We need a trillion more indoor plants.

[Michaelangelica]

Stressbusting Plants

Indoor plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats, and other cold related illnesses by more than 30%. Extensive research already shows that houseplants alleviate stress, help us relax, and increase our general wellbeing. This study aimed to discover how far houseplants could benefit our physical and psychological health.

Office staff, working in offices 10m2, were questioned on their health, particularly symptoms related to spending a lot of time indoors and being under stress. After two months without plants, a range of houseplants were placed in half the offices. After a year, the plants were swapped to those offices with no plants in. After another year all staff were questioned on what effect the plants hah had on their health and well being.

Stressbusting Plants

Reducing Illness

Dr Tove Fjeld, University of Agriculture, Norway 1995

Indoor plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold related illnesses by more than 30%.

Across the spring months in 1995 & 199. . . .

Reducing Illness


All these symptoms were 10-45% less with indoor plants!!!!
practically a portable hospital

• Fatigue
• Feeling heavy-headed
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Problems concentrating
• Itching, irritated eyes
• Irritated/running/stuffy nose
• Dry, hoarse throat
• Cough
• Dry, irritated facial skin
• Scaling, itching scalp/ ears
• Dry/itching hands

Scientific studies prove that houseplants are good for you - physically, emotionally and psychologically, they are proven to:-

* Remove harmful chemicals from the air, such as those in paints and varnishes, new carpets and MDF furniture
* Absorb noise and lessen dust in the home
* Help hospital patients recover faster, and with less medication
* Lower blood pressure, help concentration and improve memory
* Promote feelings of relaxation, calm and well-being
* Make rooms look cared for and welcoming

Plants for Health

Summary
The studies showed that:
• Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) were higher indoors, with or without
plants.
• Pot-plants consistently reduced office or room TVOC levels by 50 to 70% where
more than 100 ppb TVOC load was present without pot plants
• Three large floor standing pot plants were as effective as six in bringing about
large TVOC reductions in offices or rooms that are 10–12 m2 with a ceiling height
of between 3–4m
• Six table-sized pot plants were as effective as three (or six) of the larger floor
standing pot plants.
• Pot-plants reduce TVOC levels in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned
circumstances.

http://www.rentokiltropicalplants.co...r_oct%2004.pdf

A Breathing Wall??-tm?
http://www.plantscleanair.com/docs/N...THING_WALL.pdf

SUMMARY
Health and environment are the focus of individuals, employers, and organisations such as WorkCover, the National Environment Protection Council and the World Health Organisation, for example.

We now have a wealth of additional evidence to support the use of potted plants to improve indoor air quality. They provide an inexpensive, flexible, portable and aesthetically attractive biofiltration system for indoor air, which is self-sustaining when normal plant care is given.

We would encourage both homeowners and building managers to use indoor plants much more to help improve indoor air quality.
Architects, designers and engineers might also think more creatively about how they could integrate plants into building designs at an early stage, to make better use of this green technology.
Facility managers have the opportunity in a costeffective way to enhance their value to the client by providing attractive healthy workplaces that maximise employee productivity and business profitability.

http://www.rentokiltropicalplants.co...s/ron_wood.pdf
(Huge bibliography/references list here)

http://www.plantscleanair.com/docs/2001_nov2.pdf

[Flapjack]

Hi all,

I should as fit as a spring chicken, we have plannts all over the place. 5 streptocarpus within a few centemetres from where I am sat.

On the stats side of the statement. I have four greenhouses with a National Collection of Fuchsia Species. I use what I call indicator plants to make sure the air conditions are okay for their well being. The plants need a humidity so I use Tillandsia unisoides that suffers quickly if the air is too dry. I use Chloriphytum (spiser plant) to tell if there are any palutants from the natural gas heating sysem.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Flapjack

Hi all,

I use Chloriphytum (spiser plant) to tell if there are any palutants from the natural gas heating sysem.

How does that work pls?

[Flapjack]

CHlorophytum (spider plant) has variegated foliage with soft the cell leaves. If the air contains impurity build up, then the cell structure easily damages and dies leaving brown marks on the leaves. If the atmosphere is too dry as in a centrally heated home the leaf tips go brown. Strange as it may seem in this day and age we do not have central heating in our home.

[Flapjack]

We also need trillions of outdoor plants in particular trees. since man first appeared we have chopped down trees. We have now come to the point when the trees that are left cannot absorb our carbon emitions. The trees are banks to store carbon in. It is a real sorry state when travelling overseas to see 500 year old logs on a trailer with the stamp on them from a sustainable forest. I wonder who 500 years ago thought about us a planted some trees.

[Ganoderma]

here in taiwan things are starting to green up a lot. its getting more and more "trendy" i guess.

anyway i want to mention a plant that is GREAT indoors.

even Mcdonalds grows these thigns in their bathrooms with NO windows, only 4 CFL bulbs!!!!

Money tree. Pachira

these things are truly amazing! they can take TINY pots in comparison to their large foliage. Low light is ok, water like any other grocery store type plant.

many people here buy them braided or in lame red boats for lucky this and that, but they are quite hardy.

the biggest plus is because their foliage has fairly large surface area, it must breath a good deal through the day!

we are putting them in out home and school, makes things nicer looking and they actually grow well.....this means no rotation....

[johnfp]

I have always loved house plant. We have many. In fact during the winter out house gets a little crowded from bringing them all in. Without going into to much detail, I will tell you that it takes about 15 gallons of water per week to water them...

The spider plant also gets rid of hazardous man made chemicals from rugs, furniture, et. We have spider plants, palms, ferns, cacti and lots of others. In the spring summer and fall when the weather in nice we put them outside and they love it. It makes our patio look very tropical. When we have to close the house up we bring them in. They look nice, give off oxygen, take in pollutants, put moisture in the air all while out house has to be bottled up air tight for maximum heating efficiency.

There are quite a few plants that do not need direct sunlight. We have a spider plant growing upstairs in a window that is on the shady side of the house. No direct sunlight at all. You just need to be aware it will need less water.

About 3 months ago my sister found a praying manis cocoon in her house and it hatched lots of the little buggers. She brought about 20 over to my house and I simply let them free on the plants in our "sun" room that houses quite a few of our plants. I felt bad keeping them in a box and they were to tiny, I couldn't find food for them. I have not seen any alive but it would be nice if a few of them made it. Still keeping an eye out for them.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Ganoderma

here in taiwan things are starting to green up a lot. its getting more and more "trendy" i guess.

anyway i want to mention a plant that is GREAT indoors.

even Mcdonalds grows these thigns in their bathrooms with NO windows, only 4 CFL bulbs!!!!

Money tree. Pachira
...

they look nice
How much light do they need. how fast do they grow How big?

there is a water vesion too?aquatica Does that mean it might do for my indoor pond?


I just put an illegal Water Hyacinth in it. I am sure it could live on the moon.

[Ganoderma]

they do best here in full to partial sun. they will live in any light, even window sil light. there is a Mcdonalds here that has some small potted ones in their bathroom. The entire bathroom has only 3 CFL (i think around 30 watts each, tops). teh plants are abotu 3 meters away...no windows....they are not doing great, but they live and grow slowly...which means offices would be great places for them!

they can grow into trees. they can be grown in EXTREMELY small pots! many peopel here have teh 3 or 4 braided one slike pictured above. a 2 meter plant often only has a 12" pot!

small pots
water hardy (too much/little is all ok)
all lighting
feeding when you remember

i think this is a great candidate for indoor office type plants. best thing since orchids if you ask me

i am planting a lot for our home. there are a few trees by us flowering so i am just waiting for the seeds to develop

[Michaelangelica]

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/05/16/...n-with-plants/
GOOD 010 - Marketplace - Plants, for Your Health

Interior plants apart from looking good have been proven to have significant health and wellbeing benefits. This is because of two major effects:

Physical - the cleaning, purification and conditioning of the air we breathe;

Psychological - the very presence of plants has been shown to increase positive feelings and reduce feelings of anxiety, anger and sadness.

There is a wealth of scientific study into the beneficial effects of plants in the interior environment including a large NASA programme. If you are interested in more detail refer to Redirect (run by NIGZ, the Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention) for a comprehensive bibliography and further links.

The major health and wellbeing benefits of interior plants include:

* · Absorption of harmful substances
* · Filtration of dust and dirt from the environment
* · Dampening of sound levels
* · Reduction of stress levels
* · Increased humidity levels
* · Cooling effect
* · Lifting of the general mood
* · Emission of oxygen refreshing the air

These benefits are important in achieving a good and healthy indoor climate in the artificial environment of the workplace as well as the home. These effects may be particularly helpful for respiratory and allergic conditions.

Our Top 10 Plants For Cleaner, Fresher Air:

Health benifits and Air cleaning of indoor and house plants


A source of propaganda you can post around the office.
Healthy green at Work | Welcome on the campaign site of Healthy Plants in the Workplace

Material

The information campaign Healthy Plants in the Workplace includes a general leaflet, a leaflet for employees, a 7-step plan for employers and a poster. You can download these materials through this website (see the link at the bottom of this page). Below we present an overview of the materials with a short description.

Feeling at home in the workplace: the advantages of plants in the office
General information leaflet about the health effects of plants in the workplace. This brochure is available in English, German, French, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Dutch.
Leaflet
A leaflet especially for employees about the health benefits of plants in the workplace.
Poster
Recurrent headaches? Burning eyes? Dry throat? Plants improve your working environment?

Healthy green at Work | Articles