March 4, 2021


Self reliance and independence

Plants For A Healthier Home!

4 min read

More Greens Indoors— Plants For A Healthier Home!

PlantsWhile environmentalists, and people in general are concerned over the deteriorating effects of air pollution on the health of people and other living beings. Despite all the alarming facts about the adverse effects of air pollution, we are somehow living in a perpetual state of denial. What’s worse is the fact that people think that their health is only at risk if they spend more time outdoors. The reality however is different as the air quality within the comfort of your home is 5 times more polluted than that of outdoors. The air inside your home is trapped in one place and mostly lack of proper ventilation makes it stagnant, thus there is hardly any fresh or pollutant free air in your home.  Thus EPA considers poor indoor air quality, as one of the 5 major environmental factors which pose an element of risk to human health whether you are full-time work-from home kind or a person working in a chemical producing factory carrying several occupational hazards- illness being one of them.

What Pollutes The Air Indoors?

While you may think that you are the safest in your homes. This is true but only to an apparent extent because there are a number of diseases, allergens and pathogens present within the otherwise safe and hygienic proximity of your home. The unhealthy presence of chemicals from air fresheners, VOCs , mold, dust, and PBDEs all contribute as active elements in making the air indoors, polluted. Efforts and strategies to counter the effects of air pollution are mostly devised according to the conditions of an overall environmental aspect, which mostly does not include the improvement of air quality indoors. Albeit, it is more important to be vigilant about decontaminating the air we breathe in the most. To revitalize the quality of air in your homes, a significant yet effortless practice is to increase the amount of greens, indoors. The air indoor is never moving and thus the stagnant environment stores pollutants which are a resultant of the above mentioned factors and most of all are built due to human breathing which obviously has its fair share of germs and pathogens. If you spend too much time in enclosed spaces, it can result in “sick building syndrome,” causing dizziness, irritation, headaches and nausea. However, it is very important for people to know which plants are actually beneficial for your health and can improve the air quality before going about planting every plant you find.

The Plant Plan:

 So here’s an effective action plan to restore the quality of air in your home—yes, plant more plants to breathe in air that is fresh. Here a few plants which can actually serve as air decontaminators:

  1. Aloe Vera:

1-29-16 2An easily grown and found plant that is known for its various beneficial characteristics, Aloe Vera can also help sanitize the air within your home. Toxic fumes of benzene and formaldehyde, found in paints and other household products can be cleared out of your interior space with the help of an aloe vera plant.

  1. Bamboo Palm:

1-29-16 2 2The bamboo or reed palm is a small palm plant that can be easily grown indoors.  The plant, sometimes, produces small fruit and flowers even in shady indoor areas. It has the ability to filter trichloroethylene, formaldehyde and benzene from the air present indoors. It is best to keep this plant in newly bought furniture to reduce the formaldehyde fumes.

  1. Spider Plant:

1-29-16 3These are among the most common indoor plants, found in almost every household. But little do people know about the air cleansing quality of spider plants. Spider plants help in fighting carbon monoxide, formaldehydes, and toxic fumes from pesticides, xylene and benzene.

  1. Garden Mum:

1-29-16 4Garden mum is considered one of the most effective green additions in your home if you want to purify the air. This plant can be easily planted, both in and out doors. Garden Mum’s natural ability to detoxify the air from benzene, ammonia, xylene and formaldehyde makes it one of the most preferred plants in improving air quality by NASA. Their presence is not just pleasant for the air but for the sight too because of its beautiful yellow flowers.

  1. Peace Lily:

1-29-16 5The name itself gives some rather peaceful and soothing vibes. The plant is not just a beneficial indoor plant but also adds to the beauty of your indoor ambiance through its ability to sustain without much sunlight and flowers.  It helps in refining the air from ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene.

You spend more time indoors than outdoors; hence, it is equally important for people to understand the importance of utilizing methods to reduce pollutants present in our homes, offices, schools and every other closed space. It is recommended that people practice methods like purchasing more organic products for their interiors, release less chemicals by minimizing their use of chemical disinfectants, cleaners, pesticides and air fresheners. Also, making efforts to improve the ventilation within closed environments can help in releasing stagnant and infected air. Last but not the least, don’t be a couch potato and go outside more often, to get some fresh air and enjoy the sun.  Breath healthy!

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