A variation of the Honeysuckle has been bred to fight air pollution in Amsterdam - by consuming the bad air.

Most major capitals of the world face air pollution, no doubt about it. While there are many plants that efficiently purify air in your home - such as Aloe Plant, English Ivy, the Rubber Tree, Snake Plant, Golden Pothos or Philodendron -, what kind of urban vegetation is to be used to improve the air quality and the quality of life in the cities?

Amsterdam is no different. But in Amsterdam, a cooperation between MyEarth, Wageningen UR, Alterra WUR, Amsterdam Engineering Bureau and Roofscapes resulted in a special variation of a Honeysuckle, one that has extra hairy and scaled leaves - both features, known to help reduce the amount of particle pollution in the air.

Currently, Green Junkie is being tested in one of Amsterdam's most vulnerable spots, where traffic-related air pollution is the most problematic. Researchers say monitoring the effects is now cruical, as there will be many factors influencing the results, including airflow, traffic, weather conditions and density of the vegetation. In their statement for the press, they stated: "This project will survey the potentials of the plant Green Junkie on air quality. Our goal is to analyse what the effects of the Green Junkie is on the particulates in air. First we will analyse the effects in a controlled situation, a wind tunnel. Additionally, it will be tested whether this effect can be found in a living lab condition in Amsterdam."

Should this experiment prove to be a success, "this vegetation can become a practical instrument to improve the quality and liveability of the city."

Aug. 5, 2016 Living photo: AMSTERDAM INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED METROPOLITAN SOLUTIONS

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