House Plants--The Natural Air Purifier

When I started reading books about keeping a greener house, I came across information about the benefits of keeping house plants. I've tried my hand at house plants before--it didn't end well for the plants. But I thought I'd do some research and really give it a shot this time. I got a lot of books from the library, but the one I liked best, and now own, is Complete Guide to Houseplants by Miracle-Gro. It really explained everything very clearly, and has a great glossary of kinds of house plants. I was looking for two things, a good air purifier and one that was hardy--enter the Snake Plant a.k.a. Mother-In-Law's Tongue. It's not the most beautiful plant, but I've managed to keep two of them alive for two years, and that's saying something.

Why do I want a house plant, you ask? According to my Miracle-Gro book,

"According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study, houseplants are a first line of defense against indoor air pollution. Research shows that plants filter chemical toxins from the air, creating a healthier environment. ...Researchers at the National Space Technology Lab found that houseplants reduced pollutants, particularly nitrogen and formaldehyde... A single spider plant in an enclosed chamber filled with formaldehyde removed 85 percent of the pollutant in a day. All it takes is one potted plant per 100 square feet to clean the air in an average home or office."

Considering your carpet, furniture, paint, just about EVERYTHING, is releasing toxins into your air, I was super excited to learn that plants could help me green my house, AND look pretty! I don't know about you, but I saw The Happening, and I'm doing my best to be nice to plants! (Considering that movie bombed at the box office, I think I actually might be the only one who saw it!)