Indoor Air Pollution: Look at the Causes and Solutions

According to the EPA, air pollution indoors is often two to five times worse than it is outside. In extreme cases, air pollution inside can be a hundred times worse than outside. The reason is partly because numerous chemicals, like cleaning supplies, hair sprays and perfumes, are used inside the home. Another part of the problem is that many items inside our homes and materials used in home construction are notorious for letting off poisonous gasses - for years. Carpets, shower curtains, paints, upholstery, plywood, particle board, cabinets, computers, and synthetic materials all let off poisonous gasses and chemicals. Because most homes are well insulated, it leaves those poisons trapped inside for us to breathe.

However, there's a solution and as with most problems, the solution comes from nature - and not from a chemical company. NASA studies show that having ample plants indoors can detoxify up to 85 percent of indoor air pollution.

Acting like a filter for the air, some plants mop up formaldehyde. Others remove benzene, carbon monoxide, and trichloroethylene. Unfortunately, all of these chemicals are common in the air of most homes. If you're wondering how the air inside your home became quite so toxic, have a look at some sources of common chemicals.