Common Scents

Written by Dore Huss
My door is always propped open as an invitation for people to come inside and browse. And people do, all day long. Is there anything better than having your coffee in hand and stroll thru an environment filled with living plants, flowers and a pond with fish and a waterfall? I love that we can provide a soothing moment or two of calm in their day. Being around living plants is an amazing stress reliever and the air is pure. Something about the scent of wet soil is energizing. No need to buy anything, just come in for common scents.Plants not only add beauty to a room, but also make it an inviting place to work and live. Plants have a calming, almost spiritual effect on people. Theresa, one of my favorite customers came in the other day and was looking for particular plants by name. She said she needed them for her office which had a printer. When I inquired why it had to be a certain type of a plant, she filled me in on an article that she had just read about these particular plants that would help absorb the toxins that were being emitted by her printer’s ink cartridges. I decided I’d better do the same, get a plant or two for my office. Wait a minute...My “office" or my “workplace” has plenty of plants! I should be safe, since it is recommended to place one house plant per 100 square feet. I think I’m covered.Gaseous chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene, known as human carcinogens are found in a number of household items like pressed-wood furniture, plastic bags, computer ink, paper towels, carpeting and adhesives, to name a few! These gases cause indoor air to be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the EPA, causing adverse health problems, including asthma, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and have been linked to Sick Building Syndrome and SIDS. “Most newborn babies come home from the hospital to a freshly painted nursery, with new carpeting, crib, mattresses, blankets and clothing. Very likely to be high in chemical emissions.” according to Dr. B.C. Woverton, author of How to Grow Fresh Air.NASA had done extensive studies on how the earth produces and sustains clean air. The result is through the living processes of plants, which create a mini ecosystem. We need plants to clean our air, which we pollute so generously. Plants actually absorb the toxins and have the ability to clean our air. A relatively inexpensive way to purify the air we breathe. Most plants absorb the toxins, but some do a better job of it than others. And, the best part is that the ones that work the most efficiently are the easiest to have around. In How to Grow Fresh Air, 50 plants have been tested and rated according to efficiency of removing chemical vapors and ease of care. To name a few of the top air purifiers: Areca Palm, Boston Fern, Rubber Plant, Weeping Fig, Dracena, English Ivy, Peace Lily, and Poinsettia.