Cleanse the air and add beauty at the same time

Lynette Wilson - PensacolaNewsJournal.com

Just as trees and plants remove pollutants from the environment, houseplants filter the air in your home.

So why not add some aloe vera, a peace lily, a philodendron, a snake or a green spider plant to your room's decor?

The greenery will not only brighten the space by bringing the outdoors in, but leave the air feeling and smelling fresher.

Plants act just like air filters, said Tena O'Daniel, manager of Floral Tree Garden in Pensacola.

"The more plants you have, the cleaner the air," she said, adding that plants not only suck in toxins, but soak up odors, too.

In the last two decades, builders have made more air-tight homes and office buildings, which prohibit air flow and trap pollutants inside your home and office space.

Given the fact that Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air pollution poses a serious health threat, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Everyday chores such as cooking and cleaning can create indoor pollution. Building materials, treated fabrics and upholstery, perfumes and other sprays, can leave behind contaminants.

But it doesn't take an air filtration system to purify the air. Just as trees and plants attribute to cleaner outdoor air, plants can be used to purify the air in your home or office.

While conducting research for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's lunar habitat, scientist B.C. Wolverton discovered that houseplants are the best filters for common pollutants, such as benzene ammonia and formaldehyde. In his book, "How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants the Purify your Home or Office," Wolverton identifies different plants and how they work.

Plants absorb certain contaminants and pollutants through their leaves; natural metabolic processes break down contaminants and convert them into something the plant can use.

The same is true for the root system, where bacteria and microbes use the chemicals as food, said Beth Bolles, a horticultural agent with the Escambia County Extension Office.

The metabolic process requires carbon dioxide, which plants take from the environment and replace with oxygen.

Houseplants are available at garden or landscaping stores, home improvement stores, markets, discount and department stores.

Bailey's Farmers Market on Davis Highway offers a wide selection of house- and tropical plants for your home.

Doug Bailey, the market's owner, said the key factors in keeping indoor plants alive and thriving are water and placement. Check the plant's label or ask a store representative to find out how much water and sunlight, if any, the plant needs.

Floral Tree Garden, which usually carries a wide variety of houseplants on Davis Highway, was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, but its owners are preparing to reopen the location soon.