LiveWise^© with GreenStar^©

HealthWise^© Phytoremediation: Plants That Clean the Air

Natural Solutions to Improve Indoor Air Quality

The most important feature of our HealthWise^© program is preparing our residential and commercial clients with information, products and services; which allow them to live and work in safe and healthy environments.

Perhaps the greatest health and safety concern addressed in HealthWise^© centers upon the quality of air inside of buildings.  On a daily basis people are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of chemical compounds, pollutants, contaminates, and toxic substances. These biological and man made toxins undermine and compromise the health, safety and quality of life for millions of unsuspecting individuals and their families both at home and where they work.

Most people believe that indoor environments are safe from the dangers of air pollution. Yet scientific research consistently demonstrates that indoor environments may be as much as 10 times more polluted than outdoor air.

Poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is associated with allergies, respiratory problems and many other chronic illnesses / conditions. In fact, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air pollution as one of the top % leading threats to Public Health.

THERE ARE 3 PRIMARY SOURCES OF POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY

 1.      Air Tight Buildings & Their Synthetic VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)   ladened construction materials and furnishings

 2.      Reduced Ventilation in Buildings

 3.      Human Bioeffluents / Biological Contaminants

 People living in modern societies spend as much as 90% of their lives indoor. As a result exposure to indoor toxins is much greater in terms of duration and concentration. Yet 10’s of millions of people fail to recognize the seriousness of the problem, or even worse, fail to realize a major health risk even exists.

 The number and severity of allergic reactions has skyrocketed since the mid 1970’s. It was at that time the building industry began to hermetically seal buildings and reduce fresh air exchanges. This government lead initiative was designed to reduce fuel consumption for heating and air conditioning.

Proper ventilation helps to control indoor air pollution, assuming of course that the air outdoors is safe and clean. Ventilation is required to remove moisture, heat, odors, and pollutants. A properly installed and performing ventilation system is a highly tuned balancing effort designed to provide a comfortable, safe and healthy indoor environment without causing excessive or needless energy consumption.

 Allergies and respiratory infections are well-known results of faulty or poorly maintained HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) systems. Maintenance of these systems is a critical factor in assuring good Indoor Air Quality. Air filters when regularly cleaned or replaced help remove impurities from outside air as it enters buildings; But what can be done to remove, from the air, toxins and correct health issues that originate inside a building?

  For Example: High and Low relative humidity levels are associated with poor IAQ. Healthy humidity levels usually range –5% between 35% and 65%. Below 30% relative humidity, dry, arid conditions irritate sensitive membranes in the eyes, nose and throat. This condition increases susceptibility to airborne chemicals, viruses and allergies causing frequent colds, allergic reactions and asthma attacks.

 High humidity levels above 70% create an entirely different set of IAQ problems. Humidity in this range fosters the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. It causes damage to furniture, electronics and building materials. High humidity can contribute to the increased, release of toxic chemicals and compounds associated with indoor air pollution.

TOXIC EMISSIONS SURROUND YOU!

In the Past few decades there has been an unhealthy and unsafe change in the composition of most manufactured products, especially building materials and furnishings. Furnishings in the home and office are no longer made of mostly natural, sustainable materials; but instead are composed of a synthetic soup of often toxic chemicals, glues, resins, and additives. These manufactured products, designed for our comfort, work or pleasure are found everywhere. Most of the things we use are manufactured with hundreds of synthetic materials known to release an even greater number of VOC’s into the air we breathe.

Often these products are manufactured abroad by companies in countries with few if any consumer protection laws and policies. There is little to no oversight, and even fewer penalties for companies who produce unhealthy and unsafe products.

Principal among these debilitating toxins are FORMALDEHYDE, XYLENE, BENZENE, TRIGHLOROETHYLENE, AMMONIA, ALCOHOLS, ACETONE and CARBON MONOXIDE, along with hundreds of their poisonous, chemically related brothers, sisters, and cousins.

Unfortunately humans themselves are a source of pollution. This is especially apparent when large numbers of people live or work enclosed, poorly ventilated areas for extended periods of time. Substances we emit into the air through normal biological processes are called Bioeffluents. Studies have found that bioeffluents emitted from each person into the air can contain a wide variety of as many as 150 volatile substances. Principal among these are ACETONE, HUMAN SKIN, ETHYL ALCOHOL, METHYL ALCOHOL, and ETHYL ACETATE. In addition to human bioeffluents there are several other sources of biological pollution / contaminants. Most notable of these are BACTERIA, VIRUSES, FUNGUS, MOLD, POLLEN, INSESTS, MICRO-ORGANISMS, PET HAIR / DANDER, and BIRD DROPPINGS.

Many of these chemical, bioeffluent and biological substances individually, by themselves, are very dangerous, and create extremely unhealthy and unsafe living and workplace environments. In combination with each other, they can be and have been fatal.

HEALTH SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY:

·        ALLERGIES                                                       

·        ASTHMA

·        EYE, NOSE & THROAT IRRITATIONS

·        FATIGUE

·        HEADACHES

·        NERVOUS-SYSTEM DISORDERS

·        RESPIRATORY CONGESTION

·        SINUS CONGESTION

·        FIBROMYALGIA

·        CANCER

·        DEPRESSION

·        DIZZINESS

·        DERMATALOGICAL PROBLEMS

·        HAIR LOSS

·        HEART PALPITATIONS

·        PREGNANCY PROBLEMS

·        NAUSEA

·        NEUROPATHY

·        SENSITIVITY TO ODORS

·        ENDERMA

·        WEIGHT GAIN

·        WELLNESS AWAY FROM BUILDING 

Unhealthy Indoor Air Quality also known as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a very serious medical concern. You may not be able to see, hear, smell or taste the problem; but you can certainly feel it. Mycotoxins and other contaminates can cause major organ damage, affecting every organ from the brain on down. Pollutants can also cause many to experience a condition known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), which can be very debilitating as well.

SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY:

1. INCREASE & IMPROVE VENTILATION

2. IDENTIFY, REMOVE & REMEDIATE POLLUTANT SOURCES

3. NATURAL (BOTANICAL) & MECHANICAL AIR CLEANING

4. EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION

     5.   GREEN PURCHASING PRACTICES OF PRODUCTS & SERVICES THAT

            ARE HEALTHY, SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, & ECO-FRIENDLY

BENEFITS OF PLANTS IN THE RESIDENSE & WORK PLACE

• PLANTS DECREASE STRESS WHILE IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY BY AS MUCH AS 12%
• PLANTS CONTRIBUTE TO GREEN/SUSTAINABLE BUILDING DESIGN WHILE LOWERING OPERATIONS AND MAINTAINANCE COSTS
• PLANTS IN THE WORKPLACE ATTRACT, RETAIN AND ENHANCE ATTITUDES OF SELECTIVE HIGHLY SKILLED EMPLOYEES
  
• PLANTS CREATE DRAMATIC AESTHETIC VALUE
• PLANTS ASSISST WITH BOTTOM LINE SAVINGS, IMPROVING HEALTH AND REDUCING SICK LEAVE EXPENSES
• PLANTS MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING WITHOUT SICK BUILDING SYNDROME
• PLANTS HELP REDUCE DISTRACTIONS DUE TO HOME/OFFICE NOISE
• PLANTS HELP KEEP HUMIDITY LEVELS WITHIN A HEALTHY RANGE

Plants offer a natural, energy efficient, solution to cleaner Indoor Air. Most studies indicate that 1-2 medium size plants (6 inch containers or larger) per 100 square feet, of living or workspace, are all that is necessary to improve IAQ.

Dr. B.C. Wolverton, one of the most respected names in horticultural research and Senior Research Scientist for NASA has identified and tested dozen of plants which have substantial air cleaning capabilities. Various varieties of these plants have been found to have the ability, through their natural processes, to be able to remove many of the most toxic contaminants found in our homes and workplaces. Listed below are the common names of 16 of the most effective plants for treating indoor air pollution and improving Indoor Air Quality. There are other plants, which also work well; but those listed here are essential to your first line of natural defense against the toxins we are exposed to every day.

MOST EFFECTIVE INDOOR AIR CLEANING PLANTS

·        ARECA PALM

·        LADY PALM

·        BAMBO PALM

·        RUBBER PLANT

·        DRACAENA-JANET CRAIG

·        ENGLISH IVY

·        DWARF DATE PALM

·        FICUS ALII

·        BOSTON FERN

·        WEEPING FIG

·        PEACE LILY

·        CHINESE EVERGREEN

·        CORN PLANT

·        FLORIST”S MUM

·        GERBERA DAISY

·        SPIDER PLANT

A GreenStar^© HealthWise^© Consultant and help you determine which mix / combination of plants are best suited for your indoor environments. Each of these varieties is easy to care for and maintain. They each have preferred ranges of light, temperature, root moisture, humidity, potting media and toxic removal rates. Some plants are better when children and pets are a consideration. Each of them offers the ability to improve the health and safety of your home and workplace, they remove the things that can harm and replace them with clean, quality, fresh air …..literally making it possible for you and those you live and work with to LiveWise and Breathe Easier.