In the winter we are all sealed up and it is hard to get fresh air. Indoor air pollution is considered by many experts to be one of the main threats to health in the twenty first century. People are getting ill in what are called 'sick buildings'. To make matters even worse, statistics show that most North Americans spend 90% of their entire life indoors in buildings that may be off gassing chemicals and particulates.
Illnesses that are known to be caused by indoor air pollution are –
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Eye problems
• Throat irritations
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Memory Loss
• Irritability
• Lowered immunity
• Joint pain
• Cancer
It is not just the materials that are used to insulate homes that are the problem. Many downtown office buildings in urban cores are very old and have poorly maintained air conditioning systems. This creates environments where the humidity is too high or too low which can cause respiratory problems, the growing of bacteria such as Legionnaire's disease and other problems. The growth of mold can also be the result of these kind indoor air quality imbalances.
Are your kids sick…maybe you are living in one of those houses built during the energy crisis. I know I am . The air just does not circulate in my home the way I would like.
Studies have showns that h ouseplants may be the natural solution to combating the problem of indoor air pollution. Studies have show that increasing ventilation, renovating with low emission buildings and furnishings and adding houseplants to the environment can help purify the air.
The studies were done by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (commonly known as NASA) over the past twenty years. They were done as part of a program to try and develop ecological life support facilities that could sustain themselves. A big experiment that was done at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, NASA scientist discovered that houseplants could purify and revitalize the air in sealed test chambers.
This is why I have made sure that I have plants in every single one of my rooms. It helps me feel better about what I might be breathing in and also what my children might be breathing in as well.