Should Your Home Be Greener?
I bet at some point you have all pondered should your home be greener?
At this point you’re probably thinking, “Ah, another article about being environmentally responsible and doing my bit for the planet”, and in some ways I suppose you could say that, but this article is in fact more about you, and could result in you and your family leading a happier and healthier life.
So what does that have to do with being greener? Well, if you’re feeling tired, stressed and a little run down, and can’t quite put your finger on the reason why, the answer could be much simpler than you think!
Ask yourself, when was the last time you bought a real plant for your home? If it’s been a while, it could be time to make a change. A Swedish study in 2011 discovered that there was a direct correlation between the number of plants that office workers could see and the rates of sick leave in the organisation.
If this is the case, then why isn’t there more emphasis on doing the same in our homes? You should probably grab your coat now and get ready to pay your local garden centre a visit.
According to the American Society of Horticultural Science, indoor air can be as much as twelve times more polluted than the air outside, due to compounds in paints, furnishings, clothing, and building materials.
The purple waffle plant, the English ivy and the asparagus fern have been tried and tested as being the top performers at removing volatile organic compounds, or VOCs in the home.
In fact, NASA found that houseplants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins over a 24 hour period. So what are you waiting for?!
It doesn’t stop there either; plants can also help fight the common cold by increasing humidity and decreasing dust, prevent headaches, and also help you sleep better by increasing oxygen levels in your home.
If a member of your family happens to suffer from hay fever, or you don’t want plants in your home, it could be worth suggesting for your workplace instead!
Ultimate design green office spaces and can incorporate greenery into office designs or simply provide new furniture pieces to an existing office space.
So next time you feel tired, stressed or have yet another headache coming on, it may be that your home or office could just do with a little greenery.
So in answer to the question – Should Your Home Be Greener? it is a resounding YES!
Further reading
You might also like my post on a guide to upcycling your old jewellery
and the top 10 ways UK offices have gone greener
