77.9 F
Cruz Bay
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesPLANTS CLEAN IMPURITIES FROM THE AIR

PLANTS CLEAN IMPURITIES FROM THE AIR

Dr. Bill Wolverton of NASA's Stennis Space Center in Picayune has for two decades, researched the ability of plants to clean polluted water and air. He spent 19 years developing ways to recycle waste on the space agency's planned moon base. In the process, they went back to Earth's evolutionary process…back to plants. Back to an appreciation of green.
Through years of research the good doctor discovered that plants such as Dracena marginata, peace lily, and warnecrei filter the air of benzene and trichlorethlene. The philodendron, spider plant,
Golden pothos and corn plant absorb substantial amounts of formaldehyde.
Wolverton proved that our leafy friends combat "sick building syndrome"
by removing as much as 87% of toxic indoor air pollutants within 24 hours. Since everything from carpeting to grocery bags emit toxic chemicals, it is recommended a minimum of one potted plant per 100 square feet of home or office space. An 1,800 quare foot home would require 15 to 18 plants to help clean and refresh the air.
It appears Wolverton's message is beginning to make an impact. According to plant nursery owners and wholesalers countrywide, more and more people are moving away from artificial, silk plants because they want the positive side effects of air purification. They now tag certain plants as "air purifiers."
Editors' note: Kathie McCarthy is a local entrepreneur often called "Anti-Martha" by her friends. She owned Key Islander Nursery with her partner Jay Adair and supplied all the bougainvillea for a number of the large hotels in St. Thomas. She is also know as the "Bougi Lady."

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.