Indoor Air Pollution
Air pollution is a common subject for cities, but how often is air pollution in the home talked about?
“When we think of the term ‘air pollution,’ we tend to think of car exhausts or factory fumes expelling gray smoke,” said study co-author Prashant Kumar of the University of Surrey. “However, there are various sources of pollution that have a negative effect on air quality, many of which are found inside our homes and offices. From cooking residue to paints, varnishes and fungal spores, the air we breathe indoors is often more polluted than that outside.” Some of the symptoms could be as little as allergies, to as harmful as cancer. No one likes allergies, and why take the risk with things that can cause cancer?
Since all of us are shut in our homes and usually spend most of the time in our homes, this is something to seriously think about. What products are you using on your body, to clean, or to build your home that are harmful? If you have a choice on what kind of paint, carpet, or wood that is put into your house, this is something else to consider. It is worth it to pay more money for high quality nontoxic products than for products that will have a negative impact on your daily life.
There are some things you can do to counteract indoor air pollution. My favorite option is house plants. There are a variety of houseplants that you can use to protect your home. A NASA study showed that the Boston Fern, Peace Lilly, Snake Plant, Chinese Evergreen and Gerbera Daisy are plants that reduce indoor air pollution. However, most plants will reduce pollution and some of them have great uses. You can also use an air purifier to help reduce pollution in your home if you prefer.
Also, please remember that where you spend your money matters. It’s a cycle: when you support companies that use toxic products, more companies will start to come out with toxic products so they can make money as well. We vote with our money and have the power to support companies that care about us and the environment. If we want change in the world, we must first work on ourselves. Let’s make the world better one lifestyle change at a time.
Feel free to share.
An article talking about indoor air quality.
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/22/indoor-air-can-be-deadlier-than-outdoor-air-research-shows.html
EPA article that has a list of pollutiants
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality
An article talking about whats causing indoor air pollution. Reviewed by Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD on 8/30/2017
https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/indoor_air_pollution
A video talking about what plants reduce indoor air pollution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdOibycDIA4
A video talking about a NASA study where they purified air with house plants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPNYdSZRSdg
This link is a video talking about the top 10 best air purifier plants for air pollution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g4Pp1vOPtQ