WHY YOU SHOULD PUT PLANTS IN YOUR PLACE OF BUSINESS

Indoor plants are a good investment for any company due to the psychological benefits they have on employees and customers.

Plants filter the air and provide oxygen. The air quality in an airtight home or office is usually worse than outdoor air due to lack of airflow no where for carbon to escape, use of toxic cleaners and toxins in furniture and technological devices. Since a good deal of time is spent inside one's home and/or office space, then measures to improve that air quality are in order.

NASA's chosen plants for purifying indoor air…

The National Aeronautic and Space Agency (NASA) researched plants' abilities to eliminate air pollutants, presumably to determine how to decorate a space station and help the air stay oxygenated and fresh. The plants in your office or home are not only decorative, but NASA scientists have found houseplants surprisingly useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside modern buildings. A sophisticated pollution-absorbing device: the common indoor plants may provide a natural way of helping combat “Sick Building Syndrome”.

The phenomenon known as sick building syndrome (SBS) came to light in the 1970s. Because of the petroleum shortage, the cost of heating and cooling traditional structures became burdensome to home and business owners.

For this reason, builders and building designers sought to reduce the cost of heating and cooling by using maximum energy efficiency building techniques. This involved using synthetic super insulation and reducing the exchange of fresh air. While these two innovations indeed did save energy when heating and cooling buildings, they also resulted in some allergy-related health problems among people working and living in these newly designed buildings. It soon became apparent that building airtight structures using lots of synthetic materials caused inhabitants to lack the oxygen they needed while experiencing dangerous levels of exposure to a phenomenon known as off-gassing. This happens when synthetic materials used in building construction and in the creation of modern office equipment and furnishings release volatile organic compounds (VOC). These compounds contribute to poor health in a wide variety of ways.

The earliest recognized symptoms of SBS include:

• Respiratory congestion

• Sinus congestion

• Itching eyes

• Skin Rashes

• Drowsiness

• Headaches

Over the past 30 years, the causes and the definition of SBS have been explored and expanded.

We now recognize that there are also psychological components and instances of increased development of serious diseases, such as certain cancers. These days we can realize a wide variety of factors that contribute to this phenomenon. Among them are:

#1 – Chemical contaminants may be introduced through both outside and inside sources. Faulty ventilation systems can bring in toxins from car exhaust, hazardous manufacturing and other sources. The contaminants introduced in this manner include:

• Formaldehyde

• Lead paint

• Pesticides

• Asbestos

• Radon

Simultaneously, indoor sources of contaminants include:

• Manufactured wood products

• Combustion byproducts

• Particulate matter

• Copy machines

• Cleaning agents

• Tobacco smoke

• Upholstery

• Adhesives

• Carpeting

Synthetic fragrances and other ingredients included in cleaning products, personal care products and more also contribute to the problem.

#2 – Biological contamination can also cause SBS symptoms. Contaminants such as:

• Insect droppings

• Bird droppings

• Bacteria

• Viruses

• Fungus gnats

• Pollen

• Mold

• Dust

…can also be brought in via faulty ventilation systems. Poor ventilation also fails to carry interior contaminants out of the building.

#3 – Electromagnetic radiation is another serious cause of SBS. This problem is caused by electronic equipment such as computers, TVs, microwaves and also ungrounded electrical wiring.

All of these things are sources of positive ions. Excessive exposure to positive ions can cause suppressed immune function, cancer, anxiety, sleeplessness, emotional distress and more. [source]

#4 – The atmosphere or “feeling” of a building can also cause symptoms of SBS. For example, a very stressful workplace may produce a wide variety of adverse physical symptoms. A workplace that is inappropriately lit can also result in headaches, depression and other health problems.

NASA recommends placing 15 to 18 of your choices from their researched plants in an 1800 square foot or 167 square meter dwelling or office. Obviously, less are required for smaller spaces. Just make sure the plants are as large as possible for their types.

These plants can help reduce all sorts of serious air pollutants, even benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene, as well as microbial pathogens. Living in low pollution areas still leaves you with chemicals released from particle boards and fiber glass insulation materials. The plants reduce air toxins and carbon dioxide while increasing oxygen levels and humidity.

They also found that pots filled with soil but no plants did a fair job of removing chemicals from the air. The combination of the living microbes in the soil and the respiration of the plants resulted in the highest reduction of toxins and improvement in the ambient air quality.

NASA's choices are:

* English ivy (Hedera helix)
* Spider plant (Chlorphytum comosum)
* Golden pothos (Epipemnum aureum)
* Peace lily (Spathiphyllum Mauna Loa)
* Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
* Bamboo or reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)
* Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
* Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens oxycardium)
* Selloum philodendron (Philodendrum selloum)
* Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendrum domesticum)
* Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
* Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragrans Massangeana)
* Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis Janet Craig
* Warneck dracaena (Dreacaena dermenisis Waneckii)
* Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)

Plants increase overall well-being…

Plants reduce stress, increase productivity and overall satisfaction. The more we learn about the biophilic connection human beings have with nature, the more we also realize how damaging it is to shut people off from the outside environment in sterile offices all day. It’s simply unnatural and unhealthy.  

Plants improve the ambience of an office or commercial space.

Plants add cheer. They make a room feel fresher, and more open. They draw the eye away from clutter. Often a space can feel cramped and claustrophobic with many people working together. Plants are not only aesthetically pleasing they clean the air. They create privacy and relaxing atmosphere. Plants add personality and your clients or employees will always favor a space with plants than without. Plants are warm and welcoming and relaxing. They embody qualities we look for in friends and partners. Plants are a biological necessity and humans feel at a loss without them.

It is a whole lot less expensive to improve your workplace environment by incorporating nature through plants than to issue headphones, buy massive computer monitors or put the walls back up.

It’s not a coincidence people added indoor plants to their homes in record numbers during the coronavirus pandemic. It was driven by our instinctual bond with nature to find ways to make ourselves feel better during very anxious times.