We can often benefit from bringing nature inside. Studies have found that simply viewing a garden or other natural vistas can quickly reduce blood pressure and pulse rate and increases the brain activity that uplifts our mood.  We also don’t think about indoor air pollution. Air within homes and buildings can be more polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.  Since we spend around 90% of our time indoors (and even more in the winter!), it is scary to learn that the inside of most homes are two to five times more polluted than outside!

Where does indoor air pollution come from? It is created when we use toxic chemical products like household cleaners and pesticides; it’s in home furnishings like carpets, foams, and composite wood products made from fume-emitting synthetic materials; it’s in poorly vented combustion appliances like gas ranges and furnaces; it’s in the fumes coming from garbage cans and indoor composting containers, etc.

Research has shown that green and flowering plants remove toxic chemicals from our air.  The ten plants that are the top picks for removing formaldehyde (found in virtually all indoor environments), benzene (a commonly used solvent that is present in many common items) and carbon monoxide from the air are Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen, English Ivy, Gerbera Daisy, Janet Craig, Marginata, Mass Cane/Corn Plant, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Pot Mum, Peace Lily, and Warneckii.  Some other easy improvements you can make are checking your ventilation, buying a good vacuum, use cleaning products without hazard warnings on them,  prevent lead paint exposure, eliminate dust mites, and changing your filters on your heating and cooling systems.

Experiencing nature, whether through passive observance or active participation, is an important component of psychological well-being.  Look at the ways you can clean up the environment in and out of your home.