt Lamp: When the 200-million-year-old crystalized salt is heated by the small bulb inside, it releases negative ions which are known to neutralize pollutants in the air. They are sold in many different sizes and shapes, so it's wise to find a lamp with a weight that is appropriate for the size of the room it will be used in. This was the only thing I asked for on my Christmas wish list this year, and I got it! Even if the lamp didn't do a darn thing, the warm glow emitted is quite beautiful to look at and could also serve as a nightlight in a child's room. Bamboo Charcoal: Charcoal has long been used in our filters to purify water, and it's also popping up in beauty products everywhere. And charcoal can have the same toxin-removing effects on air. Moso air purifying bags are bags made of linen and filled with high-density bamboo charcoal.

The porous structure of the charcoal helps remove bacteria, harmful pollutants and allergens from the air and absorbs moisture, preventing mold and mildew by trapping the impurities inside each pore. Rejuvenate the bamboo charcoal by simply placing the bag in the sun once a month. Amazon carries a variety of Moso bags. Beeswax Candles: Unlike regular paraffin candles that are derived from petroleum, pure beeswax candles burn with almost no smoke or scent. Like the salt lamp, they also release negative ions in the air and may be beneficial to those with asthma or allergies by eliminating common allergens like dust and dander. While they may cost more than traditional candles, beeswax burns much slower so they will last much longer. Scott & Kristan's Inspiring Arts District Loft (Image credit: Bethany Nauert) Houseplants: We've known for ages that plants literally help you breath better by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing clean oxygen. But, according to a study by NASA, certain plants are better at eliminating significant amounts of benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene than others.