Jay Lehr asks the question, what do you get when you go into the north woods, a great beautiful unspoiled area where there is no industry for miles? The answer is you inhale the pine odor. Guess what? Pine odor is made up of polycyclic aromatics, carcinogens, in the cleanest air we supposedly have in this country. (1)
Trees and plants release more than just oxygen into the atmosphere as a result of photosynthesis. They also release a variety of gases that contribute to air pollution. In fact, the planet's vegetation accounts for about two-thirds of the pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted globally, reports the EPA. (2)
