Houseplants for Health

ANCHOR LEAD:
IF YOU ENJOY HAVING PLANTS AROUND THE HOUSE-BECAUSE THEY NOT ONLY LOOK GOOD BUT JUST SEEM TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD... RESEARCH SHOWS YOU MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING.
SOME SCIENTISTS INSIST PLANTS CAN GO BEYOND A MENTAL BOOST...AND ACTUALLY HELP YOU BREATHE EASIER. CAN GOING GREEN REALLY HELP CLEAN THE AIR?
_ __________________ HAS TODAY'S HEADS UP!

SOT
Length: 02
"If you have any questions, just let me know." "Okay.."

TRACK ONE Length: 06
DEBBY GRIZZARD (grizz-ARD) IS A LOYAL CUSTOMER AT HER LOCAL NURSERY.
SHE LOVES CHOOSING BEAUTIFUL PLANTS FOR HER HOME.

SOT
KEY @: 10 Debby Grizzard, Plant Lover
"They make me feel happy and cheerful and, I guess, needed in some way."

TRACK TWO Length: 12
BUT COULD SHE NEED HER FOLIAGE FRIENDS AS MUCH AS THEY NEED HER? FORMER NASA SCIENTIST DR BILL WOLVERTON HAS RESEARCHED PLANTS FOR DECADES. HE INSISTS HOUSEHOLD FAVORITES CAN ACTUALLY HELP FILTER THE AIR.

SOT
KEY @: 28 Bill Wolverton, Ph.D., Environmental Scientist
CLIENT NOTE: For more on Dr Wolverton's research, see source information below.
"In our studies with plants, we found plants can absorb and destroy common toxic chemicals found in homes, such as formaldehyde, benzene, etc...."

TRACK THREE Length: 11
NOTE TO CLIENTS: For more on sources of indoor chemicals and their sources, see source information below
LOW LEVEL TOXIC CHEMICALS OFTEN FOUND IN THINGS LIKE CARPETS, FURNITURE , APPLIANCES, COMPUTERS AND COMMON CLEANERS. DOCTOR WOLVERTON SAYS THE PLANTS TAKE THE TOXINS AND MAKE THEM USEFUL!

SOT
KEY @: 50 Bill Wolverton, Ph.D., Environmental Scientist
"They take what is a toxic chemical to us and they convert it into a source of energy and food for them."

TRACK FOUR Length: 17
WITH SOME DOING THE TRICK BETTER THAN OTHERS: PALMS, THE PEACE LILLY AND THE FICHUS TOP THE LIST.
BUT THE E-P-A ISN'T COMPLETELY SOLD...TELLING US IT WOULD SIMPLY TAKE TOO MANY PLANTS TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. DOCTOR WOLVERTON AGREES THE MORE THE BETTER... BUT INSISTS EVEN A LITTLE GREENERY IS BETTER THAN NOTHING.

SOT
KEY @: 1:11 Bill Wolverton, Ph.D., Environmental Scientist
"A couple of plants per room, maybe 2 or 3 for a living room or a den, should be sufficient to help refresh the air in your home."

TRACK FIVE Length: 06
DEBBIE'S GOT MORE THAN TWO OR THREE SPRUCING UP HER HOME... BUT HAD NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THEM AS NATURAL AIR FRESHENERS...

NAT SOT Length: 02
"This is my favorite plant..."

TRACK SIX Length: 05
WHILE SHE USED TO PICK THE PRETTIEST PLANTS... SHE SAYS NOW SHE'LL THINK ABOUT THE FILTER FACTOR TOO!

SOT
Length: 04(Debby Grizzard, Plant Lover)
"I think it makes sense to say that they help the air. I can see that."

ANCHOR TAG:
NOTE TO CLIENTS: For details on the risks of contaminants, including possible information for your websites, see the EPA and CPSC links in source information below.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT THE CHEMICALS MEAN TO YOU...GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY THAT INDOOR CONTAMINANTS, EVEN AT LOW LEVELS, CAN CAUSE ALLERGIC OR RESPIRATORY REACTIONS IN SOME PEOPLE.

(additional tag information)
ONE OTHER NOTE: PLANT LOVERS NEED TO PROTECT AGAINST MOLD. DOCTOR WOLVERTON SAYS IT'S CRUCIAL NOT TO OVERWATER AND HE SUGGESTS LAYING AQUARIUM GRAVEL OVER THE TOP SOIL.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Bill Wolverton, Ph.D.
Wolverton Environmental Services, Inc.
514 Pine Grove Road
Picayune,MS. 39466-9042
(601)798-5875
www.wolvertonenvironmental.com

Dr. Wolverton conducted thirty years of research as a civilian scientist with the U.S. Military and as a Senior Research Scientist with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. His NASA research was directed toward the development of a closed ecological life support system for space habitation.
Upon retiring from NASA, Dr. Wolverton has continued his research with plants and microorganisms, with a focus on solving environmental pollution problems. Dr. Wolverton has also written several books, including "How To Grow Fresh Air," available in bookstores. (Penguin Books, New York)

For more details on using houseplants to clean your air, and for references on other studies conducted on plants' effects on indoor, go to www.wolvertonenvironmental.com.

Also, check out Dr Wolverton's NASA research at

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/
Once on the website, type in "Wolverton" in the search engine.
The link will take you to many reports, primarily those of Dr. Wolverton. The report on plants cleaning the air is Report #5. It is viewable and downloadable in PDF format.

Dr Wolverton points to other studies supporting the plant/clean air connection:
(Japan) Oyabu,T.T.,Onedera, H. Kimura, "Purification Ability of Interior Plants for Removing of Indoor Air Polluting Chemicals," Japan Society for Atmospheric Environ, 2001, Vol. 34(6):319-325.

2) (Australia) Wood, A.,Aetal, "Study of Absorption of VOC's by Commonly Used Indoor Plants," Proceedings: Indoor Air '99, 1999, Vol 2:690-694.

There is also a German study referenced on Dr Wolverton's site.

Anesta Jones
Environmental Protection Agency
Media Relations
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20460

For more information on indoor chemicals and their sources, visit the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs.html#Chemical%20contaminants%20from%20indoor%20sources

Look under "Chemical Contaminants from Indoor Sources." Several other links in that paragraph, such as VOC's, and Formaldehyde, go into even greater detail.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TAG: Another link, this one from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This site gives links to various publications and articles on indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde, etc.

www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/iaq.html

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:

John Peterson
Office of Communications
Nat'l Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
NIH
P.O. Box 12233
Research Triangle Park, N.C
27709