What causes Air Pollution?

Air pollution may seem complex, but we can all do our part to reduce some of it. Understanding the
different types of pollution, and how it affects our health and environment will help us take steps towards
improving the air around us. Click on the icons to find out more about the main types of air pollution.
What causes air pollution?
How much pollution we breathe in is dependent on many factors, such as access to clean energy for cooking
and heating, the time of day and the weather. Rush hour is an obvious source of local pollution, but air
pollution can travel long distances, sometimes across continents on international weather patterns. 
Nobody is safe from this pollution, which comes from five main human sources. These sources spew out a
range of substances including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ground-
level ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, and lead–all of which are harmful to human
health.
Household
The main source of household air pollution is the indoor burning of fossil fuels, wood and other biomass-
based fuels to cook, heat and light homes. Around 3.8 million premature deaths are caused by indoor air
pollution each year, the vast majority of them in the developing world.
Out of 193 countries, 97 countries have increased the percentage of households that have access to cleaner
burning fuels to over 85 percent. However, 3 billion people continue to use solid fuels and open fires for
cooking, heating, and lighting. The adoption of cleaner, more modern stoves and fuels can reduce the risks
of illness and save lives. 
Industry
In many countries, energy production is a leading source of air pollution. Coal-burning power plants are a
major contributor, while diesel generators are a growing concern in off-grid areas. Industrial processes and
solvent use, in the chemical and mining industries, also pollute the air.
Policies and programmes aimed at increasing energy efficiency and production from renewable sources have
a direct impact on a country’s air quality. At the moment, 82 countries out of 193 have incentives that
promote investment in renewable energy production, cleaner production, energy efficiency and pollution
control. 
Transport
The global transport sector accounts for almost one-quarter of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and
this proportion is rising. Transport emissions have been linked to nearly 400,000 premature deaths. Almost
half of all deaths by air pollution from transport are caused by diesel emissions, while those living closest to
major traffic arteries are up to 12 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
Reducing vehicle emissions is an important intervention to improve air quality, especially in urban areas.
Policies and standards that require the use of cleaner fuels and advanced vehicle emissions standards can
reduce vehicle emissions by 90 percent or more.
Agriculture
There are two major sources of air pollution from agriculture: livestock, which produces methane and
ammonia, and the burning of agricultural waste. Methane emissions contribute to ground-level ozone, which
causes asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Methane is also a more potent global warming gas than carbon
dioxide – its impact is 34 times greater over a 100-year period. Around 24 percent of all greenhouse gases
emitted worldwide come agriculture, forestry and other land-use.
There are many ways to reduce air pollution from this source. People can move to a plant-based diet and/or
reduce food waste, while farmers can reduce methane from livestock by optimizing feed digestibility and
improving grazing and grassland management. 
Waste
Open waste burning and organic waste in landfills release harmful dioxins, furans, methane, and black
carbon into the atmosphere. Globally, an estimated 40 percent of waste is openly burned. The problem is
most severe in urbanizing regions and developing countries. Open burning of agricultural and municipal
waste is practiced in 166 out of 193 countries.
Improving the collection, separation, and disposal of solid waste reduces the amount of waste that is burned
or landfilled. Separating organic waste and turning it into compost or bioenergy improves soil fertility and
provides an alternative energy source. Reducing the estimated one-third of all food that is lost or wasted can
also improve air quality.
Other sources
Not all air pollution comes from human activity. Volcanic eruptions, dust storms and other natural processes
also cause problems. Sand and dust storms are particularly concerning. Fine particles of dust can travel
thousands of miles on the back of these storms, which may also carry pathogens and harmful substances,
causing acute and chronic respiratory problems.
Nine out of ten people breathe polluted air. From 24 May, through to #WorldEnvironmentDay on June 5, we
are calling on everyone to join the Mask Challenge. Face masks are a great symbol to show leaders we want
to breathe clean air. Alongside celebrities, influencers and creators, the World Environment Day campaign
invites everyone to:
Decide what action you are going to take to #BeatAirPollution
Here are some examples:
Use public transport or car sharing, cycle or walk
Switch to a hybrid or electric vehicle and request electric taxis
Turn off the car engine when stationary
Reduce your consumption of meat and dairy to help cut methane emissions
Compost organic food items and recycle non-organic trash
Switch to high-efficiency home heating systems and equipment
Save energy: turn off lights and electronics when not in use 
Choose non-toxic paints and furnishings
 
1. Make a pledge and challenge others to take action
May 24th – June 4th
Take a photo or video of yourself wearing a mask to post on social media. Don't have a
mask?
Get creative and make your own!
In your post share the action you’ll take to reduce air pollution
Tag 3 people/organizations/ companies to challenge them to do the same.
Use #WorldEnvironmentDay and #BeatAirPollution in your social media posts and don’t
forget to tag @UNEnvironment.
 
2. On World Environment Day, show how you have fulfilled your pledge!
Take another photo or video of yourself fulfilling your commitment and post it on social media.
Use #WorldEnvironmentDay and #BeatAirPollution in your social media posts and don’t forget to
tag @UNEnvironment. 
Statistics for World Environment Day
5 June, 2019
The Problem  
 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air.
 Only 1 in 10 cities have air quality measures that meet World Health Organization standards.
 Globally, 93 per cent of all children live in environments where air pollution levels are above WHO
guidelines.
 According to the WHO, 97 per cent of cities in low- and middle-income countries with more than
100,000 inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality guidelines.
 According to the WHO, 49 per cent of cities in high-income countries with more than 100,000
inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality guidelines.
 Approximately 3 billion people depend on burning solid fuels or kerosene to meet household energy
needs.
 The 2019 IPCC 1.5C Special Report concluded that reaching a sustainable mitigation pathway to
1.5C can only be achieved with deep and simultaneous reductions of carbon dioxide and all climate-
forcing emissions, including short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) like methane and black carbon.
 Fifty-five cities, countries and regions have signed up to the BreatheLife campaign with 173 actions
benefiting over 153 million citizens.
Air Pollution Impacts on Environment
 If the world were to reduce the emissions of methane, black carbon and other short-lived climate
pollutants, global warming could be slowed by up to 0.5°C over the next few decades.
  Ground-level ozone, formed by reactions between methane, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
compounds in the presence of sunlight, is another damaging pollutant.
 Tropospheric ozone pollution is a major cause of crop yield loss from air pollution, and on average
reduces global yields of rice, wheat, corn, and soy by up to 16% per year.
 Tropospheric ozone pollution is the major cause of crop yield loss from air pollution, reducing global
average crop yields by 3-16 per cent.
 South Asia is estimated to be losing 5-36 per cent of its staple crops yields to ozone pollution.
 Tropospheric ozone reduces plants’ ability to absorb CO2 and sequester carbon.
Air Pollution Impacts on Public Health
 Air pollution causes adverse health effects, including asthma and other respiratory illnesses and heart
disease.
 Air pollution is damaging our brains, making us ill, and shortening our lives.
 Air pollution has been linked to diabetes, increased risk of dementia, impaired cognitive
development and lower intelligence levels.
 Air pollution has also been linked to cataracts, ear infections, stunting, diabetes, and neurological
disorders.
 Household air pollution is particularly harmful to women and children due to their traditional home-
based roles in many cultures.
 Volatile Organic Compounds can build up to 1,000 times outdoor levels within homes, and can cause
Sick Building Syndrome, cancer, and damage to our liver, kidney, nervous system and mental
performance.
 The International Energy Agency has estimated that annual investments of $4.7 billion could achieve
universal access to clean cooking by 2030, improving health, reducing deforestation and decreasing
greenhouse gas emissions.
Air Pollution Links to the Climate
 Black carbon, which is produced by diesel engines, burning trash and dirty cookstoves, is one of the
largest contributors to global warming after carbon dioxide.
 Methane is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in warming our planet, when it is in the
atmosphere.
 Forty per cent of human-generated methane comes from agriculture, primarily rice paddies and
livestock production.
Economic Costs of Air Pollution
 According to the World Bank, air pollution costs the global economy more than $5 trillion every
year in welfare costs.
 Ground-level ozone is expected to reduce staple crop yields by 26 per cent by 2030, creating food
security and nutrition challenges.
 The sixth Global Environmental Outlook said climate mitigation actions for achieving the Paris
Agreement targets would cost about US$22 trillion, but the combined health benefits from reduced
air pollution could amount to an additional US$54 trillion.
 An Oxford University study found that air pollution from cars and vans cost British society more
than 6 billion pounds per year.
Measuring Air Pollution
 Nearly all air pollutants impact the climate: some of these pollutants such as black carbon, methane
and ground-level ozone, are known as short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) because they strongly
contribute to global warming, dealing a double blow to life on earth.
 There is no ‘safe level’ of exposure to particulate matter pollution. All levels of exposure come with
some risk of negative health effects.
Pollution Hotspots
 According to the 2019 State of Global Air report, annual PM2.5 exposures in 2017 were highest in
South Asia, where Nepal (100 µg/m3), India (91 µg/m3), Bangladesh (61 µg/m3), and Pakistan (58
µg/m3) had the highest exposures.
According to the 2019 State of Global Air report, the region with the second-highest PM2.5 exposures in
2017 was western sub-Saharan Africa, where Niger (94 µg/m3), Cameroon (73 µg/ m3), Nigeria (72
µg/m3), Chad (66 µg/m3), and Mauritania (47 µg/m3) had the highest exposures.
Nairobi, 15 March 2019 – Today, the head of Chinese delegation, Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister of Ecology
and Environment, and Joyce Msuya, Acting Head of UN Environment, jointly announced that China will
host the global World Environment Day celebrations on 5 June 2019 with a theme of air pollution.
Approximately 7 million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution, with about 4
million of these deaths occurring in Asia-Pacific. World Environment Day 2019 will urge governments,
industry, communities, and individuals to come together to explore renewable energy and green
technologies, and improve air quality in cities and regions across the world. 
The Government of China has committed to organizing World Environment Day celebrations across
multiple cities, with Hangzhou, in the province of Zhejiang, to host the main event.
The announcement comes as environment ministers from across the globe participate in the world’s highest-
level environmental forum in Nairobi. Negotiations at the Fourth UN Environment Assembly 11-15 March
are expected to tackle critical issues such as stopping food waste and promoting the spread of electric cars. It
also follows the publication of a review report of 20 Years’ of air pollution control in Beijing.
“China will be a great global host of 2019’s World Environment Day celebrations,” said Joyce
Msuya at the announcement on Friday. “The country has demonstrated tremendous leadership in
tackling air pollution domestically. It can now help spur the world to greater action. Air pollution is
a global emergency affecting everyone. China will now be leading the push and stimulating global
action to save millions of lives.”
China with its growing green energy sector, has emerged as a climate leader. The country owns
half the world’s electric vehicles and 99 percent of the world’s electric buses. By hosting World
Environment Day 2019, the Chinese government will be able to showcase its innovation and
progress toward a cleaner environment.
According to a new UN report on air pollution in Asia and the Pacific, implementing 25
technology policies could see up to a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide and a 45 per cent
reduction in methane emissions globally, leading to a third of a degree Celsius saving of global
warming.
World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event, which takes place on June 5 every
year and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide.
Since it began in 1972, it has grown to become the single largest celebration of our environment
each year.
Air Pollution facts:
 92 per cent of people worldwide do not breathe clean air
 Air pollution costs the global economy $5 trillion every year in welfare costs
 Ground-level ozone pollution is expected to reduce staple crop yields by 26 per cent by
2030
STORY
 In our all-too-hectic urban lives, a city park is a great place to unwind. Trees and green spaces have
mental health and well-being benefits, on top of being great for relaxation and recreation.
 Trees also help reduce air pollution. According to the study Tree and forest effects on air quality and
human health in the United States, particulate matter, which is particularly damaging to lungs, is
retained on tree surfaces, while leaves act as filters, absorbing polluting gases.
 But the study also warns that while trees can mitigate the effect of air pollution, deposits of air
pollutants on leaves can also affect photosynthesis “and therefore potentially affect pollution removal
by trees”. As with everything, balance is key.
The cooling effect of trees
 Trees can also significantly cool temperatures in cities. In hot climates, tree cover can reduce energy
expenditure on air conditioning, while driving down the consumption of air polluting fossil fuels that
power these cooling systems. Experimental investigations and modelling studies in the United States
have shown that shade from trees can reduce the air conditioning costs of detached houses by 20–30
per cent.
 “Trees could reduce temperatures in cities up to 8°C, lowering use of air conditioning and related
emissions by up to 40 per cent,” says Simone Borelli, an Agroforestry and Urban/Periurban Forestry
Officer with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
 “When part of a wider landscape mosaic, large green patches within and around cities would also
reduce emissions through avoided sprawl and excess mobility requirements,” he adds.  
 PHOTO BY US FOREST SERVICE
 Urban tree-planting has to be done right. Species planted should be ones that are most effective at
trapping pollution, typically those with large leaves. Officials also need to account for things like
wind patterns and tree spacing. If water is scarce, they’ll want to consider drought-tolerant varieties,
and avoid trees that increase pollen and allergies.
 Action is all the more important given that urbanization is accelerating—the proportion of people
living in cities will be 60 per cent in 2030 and 66 per cent in 2050. Nearly 90 per cent of this increase
will occur in Africa and Asia. To address the impacts of this rapid growth and the related challenges,
a large-scale effort is needed.
Building the Great Green Wall of Cities
 Nearly 8,000 km long and 15 km wide, the Great Green Wall is an African-led movement of epic
proportions initiated in 2007 to green the entire width of northern Africa, a semi-arid region
extending from Senegal to Djibouti. A decade in and roughly 15 per cent under way, the initiative is
slowly bringing life back to some of Africa’s degraded landscapes, providing food security, jobs and
a reason to stay for the millions who live along its path. 
 An initiative of this nature in urban areas is being developed by the Food and Agriculture
Organization and other partners in preparation for the UN Climate Summit in September 2019. It
aims to create up to 500,000 hectares of new urban forests and restore or maintain up to 300,000 ha
of existing natural forests in and around 90 cities of the Sahel and Central Asia by 2030. Once
established, this “Great Green Wall of Cities” would capture 0.5–5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per
year and stock carbon for centuries. 
A PARK IN BANGKOK: URBAN GREEN SPACES CAN HAVE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS.
PHOTO BY PXHERE
 On 1 March 2019 the UN General Assembly established the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
2021-2030, which should give further impetus to tree-planting efforts.
 “UN Environment promotes the planting of trees as a key way to mitigate climate change and boost
land-based biodiversity, 80 per cent of which is in forests,” says Tim Christophersen, head of UN
Environment’s Freshwater, Land and Climate Branch, and Chair of the Global Partnership on Forest
and Landscape Restoration. “We are working with partners across the planet to boost tree planting
for ecosystem restoration. There is scope for planting one trillion more trees, in addition to the 3
trillion that already exist on Earth. But it has to be done right; planting indigenous trees, supported
by local communities, is a good way to go.”
Let the stones gather some moss
 In those forest ecosystems, trees are not alone in cleaning the air. An ambitious project by Greencity
Solutions in Berlin, Germany, seeks to marry high-tech applications with another natural air purifier:
moss.
 “The ability of certain moss cultures to filter pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides
from the air makes them ideal natural air purifiers,” says Greencity Solutions.
 “But in cities, where air purification is a great challenge, mosses are barely able to survive due to
their need for water and shade. This problem can be solved by connecting different mosses with fully
automated water and nutrient provision based on unique Internet of things technology,” it explains.
 Or by planting more trees that will provide the cover and humidity, that will help moss take hold and
grow.
 What makes the Indoor Air Polluted?
 10 Best Indoor Air Purifying Plants
o Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum)
o Peace Lily
o Snake Plant
o Areca Palm Plant
o Rubber Plant
o Aloe Vera
o Weeping Fig
o English Ivy
o Chinese Evergreen
o Spider Plant
What makes the Indoor Air Polluted?
There are many different gases and organic compounds that are constantly present in the indoor air.
Continuous exposure to these compounds (even in low quantities) can adversely impact health and well-
being.
Here are the common ones:
Formaldehyde
It is an organic compound that can be found in many household products such as plywood, particle board,
building materials, glues, paints, paper products, cosmetics, etc.
Exposure to formaldehyde can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. High levels of exposure
may cause some types of cancers.
Benzene
Benzene is an organic compound that is released in the air from building materials, furniture, plywood,
particle board. LPG cooking gas also adds to benzene levels in the air. Another source of benzene could be
photocopying machines or printers (which are quite common in offices and even homes). If you smoke
inside your home, then it can be one of the biggest contributors to benzene in the indoor air. Exposure to
benzene can lead to headaches, dizziness, insomnia, and nausea.
Carbon Mono Oxide
Carbon mono oxide is a gas. Cigarette smoke and smoke from automobiles are the major causes of carbon
mono-oxide in the indoor air. Your house is more likely to have these if you stay close to a busy street with
vehicles or you regularly smoke inside your house.
Exposure to carbon monoxide can lead to fatigue, dizziness, irregular breathing, nausea, headache, and
coughing.
Toluene
Toluene is an organic compound that is released into the air by building materials, chemical cleaners,
polishes, adhesive products, oils etc. Exposure to toluene has been shown to cause eye, nose, and throat
irritation as well as headaches, dizziness, and feelings of intoxication. It also has neurological effects and
can impact performance and short-term memory.
Xylene
Xylene is a volatile organic compound that is found in paints, adhesives, rust preventers, thinners, gasoline,
and permanent magic markers. Exposure to Xylene can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat,
difficulty in breathing, and dizziness.
Ammonia
Ammonia is an odorless gas that can be released by construction material. Humans also release ammonia
during urination. Exposure to concentrated levels of ammonia can cause headaches, nausea and burning
sensation in eyes, nose, throat and skin.
Trichloroethylene
Trichloroethylene is a Volatile Organic Compound that can be released by varnishes, lubricants, adhesives,
typewriter correction fluid, paint removers, and chemical cleaners. Exposure to trichloroethylene can result
in effects to the immune and reproductive systems, liver, kidneys, central nervous system, and may affect
fetal development during pregnancy.
Since the above VOCs and gases are often present in our homes and offices, using indoor plants that remove
these from the air can have a significant positive impact on our health.
10 Best Indoor Air Purifying Plants
Here I am listing the top 10 air purifying plants that you can find in India that remove the above-mentioned
pollutants.
I have also listed useful details about each indoor plant that may help you make a decision.
Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum)
Money plant is known by many different names – Devils Ivy, Goldon Pothos, or Scindapsus Aureus.
It’s called money plant as it is associated with good luck and prosperity. It has heart-shaped leaves that are
green in color with some golden tinge to it. These are mostly used as indoor plants and can be planted in soil
as well as water. One of the great things about Money Plant is that you can cut a part of an existing money
plant and put it in water (or soil) and it will start growing there. If you’re growing it in water, you need to
change the water every week. Money Plant is a great choice for the living room and bedroom. It is one of
those plants that continue to give out oxygen at night, which makes it suitable for bedrooms too. Money
plant help removes many Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air such as formaldehyde, xylene,
toluene, benzene, and carbon monoxide. These VOCs are often a result of off-gassing from carpets, curtains,
furniture, and paint.
Peace Lily
Peace Lily is also known as the Cobra Plant. This is because of the white flower of the Peace Lily plant that
looks like the hood of a cobra. It is a sturdy plant with pointed dark green oval leaves and white flowers.
Peace Lily can grow in low-light and is often used as an indoor plant in homes and offices. It has been
shown to effectively remove benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethane from the air.
Snake Plant
Snake Plant is also known as the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue plant. Snake plant effectively removes
formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and benzene from the air. It is also known as the bedroom
plant as it continues to give out oxygen during the night (just like Money Plant). It is also quite low
maintenance and it wouldn’t die if you forget to water it for a few days (even weeks). It acts as a natural
humidifier which helps fighting dry eyes/skin. Since it has wide fleshy leaves, it also helps in reducing the
noise pollution by absorbing sound waves.
Areca Palm Plant
Areca Palm plant is also known as the yellow butterfly palm and golden cane palm. According to NASA’s
research, the areca palm tree has the 8th highest removal rate for formaldehyde and it is the best air
purifying plant. It is also an excellent natural humidifier. A 6 feet tall plant can transpire ~1 liter of water in
24 hours. It removes benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene from the air.
Rubber Plant
Rubber plant is also known as Ficus Elastica and Indian Rubber Bush Plant. It is highly efficient in
removing formaldehyde from the air. It also removes bio-effluents from the air. It has been observed that as
time passes, rubber plant get more efficient in purifying the air and cleaning the VOCs. Note that Rubber
plant is toxic to pets.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a medicinal plant that can be found in many households in India. The gel in the leaves can be
used to treat cuts and burns, as well as to moisturize the skin. Apart from its medicinal benefits, Aloe Vera is
also very effective in purifying the air (especially Benzene which is found in paints and chemical cleaners).
Apart from Benzene, it also removes formaldehyde – which is released by off-gassing from carpets, curtains,
and furniture. Aloe Vera plants can also be kept in the bedroom as it continues to give out oxygen and
absorb carbon-di-oxide during the night.
Weeping Fig
It is also known as  Ficus Benjamina. According to the NASA study, this indoor plant is effective in
removing pollutants that get generated from carpets, curtains, and furniture – i.e., formaldehyde, benzene,
trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene. Note that Weeping fig is poisonous for pets.
English Ivy
English Ivy is also known as European Ivy and Hedera Helix. It effectively removes benzene, formaldehyde,
xylene, and toluene from the air. It also reduces air-borne fecal matter particles and is good for people with
asthma problems. Some studies have also shown that it helps reduce molds in the house.
Chinese Evergreen
Chinese Evergreen plant has a patterned look and can add to the decor of your house. It removes benzene,
carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.
Spider Plant
Spider plant is also called Chlorophytum comosum. It’s a flowering herb and can produce white flowers.
According to the NASA clean air study, it removes formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air. It
doesn’t need a lot of care and is often used in living rooms and offices.
It’s tempting to think that the air inside your house or office is fresh and clean—after all, it probably doesn’t
have any noticeable odor, and if you’re reading this magazine you probably have the windows open every
chance you get (weather permitting). But the truth is that indoor air. quality can be, well, deceiving. Unless
all your furniture, paint, carpeting and flooring are organic, eco-friendly and pure, chances are there is some
moderate to substantial off-gassing going on (off-gassing is when synthetic materials or chemicals naturally
degrade, releasing harmful particles into the air).
 “The air inside the average home is up to five times more polluted than the air outside”
 In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside the average home is up to
five times more polluted than the air outside. While moderately alarming on a certain level, it’s really more
of a catalyst for making positive changes in one’s life that not only freshen up the air, but also allow us to
more intimately connect with nature—not merely when we’re outside, but in the comfort of our own living
and working spaces. The remedy? Air purifying plants, of course.
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria trifasciata
Long, tongue-like leaves with sharp pointed tips earn Sansevieria trifasciata the endearingly euphemistic
name of Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, although certain varieties also resemble the geometrically patterned
scales of a snake. The sturdy leaves of Sansevieria shoot upwards majestically, with beautiful twists and
turns that resemble a mobius strip. One of the top air purifying plants identified by NASA, Sansevieria
removes at least 107 known air pollutants, including carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide,
formaldehyde, chloroform, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethylene among many others. Sansevieria also
produces copious amounts of oxygen throughout the night, making it an excellent plant to keep in the
bedroom. Best of all, Sansevieria is an extremely resilient species that can go for weeks without water and
seems to thrive in just about any climate, including those with low light, although they do appreciate direct
sunlight and fresh air on occasion, which is characteristic of their native habitat of Madagascar.
Money Plant Epipremnum aureum
Native to Australia and Asia, the money plant earns its common name from its traditional use as a wealth
and prosperity booster in the Chinese system of feng shui, which is the ancient art of harmonizing indoor
spaces via the strategic placement of furniture, plants and other common household objects.Whether or not it
brings you greater material abundance, Epipremnum aureum is a powerful air purifying plant that will clean
the air in your house very effectively, due to its particular affinity for volatile organic compounds (otherwise
known as VOCs) most commonly in the form of off-gassing from synthetic paint or carpets. With long,
wandering vines, don’t be surprised if your Money Plant slowly takes over your room, with vines reaching
up to 30 to 40 feet. You can, of course, trim them if you want to keep your plant more modest. Epipremnum
aureum does best in rooms with indirect light and requires regular watering. Be warned, however, the leaves
of the plant are toxic when ingested and if you have dogs, cats or small children, you may want to keep the
plant suspended in a pot well out of reach.
Peace Lily Spathiphyllum
The Peace Lily is a deep, forest green plant with beautiful (although fickle) white flowers. It’s a great
general cleanser and air purifying plant that effectively removes all common indoor pollutants generated by
furniture, electronics and cleaning products, so much so that it is one of NASA’s top-ranked plants for this
purpose. The Peace Lily does well in indirect light and requires minimal watering with the general guideline
being once every four to five days. In hotter climates it may need water more frequently, and you’ll know
it’s overdue when the leaves begin to weep.
Bamboo Palm Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
Also known as the Butterfly Palm and the Areca Palm, the Bamboo Palm is another hardy plant native to
Madagascar that does an excellent job as an indoor, air purifying plant, with a particular penchant for
formaldehydes, benzene and carbon monoxide. As an added benefit beyond air purification,
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens is also a natural humidifier, producing a liter of ambient water every 24 hours,
making it a well suited plant for dry climates or those with breathing troubles. Bamboo Palms grow rapidly
and can become quite large (up to 20 feet in height), but you can limit their vertical reach by keeping them
confined to smaller pots. They prefer bright, filtered light and enjoy being watered frequently when growing,
however, in the winter months they tend to need less.