Eco Friendly House And Garden

Choosing the right plants could help rid your home of toxic fumes!

We all know that our furniture, carpeting, toiletries and paints all leak out potentially harmful chemicals – but sometimes we can’t buy chemical-free eco friendly everything – so what can we do about it?

Well, there have been a great many studies conducted about our homes, trends in furnishings, chemical usage and lifestyle questionnaires by all sorts of agencies – including NASA – that we have a great deal of knowledge about reducing our exposure.

photo credit: marcusrg

Obviously not bringing it into our home in the first place is the perfect answer – but we know that this isn’t a viable answer for most people – and can be very expensive in some cases.

Going Green:
Well, luckily, many of the surveys have worked out that plants can create a more healthy environment in the home or office to counter the effects of these gases and chemicals in the air.

Certain plants have even been found to actually ‘suck’ such toxins out of the air as part of their natural actions as a plant!

Plants ‘breathe’ in a different way to humans and so their actions whilst sitting their seemingly doing nothing in a pot could be freeing your home of bad air and making your home more healthy!

Plants in certain rooms or close to where you spend the most time can be most effective as they are clearing the worst areas first and fastest – so beside your desk, your bed and in newly furnished or freshly painted rooms.

Problem Areas:
There are some places and times where there will be more chemicals released than usual, and these include the obvious ones like: new carpet, decorated room, varnished floor etc.

But there are also some places or things you might not think of:

Ceiling Tiles – give off formaldehyde and benzene
Cleaning Products – give off ammonia when used
Cosmetics & Nail Polish – can emit alcohols and acetone upon application
Photocopiers – regularly emit trichloroethylene, xylene, benzene and ammonia
Your New Curtains – give off formaldehyde
Grocery Bags – also give off formaldehyde when new
Paper Towels – give off formaldehyde as well!
Even Pre-Printed Paper – contains acetone

And don’t forget that we as humans give off chemicals when we breathe, sweat, wear make-up, deodorant and hair products – so in a stuffy office – you are inhaling your own and other staffs bio effluents!

The Results:
Now, I’m not saying that you should fill your homes and offices with plants – but a few here and there in the right places could make the world of difference to you in terms of reducing headaches, rashes, allergies and general tiredness.

photo credit: bfishadow

And in the right pots and sizes – they can help to relax you as well!

Now, the lists below are their common names, but look an image of them up before you buy as some are very common plants that you might already know about – and others might be totally the wrong shape of size for your home.  And check out the care instructions too as some need direct sunlight, and some only like shade!

Plants that remove formaldehyde best:
Boston Fern, Florists Mum, Gerbera, Bamboo Palm, Dwarf Date Palm.

Plants that remove xylene and toulene best:
Areca Palm, Dwarf Date Palm, Moth Orchid.

Plants that remove ammonia best:
Lady Palm, King of Hearts, Lily Turf, Lady Jane, Florists Mum.

And best plant for bioeffluents:
Peace Lily.

photo credit: Tahmid Munaz™

So get yourself to the garden centre!

Here we continue on from our debate with a look at what Organic and Fair Trade mean in terms of our food. 

One is more concerned with the health of the environment and ecosystem, while the other places more of it’s attention onto the growers and the farming communities of developing countries.

Organic:
Many governments have strict laws regarding the use of the word ‘Organic’ on food and feeds and they must be registered with a certified organic body.  However organic food can be imported from any country in the world, as long as it also has a certified organic body. 

The aim of organic farming is best described as optimizing the health and productivity of linked communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. 

As a result the environment is better treated; livestock and crops are not injected or sprayed with chemicals and the resulting food is as natural as can be and ultimately contains more natural ingredients and nutrition.

As a result the animals that we farm will be better treated (ie. have more space and more natural diets), the wildlife and watercourses will not be exposed to intensive farming and overuse of chemicals and associated problems, and the resulting food will be more nutritious and virtually chemical free.

Fair Trade:
This heading is more directed at the workers themselves, rather than the nutritional value of their foods.

Basically, it promotes the equality of workers in all countries by guaranteeing certain prices and certain working conditions that benefit small farms and local farming communities.

As it offers better quality of life to people, it therefore offers a great alternative to non-fair trade products from the same locations, for example fair trade bananas.  We can’t grow them here and have to import them; so why support poor working conditions by buying non-fair trade products?

The amount you pay is not that different, but more of the money can go into schools and communities rather than an international firms pocket!

Your Conclusion?
It is still very difficult to decide when you should by organic and when fair trade?  And can local produce even be fair trade?

You need to decide what is important to you first for each food type (as sometimes you will have little choice apart from not eating that food when you want – but when it’s available!).

1) If you want to reduce climate change then only buy locally and seasonal to prevent carbon emissions from extra resources and from flights and shipping long-haul.

2) If you want to be more environmentally friendly, then choose seasonal to reduce growth enhancers being used; and organic which will reduce the chemicals and fertilisers being used en masse in the countryside and waterways.

3) If you want to support developing countries and small farms, then buy fair trade (and possibly organic) to reduce their stresses and exposure to multi-national abuse and chemical overload!

4) If you want to ‘be healthy’ and reduce your families exposure to chemicals then buy locally and organically to reduce your exposure to artificial ingredients and chemical in your foods, but also from exposure from exhaust fumes from transported goods from elsewhere.

Sometimes, it’s not that easy – or that clear cut, but if you want to seriously make a difference, you are going to have to start making some decisions.