India ranks among the top 10.Excited?In what you ask?
India’s cities and towns have the highest level of indoor air pollution amongst the world’s top cities.Sad shocking and totally disturbing.This WHO REPORT shares national disease load due to indoor Air pollution.India has more than 1.5 million deaths per year due to indoor air pollution.
Important facts about Indoor Air Pollution
- 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and simple stoves.They burn biomass (wood, animal dung, and crop waste) and coal.
- 4 million people die prematurely from illness due to household air pollution, from cooking with solid fuels.
- 50% of premature deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 are caused by the particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution..
Causes of Premature deaths are:
Premature deaths due to indoor air pollution :
- 12% are due to Pneumonia
- 34% from Stroke
- 26% from Ischaemic heart disease
- 22% from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
- 6% from Lung cancer.
Western countries have indoor air quality guidelines.It’s 20 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter. In India, it averages 375 micrograms per cubic meter.
The burning of solid fuel is a big culprit,the section of society using biomass as fuel needs help.For this, we need Government help, subsidies.Thankfully it’s happening slowly but definitely happening.
But what about urban indoor air pollution?
Do you have any idea about what your home, office, shopping malls air contain?Unfortunately, there are no well-defined emission norms for Air conditioners, refrigerators, toasters in India.So the data is not easily available.
Quality of indoor air affects children more often.
Asthma ,allergic rhinitis , has reached shocking levels in children.
What can be your solution for this?
- Choose your home paint with care.Avoid lead in household paint.
- Be careful about emission standards of household products.
- Have indoor plants and your own indoor garden.Have balcony gardens.Have window gardens, have plants everywhere.Plants are great indoor decor option.
[bctt tweet=”“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.” ― Robert F. Kennedy” username=”misra_amrita”]
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Indoor Allergen Committee in a 2010 report recommended that allergists consider indoor air filtration to be part of a comprehensive strategy to improve respiratory health.
Indoor air filters and air purifiers with HEPA filters can help.
But that’s just sweeping the dust under the carpet. It doesn’t address the greater problem of a more comprehensive plan to remove air pollutants.But HEPA filters are expensive and not a solution to the Indian problem.Indoor Plants are cheap, easy, pretty, low maintenance solution to this serious problem.
How plants improve air quality?
They can absorb ambient VOCs , improve the quality of air and produce oxygen.They purify ambient air and produce fresh oxygen for you to breathe!
Photosynthesis is the method by which plants produce oxygen.It depends on the presence of Carbon dioxide, light and water molecules.
Indoor air plant can produce oxygen even in low light conditions .
They also remove air pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, toluene(VOCs).Some of these VOCs are suspected carcinogens.
VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products used in homes including:
- Paints, paint strippers, and other solvents
- Wood preservatives
- Aerosol sprays
- Cleansers and disinfectants
- Moth repellents and air fresheners
- Stored fuels and automotive products
- Hobby supplies
- Dry-cleaned clothing
- Pesticide
VOCs, evaporate into the air when these products are used or sometimes even when they are stored.
What effect do Volatile organic compounds have on your body?
- Irritate the eyes, nose, and throat
- Causes headaches
- Nausea,
- Damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system.
- Some of them can even cause cancer.
These harmful chemicals are removed from the indoor air by absorption through the stoma on leaves.
They are then broken down into simple chemical components which are harmless.For example, take formaldehyde.It’s strongly suspected to be potentially causing cancer in humans.Plants can break it down to Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms and make it harmless.
Sources of formaldehyde at home:
- Pressed woods
- Some types of foam insulation
- Paper products
- Some paints and varnishes
How many plants per person is adequate to provide fresh air?
1 to 3 per 100 square feet is said to be adequate.
So What kind of plants are best?
- English Ivy(Hedera Helix)
- Golden Pothos
- Epipremnum aureum, also known as devil’s ivy: reduces air levels of benzene and trichloroethylene.
- Boston fern(Nephrolepis Exalta Bostoniensis)
Ferns had the highest formaldehyde-removal efficiency of all the plants tested, especially Osmunda japonica, commonly known as Japanese royal fern, or zenma
- Bamboo palm: removes benzene and trichloroethylene(Chamaedorea Elegans)
- Dragon tree: (Dracaena Marginata)removes xylene
- Peace Lily: Spathiphyllum
- Lady Palm: Rhapis Excelsa
- Spider Plant: Chlorophytum Comosum
- Snake Plant: Sansevieria Trifasciata
What happens when you are not home?
That’s the biggest problem that stumps indoor gardeners.
Another problem with container gardening is providing optimal nutrition.
The good news I found a solution.
The Fairytale story…..
While watching Egiye Bangla an interesting program on ZEE BANGLA promoting entrepreneurship, I heard the most wonderful idea.It was an Urban gardeners dream.The winner Jayabrata Bhaduri was one of the 4 entrepreneurs behind Capacloud a startup company.
They had a solution to increase green friendly biophilic designs.I was so excited I tracked down , this Bengali entrepreneur Jayabrata Bhaduri on Facebook.Sent him a message and requested a meeting, to see how in the world did they do it.Very kindly he arranged a meeting with their mentor and guide.I turned up at the designated meeting place with my hubby, who was by now quite shocked that he had agreed to meet a stranger in their home/laboratory about gardening.
Nothing to do with medicine.But everything to do with health.Yes, that was my winning argument.
The time spent in the laboratory/workshop and terrace garden was pure magic.The extent and scope of their innovation was mind boggling!
Their winning idea:
- Lego-style tiles(Ecotop) made of some special material(Top secret)
- This tile is incorporated with special nutrients.
- This tile can be placed on almost any surface, to make growing green anywhere a distinct reality.
Experiments suggest they can provide a well-balanced plant nutrition, through their special technology for up to 5 years.Yes, that’s true 5 years!
Vertical Gardening +Hydroponics+Something special=Capaclouds new innovation.
Managing corporate orders is the top priority of the company right now.But they are planning to bring it to the indoor gardeners in the very near future.
Their upcoming project involves the United States Embassy in Kolkata.A young company already going places!
So how exactly Capacloud’s innovation, can revolutionize Urban gardening?
1) You can have improved air quality in
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Hotels
- Home
- Offices
- Public places
- External walls
Image courtesy Capacloud
4)It’s inspirational, restorative, and healthy.
5)Its design can adapt to the functionality of the place Seamlessly integrates to interiors.
6)It provides nutrition to the plants for 5 years with an easy method of replenishing it.
No problem of plant sitters when you go for trips.Have your own urban jungle if you want.Eastern India leads in the incidence of nonsmokers with lung cancer.How many of you plant trees?How many of you have your own window boxes of greenery/balcony garden/terrace garden?
So how indoor plants do?
- Produce oxygen
- Absorb Carbon dioxide
- Removes volatile organic compounds: nitrogen dioxide, benzene, and formaldehyde & others.
- The plants remove all the poisons from the air and make your air breathable.
So how exactly does increased oxygen improve your health?
- Plants enhance job satisfaction in office workers
- Improve mood states =increased feeling of wellbeing.Helps stabilize mood.
- Enhance cognitive health
- Improves clarity of thought= more productivity
- Increased creativity=you have brilliant ideas
- Improve immunity and healing.
Why Indoor air plants?
- Plants are a useful way of improving air quality.
- Easily available.
- Maintenance is easy.
- Suitable for all environment.
- Plants provide an actionable option in situations where other more expensive technology may be grossly inadequate.
My take:
I think it’s time you took back your lungs.Do something for yourself. For the air you breathe.
For your children.It’s not about the future.It’s about the present.The world you live in is slowly being turned into a wasteland.Air, water, soil, sound pollution.The critical balance between the different elements of our ecosystem is terribly distorted.The possibility of this restored in the ecosystem is gradually decreased.Honestly, nobody is stopping, to think that only plants produce life-saving oxygen.
You can live without the internet, but how long can you live without breathing?No life will be possible on earth without plants.Artificial sources of oxygen are just that artificial and are only temporary solutions.If you made your home green soon your city, country and eventually mother earth would be green again.Let’s go green!
Updated:September 2017
I decided to update this post because I am getting work done in my new home usindg some of these ideas.You will know the truth behind all the claims .Also Capacloud is now doing home spaces too!.Must check out their website for more details.
Sharing is good Karma!
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wonderful and informative article 🙂
night also these plants emits oxygen?
No known plants emit oxygen at night , but their air purifying property be removing the pollutants continue.
It such a cause for worry. Its not only outside, but indoors too we arent really safe A totally exhaustive and comprehensive post.
This is such an eye-opening and informative article! Thank you for sharing it! I love having fresh plants in my house, but I definitely need to add more!
Thank you
This is such an interesting and well researched post, Amrita. I absolutely love the lego style tile idea, not only they act as a part home decor but also can help purify the air.
Thanks for sharing this one.
Shreya
Wow! Very Informative!
This is such a well researched post, With the environment in doldrums these days, this is something very pertinent. It’s the kids I worry about and everyone else should as well and try to do whatever possible so that they don’t need oxygen masks in the future.
Thanks for the detailed information Amrita. Your post has shaken me. I have planned to plant a small succulent for every desk in my Office.(around 30) These tiles are great for the areas where soil cannot be the option. I am in.
Tahnks Upasana
Yes, this is indeed a very relevant worry. With increasing population and pollution, the air we breathe either outdoors or indoors isn’t high on quality. Great tips and suggestions here. There are certain plants which leach out higher amounts of oxygen in comparison to other plants. We need more of those. Either that or oxygen masks in the near future!
Lots to think about here Amrita. We have plants on our terrace – can’t get then indoors because our cats might eat them, and that’s not good/healthy for them. We also have a beautiful huge tree right outside our balcony. But even this isn’t enough to make a difference in the air quality at home. We can literally see the pollution hanging in Delhi air and it’s scary! With that much particulate matter, I don’t know if plants are enough. A start yes. But enough? I don’t know…
I 1200 square feet space needs 10 indoor plants to purify the air.But this also depends on the level of pollution. The best solution is plant more and actively stop pollution.
Both at the same time.Strictness is important to save the world and ourselves.
Thanks Dramrita, This is a wonderfully informative post. I like the idea of those tiles that feed the plants. I am not very good at keeping plants healthy, the tiles sound like just the thing. Sometimes indoor pots start to smell moldy in the soil, is there anything safe that can deal with this problem. I will look at your list of plants and see if I can get some more, I have some on the balcony but none inside.
We love quality posts on the Blogger’s Pit Stop and look forward to seeing more of what you have to share.
Kathleen
Thank you Kathleen.It’s very kind of you.I love the Bloggers pit stop and vwry grateful for all your help.It’s like somebody’s looking over you
A very detailed and informative post. The statistics are a little scary though. We live in an apartment which we are renovating but I love the idea of vertical gardens for the balcony. Saw your post on the Blogger’s Pit Stop.
Hi Sue
yes the stats are scary.But we rarely seem to do anything when things are just a a little bad.Depending on where you are living you might have better air quality, but the VOC thing is a hidden danger everywhere.Thanks for coming over from Blogger’S Pit.Love what they are getting done.
Very informative post. I have heard of indoor pollution but really did not know much. We def need to be more aware. Great ideas for helping us to keep it better/cleaner.
Hi Leigh
yeah its a lot of info.But I hought that most of us dont really think so much about the home/office/indoor air.But that’s where we spend most of our time.I personally started to blog after starting to garden.Don’t know whether it was the extra oxygen, or just the need to share how I have been helped.
Very Informative post! I always knew indoor air pollution could effect us, but I did not know it was all these possibilities! This is a very important topic…it can save many lives! Healthier body, healthier us! It makes us more informed!
Hi Makenzie
I too thought this was an important topic and seriously felt it affects all of us.
This is so awesome and informative. I love houseplants and keep a lot – knew it was good for the air. But I love how much info this blog has about it!!!
Thanks Brittany ,I love meeting people who love houseplants.Glad you enjoyed the post
I never throughout about indoor pollution before as the subject is not widely covered in media. This is such an interesting post.
Super informative post! I love indoor plants and have been researching some that are both effective in helping my son’s allergies and also safe for cats just in case my two decide to chew on them (not sure that they would, but I want to be safe!). This is awesome information to get me started. Thank you!
That’s interesting that your son has allergies and you have a cat!Allergies in children due to housepet fur/mite is actually very common.
The more they are exposed to the Allergen the more sensitive they get.Just some extra info (I am actually quite frequently with children with allergies).
Love the idea that you are researching houseplants safe for both of them
Thank you for bringing this important topic about air pollution to our attention. i love what we can do to help combat it though. Building a balcony garden sounds so beautiful! i appreciate the time and effort that went into this post – thanks again!
-Beth
Yes Balcony gardens are magical .Do share pics if you start one.Glad you enjoyed the post.
Thank goodness for the good of PLANTS! I ADORE plants and I do need more in my home. I love to be surrounded by nature at all times.
I had no idea how bad it was in India and I feel terrible for people there due to this! I AM glad it is improving but it can not be fast enough. I do worry about the air quality in our home although now I do not feel as bad as others do have it far worse.
This is SUCH an informative article and I am going to look into these vertical gardens more they seem so intriguing!
Yes vertical gardens are awesome.But they need to well planned for suitable plants ,nutrition and watering need.
Thanks for such kind words. Glad ypu liked the post.