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Purifying Your Home and Work Environment
In addition to eliminating household cleaning products with dangerous chemicals (like those discussed in our file entitled "Purifying Personal Care") there are a number of proactive steps you can take to create a cleaner home environment.
Let the Sunshine In
Don't forget the purifying effects of sunlight . . . when weather and other external conditions permit, fling open doors and curtains and let the sun's radiation work against germs and the stale, moist conditions that promote their growth.
House Plants verses Indoor Air Pollution
Studies by NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) prove that house plants offer more than décor - they can make the indoors healthier.
Indoor air is polluted by emissions from furnishings, office equipment and some building materials; by fibers in most carpet, clothing, home fabrics, and wall coverings; by chemicals found in paints, varnish, inks, detergents and other cleaners; and by cigarette smoke and natural gas. Effects range from skin and eye irritation, to headaches and allergies, and some pollutants are likely to be cancer-causing agents.
NASA tested the capacity of 15 house plants to clean the air of three common pollutants (benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene). Certain house plants were found to remove as much as 87% of indoor air pollutants in a 24-hour period - providing an air cleaning system that doesn't need to be plugged in.
Among the helpful plants are English Ivy, Dracaena Marginata, Chrysanthemum, Peace Lily, Philodendron, Spider Plant, Golden Pothos, and Mother-in-Law's Tongue. Note that one plant per 100 square feet is recommended, and that some plants are a better match for certain pollutants than others. For more details, please refer to the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension web site, http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Plants/clean.htm.
It's Better to Light One Non-Toxic Candle . . .
Did you know that the paraffin wax of which many candles are made is a petroleum-based product? And that many commercial candle wicks contain lead? You can eliminate this intrusion of petroleum and lead into your home's atmosphere by opting for palm wax or beeswax candles with lead-free wicks.
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