An Initiative of WCTE and CPB

An Initiative of WCTE and CPB

05:2912:3819:48

Almanac

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Thursday, 19 November 2009 13:53

  Indoor gardens can have several benefits in the autumn and winter: They bring some life and light into your space, help purify stale indoor air, can engender more productivity in the workplace, and are easy to maintain. 
House plants as filters?  Increased productivity?  Simply from having plants in your home?  Indeed! 
Houseplants create a healthier environment by absorbing chemicals from building materials, hydrocarbons from furniture and detergents, as well as filtering allergens from the air.  They can remove eighty-seven percent of air toxins in twenty-four hours by absorbing them and giving off precious life-giving oxygen. A Green Spaces' study found that:

The incidence of eye irritation reduced by 52%, lower respiratory symptoms by 34%, headaches by 24%, upper respiratory symptoms by 20%, lung impairment by 10-12% and Asthma by 9%.
All that adds up to an average increase of general productivity of 25%, with the physical signs of stress i.e. pulse rates and blood pressures reduced, all from sticking these plants in your home.
The study also found that plants can raise your blood oxygen a full 1% giving you more energy.

In a work environment, studies have shown that plants have a calming effect, particularly for those that sit behind a computer screen for more than 4 hours a day, the benefit is; greater concentration and increased productivity.  Further research indicates a decrease of minor ailments, often linked to Sick Building Syndrome (i.e. headaches, blocked sinuses, dry throats, coughing and skin irritations), decrease by an average of 25%, when there is interior planting.

The most effective all-around indoor plants counteracting off gassed chemicals and contributing to balanced internal humidity are:

Areca palm            Dwarf date palm       Boston fern           Janet craig dracaena


        English ivy              Elephant ear     Australian sword fern        Peace lily 


Rubber plant             Weeping fig             Sansuvera             Pothos
                                                    (Mother in law's tongue)

Gather as many of these purifying plants as you can, and don't be afraid to add some of your favorite plants or flowers for a personal flair. 

Gardening indoors can also be less costly than maintaining an outdoor set up. There is no costly fencing material required as the plants likely will not need protection, unless there are any pets in the home that are partial to digging in the dirt. Recycled items, such as gallon jugs, empty buckets, old pots, and other decorative materials can be used to grow and nurture seedlings into plants. Plastic trays can be purchases relatively cheaply to protect floors, furniture, and carpets from watering spills.   If you’re just starting your indoor garden, you don't need to shell out a lot of money most air purifying plants are inexpensive when purchased small, but you can also ask friends for offshoots or portions of plants

Living green is good!!!
                                                                    



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We think it’s great news that several Tennessee Prisons are choosing to Go Green, and Live Green Tennessee recently visited Sergeant Doug Griffith of the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
Griffith explained a recycling program that turns leftover food from five prisons into rich, fertile mulch that’s then used on a 100-acre kitchen garden. The inmates working the farm save the prison system—and you, the taxpayer—money...
But more important is the responsibility, the fresh air, and the opportunity to learn practical, employable and life-long skills to help trustees adjust to life upon release.

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