How to grow fresh air

A TEDtalk which I really enjoyed was by Kamal Meattle, an entrepeneur and environmental activist. You can listen to the talk (How to grow fresh air) here. It is a short overview of 3 plants that can help to increase air qaulity and some of the research involved. I have made some notes on the plants in his talk. Some of this information I found on Wikipeadia. Photos also from Wikipeadia. Have a look below. Dypsis lutescens Dypsis lutescens, also called bamboo palm, golden cane palm, areca palm, or butterfly palm, is a flowering plant in the Arecaceae family, native to Madagascar.

According to NASA and Dr. B. C. Wolverton, the areca palm filters xylene and toluene from the air. Wolverton also specifies that, at 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) in height, the plant will transpire 1 liter of water per 24 hours, thereby making it an effective humidifier. From what I get from the transcript and other sources it does seem that these three particular plants are very efficient converters of CO2 to Oxygen.

 

Sansevieria trifasciata, also called snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue or Saint George's sword (in Brazil) is a flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo. It is used predominantly as an ornamental plant, outdoors in warmer climates, and indoors as a houseplant in cooler climates. It is popular as a houseplant because it is tolerant of low light levels and irregular watering; during winter it needs only one watering every couple of months. It will rot easily if overwatered. A study by NASA found that it is one of the best plants for improving indoor air quality by passively absorbing toxins such as nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde. It is also (according to the talk) very proficient at converting CO2 to oxygen at night making this an excellent addition to the bedroom.

Epipremnum aureum The plant has a multitude of common names including Australian native monstera, centipede tongavine, devil's ivy, golden pothos, hunter's robe, ivy arum, money plant, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy and taro vine. Native range extends from Northern Australia through Malaysia and Indochina into China, Japan and India. E. aureum is an evergreen vine growing to 20 m (66 ft) tall, climbing by means of aerial roots which adhere to surfaces. As a houseplant it can reach a height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) or more, given suitable support. In temperate regions it is a popular houseplant. It is often used in decorative displays in shopping centers, offices, and other public locations largely because it requires little care and is also attractively leafy. It is also efficient at removing indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene.

I think this is an excellent idea and worthwhile spreading. I have also included some valuable links pertaining to this topic: NASA Clean air study Green Plants for Green Buildings Plant Air Purifiers