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| Pollution Free Indoors | | | Dr. Pragya Khanna | 12/28/2011 11:07:14 PM |
| Our homes constitute the environment in which we spend the great part of our lives and that influences us continuously and profoundly. If this environment is beautiful and comfortable it affects us favorably, making us relax, helps in quick recovery from fatigue of mind or body, adds cheerfulness for wider and higher interests, and leads to a fuller and comelier mode of living.
It is therefore obvious that a properly decorated house is, for each of us, a very important matter indeed. However, we tend to beautify our surroundings in our own different ways which includes the use of furniture, architecture, paintings, sculpture, modern day gadgets so on and so forth. In point of fact, since the modern internal environment is virtually hermetically sealed and the construction materials used along with the modern synthetic furnishings, computers, electrical equipment and everyday household products such as perfumes, sprays, cleaning agents, furniture polish, glues, air fresheners, moth repellents, wood preservatives, carpets etc. can produce harmful substances that are trapped inside the building. Moreover, the use of air conditioners reduces air exchange in buildings so we breathe the same air again and again which adds up to the biological pollutants like mites, fungi, parasites, bacteria in the places that are quite unsightly. All these contribute to the well recognized 'Sick building syndrome'. Polluted indoor air, contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is a major cause of headaches, nausea, sore and itchy eyes, nasal congestion, coughing, wheezing and difficulty in breathing, fatigue, loss of concentration etc.
In order to combat the problem of indoor air pollution and to make your home look attractive I suggest the simple addition of indoor plants which do more than just brighten up a room with color and living energy. Along with being pleasing to the eye, they bring real health benefits to your body. Not only do complaints about headaches, stress, heart/circulation-symptoms and colds decrease when indoor plants are present, according to Dr. Leona Rogler, but also richly decorating a room with plants can help to keep the air clean. Recently a classic study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) found that common house plants could improve air quality. In fact, they reported that indoor plants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours.
If you are planning to decorate your house with indoor plants, but think that they are tough to maintain, you'll be surprised by the variety of easy-to-maintain indoor plants. These plants don't require direct sunlight or regular nurturing and yet they look beautiful. Indoor plants add a special charm to both modern and classic interiors. They blend in with all types of themes and can be used with different types of pots according to the style of your home.
Those of you who forget to water your plants the use of ponytail palm would be beneficial, it arises from an unusual swollen trunk and needs little attention to maintain its beauty. Even cacti and money plant look pretty and require minimum sunlight. Geraniums add color and beauty to any room and are very easy to grow. Some other plants that can be grown indoor with minimum light and nurturing are Mother-in-Law's Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), Amaryllis, Schefflera, Aloe, Jade Plant, rubber plant etc. You may even use 'cut flowers' that are in-season cuttings from flowering outdoor plants to enhance the beauty of your interiors. To create an interesting work of art, try landscaping, select multiple plants and plant them in a flat round or rectangular pot and decorate it with pebbles or little artefacts.
The bamboo plant, which is also known as 'lucky bamboo' has become popular in a very short time. It is believed that the bamboo plant attracts prosperity in the house. You can pick from a variety of straight and curly bamboos. Maintaining a bamboo plant is very simple as it requires only water. Bamboos don't need much sunlight and can even grow even in dark areas such as bathrooms.
With a variety of easy-to-maintain indoor plants; it is now very simple to give your home a fresh, green makeover.
Having your own little kitchen garden might sound like a dream to many of us, but you don't always need to be an expert to do so. Herbs and spices like coriander, mint and chillies are very simple to grow at home. Moreover, herbs lose their freshness if they are stored for a very long time. So growing them yourself can be convenient and fun. Doing so, will save your time and make your herbs always available for use.
Even major corporations and offices are beginning to add plants indoors which do wonders for employee health and morale. According to one study published in Rehabilitation Literature, a manufacturing company integrated plants into its office so that no employee would be more than 4-5 feet from greenery. As a result the company administrators said they noticed enhanced creativity and increased productivity in employees.
As well as purifying the air we breathe the presence of indoor plants have also been shown to have many other beneficial effects, viz., increased positive feelings and reduced feelings of anxiety anger and sadness; reduction of sound levels; reduction of stress levels; control of humidity to the within the optimum levels for human health; cooling effect; absorption of carbon dioxide and emission of oxygen refreshing the air; improved concentration levels leading to improved productivity particularly with those working with computers; faster recovery from mental tiredness; interiors look spacious looked after and clean; and most people prefer to occupy rooms that contain plants.
However, there are certain plants that are toxic and produce pollens that cause allergies, those should be avoided. By using a little caution with the plants you choose, you can enjoy all the benefits that adding plants to your home will bring. |
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