TERMS TO KNOW "Air Cleaners" - Officially coined recently by the Maryland Air Quality Task Force. According to the report, "air cleaners" include plants as well as nonliving air filtration devices. The purpose of all air cleaners is to "remove airborne impurities such as dusts, gasses, vapors, fumes, and smoke." "Bioeffluence" - Chemicals people give off while breathing. They include methyl alcohol, acetone, and ethyl alcohol. In one test, a room of stressed students taking a test emitted acetone at the rate of 2,000 micrograms per hour! Fortunately, it was found that just one spathiphyllum plant can remove 5,400 micrograms of acetone per hour from the air - far more than by even an entire room of stressed people! Plants Clean Our Air The English scientist Joseph Priestly discovered over 200 years ago that plants absorb carbon dioxide animals produce in respiration, and produce oxygen, which animals use up during respiration. This shows that plants are ideal and necessary companions of people, but it's only the beginning of why plants are so vital to us, especially as necessary "clean air machines" in buildings. Your office can be polluted by as many as 350 harmful airborne chemicals, according to EPA reports. Tests by Dr. Bill Wolverton at the NASA space research program revealed that plants are excellent at removing these sometimes dangerous toxicants from the air. He tested benzene, formaldehyde, tricolor (TEC), carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides, and found that plants not only remove these airborne toxicants, but given enough plants, eliminate them completely or reduce them to much safer levels. The Sick Building Syndrome Air pollution indoors is such a common problem that it has it's own name, called the "sick building syndrome". The Worked Health Organization estimates that 30% of office buildings alone worldwide have this problem, and a recent report by the EPA states that "almost every building may at some time experience indoor air quality problems." Sick building syndrome is caused by too many chemicals in the air, and the inability of ventilation systems to eliminate them efficiently. Workers and visitors to these buildings may complain of various health problems, including drowsiness, itchy eyes, sinus congestion, headaches skin rashes, and other allergy-related symptoms. Fortunately, plants that are professionally maintained, can significantly reduce this problem. Ask us to give you a plan to deal with sick building syndrome in your building! You know enough to not trust your own health on anyone but the best doctors. It's the same way with plants. Our knowledgeable staff of 7 technicans have years of experience at professional installations and maintenance, and it makes a huge difference in your plants and their health. We take care of all aspects of your plants, from proper positioning for light and temperature of that particular plant variety, to removing grease and dirt from their leaves, to trimming, feeding, watering, and pest control. We give your plants their optimum healthy appearance. People will see the difference we create. When your plants look good, we look good, and you feel great!