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Indoor plants to tackle air pollution

  • November 22, 2017
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Unfortunately, most of our Indian cities are smoggy because of air pollution. The pollution is more towards winter as the dry air does not allow pollutants to settle down. Using mask while going outdoor is a good practice to protect your lungs but they are not very commonly used by people in our country. It is surely advisable to use mask while being outdoors. But indoors, mask is not a great option but luckily indoor plants can effectively work as pollutant absorbers and can save your lungs from harsh pollutants.

NASA had conducted a series of research on indoor plants as air purifiers. They have found that indoor plants can absorb pollutants and can protect us like how ozone protects earth. However, you need to plant as many plants as possible to purify indoor air. You need to keep around 2–3 plants in 6x8-inch pots to clean 100 square feet of space. There should be a balance between air and light in order to facilitate proper growth of plants.

Some of the best plants that could be of use both in terms of aesthetics as well as controlling air pollution are: Areca palm, Bamboo palm, mother-in-law's tongue, and money plant. There are other plants as well that can help to purify air such as Aloe Vera, Rubber Plant, Spider Plant, Chrysanthemums, Snake plant, Chinese Evergreen, Gerbera Daisy, etc.

All these done, you also need to know that indoor plants are only part of solution; air purifiers and activated charcoal may be required to further improve air quality. Full and final solution is to take care of mother nature.

Developed by Scientific Angle brought to you by Health Meter Services

Disclaimer: Don’t follow any suggestions in this article without consulting a qualified doctor

Sources:

1. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/12/141230-can-plants-really-clean-indias-air/

2. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/of-39.pdf

http://cercenvis.nic.in/PDF/eco%20friendly%20plants.pdf