Unfortunately, heart and lung complications are a big problem in this country. According to one study, approximately 64,000 people die annually from pulmonary problems relating to air pollution.

Certain people are apparently more susceptible to respiratory difficulties than others. One common disease is allergy triggered asthma. For these asthma sufferers, common kinds of pollution found in homes such as mold, dust and tobacco smoke can trigger breathing problems.

Cleaning our indoor air is important for everyone -- but especially important for people who negatively react to indoor air pollution. According to a much publicized NASA study conducted several years ago, certain house plants may possess special air cleansing abilities.

A researcher named B.C. Wolverton, who also wrote a book called "How to Grow Fresh Air," was commissioned by NASA to perform this study. The results suggest that house plants help clean indoor air quality. Some of the most efficient apparent air cleaning plants include varieties of palms, the rubber plant, English ivy, a ficus, the Boston fern, mums, as well as others.

Palms appear to be fairly effective at removing many indoor air poisons. For example, the areca palm was highly rated for removing a wide variety of indoor toxins. The lady palm, dracaena,philodendron and parlor palm, also scored highly in the multiple toxins category.

Today many choose to specialize and plants are no exception. For example, the bamboo palm removes benzene and trichloroethylene, which are both known solvents. Of course, you have a problem in any case if you live in a house in which you are being forced to breathe this stuff. The peace lily seems to filter alcohol and acetone, great for late night party goers who tend to spill their nail polish remover (and drinks).

Concerns over indoor air quality started to publically surface over the past 10 years, or so. Before then, outdoor air pollution was the focus of most people's attention. It is nice to know that's something as attractive and overall nice as a house plant can be productive in the fight to keep our indoor air clean. Not only do plants filter out toxins and pollutants, they also replace these poisons when oxygen, which of course is something that we need to stay alive.

I should note that for the most part, plants are immune to government over-regulation. While protecting our environment has increasingly become more political talk than real action (in many cases), republicans and democrats can probably agree that house plant placement should become a part of our national policy.

Studies suggest that one house plant per 100 square feet of living area will provide some level of protection. Certain plants appear to be able to filter out more poison than other plants. Tobacco smoke seems to be difficult for most plants to combat.

Pay real attention to this issue of indoor air quality. Scientists are starting to understand that many of our breathing difficulties have as much to do with what we breathe inside our homes as what we breathe outside our homes. While the government has regulated outdoor air pollution for 25 years, or so, until recently, little attention has been focused on indoor air quality. This is an important, real issue.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.