Product Description
Plants are the lungs of the earth: they produce the oxygen that makes life possible, add precious moisture, and filter toxins. Houseplants can perform these essential functions in your home or office with the same efficiency as a rainforest in our biosphere.
In research designed to create a breathable environment for a NASA lunar habitat, noted scientist Dr. B.C. Wolverton discovered that houseplants are the best filters of common pollutants such as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene. Hundreds of these poisonous chemicals can be released by furniture, carpets, and building material, and then trapped by closed ventilation systems, leading to the host of respiratory and allergic reactions now called Sick Building Syndrome. In this full-color, easy-to-follow guide, Dr. Wolverton shows you how to grow and nurture 50 plants as accessible and trouble-free as the tulip and the Boston fern, and includes many beautiful but commonly found varieties not generally thought of as indoor plants. He also rates each plant for its effectiveness in removing pollutants, and its ease of growth and maintenance.
Studies show that Americans spend ninety percent of their lives indoors, which means that good indoor air quality is vital for good health. How to Grow Fresh Air will show you how to purify the environment that has the most impact on you.
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office Reviews
| 266 of 269 people found the following review helpful  Beautifully designed and very informative., This review is from: How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office (Paperback) The book is laid out beautifully. The 50 plants are listed by rank based on removal of chemical vapors, ease of maintenance, resistance to insect infestation, and transpiration rate. Each plant gets a two-page spread; one page discusses the plant's ideal environment, sunlight conditions, care, and general information about the plant along with a full photo of it. The next page has a zoomed-in full-page photo of the leaves and/or flowers so the reader gets a feel for what the plant looks like and how it will fit with their decor.The book begins by discussing the research about the air purification qualities of houseplants. The initial chapters explain how air contaminates enter our homes, the adverse effects these toxins have on humans, and how plants remove the contaminates from the air. I was surprised to learn that common household items such as blankets, toys, gas stoves, computers, and carpets can lead to allergies, asthma, even cancer, and that they might contribute to... Read more 117 of 118 people found the following review helpful A lovely book with a unique view., By "vera_lynn" (Southeastern VA, United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office (Paperback) This is a beautifully put-together book focusing on a unique aspect of plant ownership. Entries include both a full-on picture of a healthy, attractively potted specimen, plus a close-up detail of leaves &/or flowers. Descriptions of plant care are concise, well organized and accompanied by a more generalized description of the plant and particulars. Each plant is rated on four characteristics (removal of chemical vapors, ease of growth & maintenance, resistance to insect infestation, & transpiration rate), using an easy to read bar chart which appears on the same page as the description & picture.This book is an excellent addition to an avid collector's plant library, both for its curiosity value & beautiful coverage of basic houseplants, and doubtless of interest to people concerned about air quality as well. It also provides enough basic information on each plant to be a useful reference for beginning enthusiast, but I would qualify that by saying that... Read more 98 of 98 people found the following review helpful A Wonderful Resource for Everyone!, By A Customer This review is from: How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office (Paperback) We all live in houses/apts (at least most of us do!) & thus are all exposed to indoor pollutants. This book starts out w/ an overview of what NASA has found out about indoor air pollution & how to combat it... with plants. Plants not only beautify the home, & bring the outdoors in, but they can also provide a big plus to our health. My husband & I got some new windows installed last fall & have done some painting in a couple of the downstairs room. I have kept peace lilies in the kitchen ever since, as well as a spider plant and have had a rubber plant in the living room. All of which are good at absorbing toxins from the air & are good in low light (which is what we have in those rooms). In addition to being informative, this book has beautiful photos of all the plants & is very attractive. Makes great housewarming gift! |
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