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THE AIR
PAUL MILLER
Home should be a sanctuary, but according
to the Environmental Protection Agency, the
air within most houses (and office buildings)
can be more polluted than the air outside in
even the largest, most industrialized cities.
The culprit: volatile organic compounds like
formaldehyde,which are offgassed from
plastics,upholstery, furniture, and other
synthetic (and so-called “natural”!) materials.
Whileit’s nearly impossible to prevent this
indoor air pollution, there is a low-tech
purification fix: houseplants. “Plants are as
efficient at filtering air as some of the
most high-tech machines,” says Renée Loux,green-living expert and author ofEasy Green
Living. “Plus, they’re beautiful and add
moisture to the air.” Here, Loux’s advice on
finding the right plant for you:
If you don’t have a green thumb... try a snake
plant. “They tolerate neglect very well and
are easy to nurse back to health if they start
looking sad,” says Loux.
If you travel a lot... try aloe. This succulent
thrives in desert conditions, so it can easily
go a week or two without water. Just be sure
to leave it in a sunny spot, as aloe needs lots
of light.If your home doesn’t get a lot of light... try
a spider plant—these aren’t as sensitive to
low light as other plants. “Keep in mind that
a lack of sun will mean they grow slowly,”
says Loux.
If your home is drenched in sunlight...
try a rubber plant, which thrives in direct
sunlight and is one of the most effective
formaldehyde removers.
If you love to buy cut flowers... instead
try potted peace lilies, mums, or Gerbera
daisies, all flowering plants that scrub the
air.MEGHAN RABBITT9
april / may 2017yogajournal.com.sg