Meet ANDREA: A Natural Solution to Air Purification

The ANDREA air filter is the first air filter system that uses everyday house plants to remove harmful toxins from the air. Designed and created by Mathieu Lehanneur and David Edwards, this award-winning design claims to harness the metabolic powers of plants to remove airborne toxins that present health risks in many domestic and work environments, performing more than 40 times more efficiently than standard carbon/HEPA filters. Sound like baloney? Maybe but maybe not. Perhaps this is just the future of science.

Research by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) shows that houseplants do have an impact on the quality of our air. We all know from grade school that plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through galleryynthesis, but the results of these studies show that many houseplants also remove harmful elements such as trichloroethylene, benzene and formaldehyde from the air.

Think your home is super clean? Think again. The man-made materials and synthetics in our homes like counter-tops, carpeting, paint, fabrics and wallpaper often slowly emit harmful fumes, also known as "off-gassing". Imagine you've got the windows closed all winter long. These chemicals are building up in your home, which can lead to internal and external irritation and allergies.

The goal of the ANDREA air filter is to harness the amazing natural processes of plants to rid your home of these gases as well as other toxins found in cleaning supplies.

So, if houseplants are natural filters, then why do you need the ANDREA? Well, the ANDREA air filter is designed to improve the efficiency of the plants. The rate of gas removal by ANDREA is, according to the data produced by the company, 1000% faster than for plants alone, and it offers a 360% improvement in the efficiency of formaldehyde removal from the air. Plus, it is small and portable and there are no filters to replace!

The ANDREA launched in Europe in 2008 and has been recognized by MoMA for its design. Popular Science magazine has called it "Invention of the Year." It is finally available for purchase in North America.You can get your own ANDREA at Amazon for $199.99.