(The Best Years in Life) People have long known about the psychological benefits of brightening their homes and offices with decorative houseplants. What many may be overlooking are the physical health benefits of having plenty of these plants to remove harmful pollutants from the air and replace them with fresh oxygen.

Not long ago, indoor air pollution was not considered a health threat; most homes and public buildings leaked so much that air often was replaced every couple of hours. After energy shortages occurred in the 1970s, more and more people began to insulate their houses and office buildings to conserve energy and lower heating and cooling costs. As a result, indoor air might linger for five hours or more allowing pollutants to accumulate. Moreover, synthetic building materials used in modern construction have been found to produce potential pollutants that remain trapped in unventilated buildings. These trapped pollutants can result in what is often called the Sick Building Syndrome. Read More.