"Plants clean the air, consume carbon dioxide, and provide oxygen. They brighten a room, provide inexpensive decorating options, and make all your least favorite chores take half as long to complete. (That last one hasn’t been proven quite yet.)

Amid the daunting uncertainties about carbon footprints, energy needs, pollution, and limited natural resources, we can sometimes feel overwhelmed or powerless. But there’s at least one small step just about anybody can take: caring for a houseplant. The world can always use one more plant."