For a breath of fresh air
HEALTHY CHOICES
Your home is the most important place in your world. However, do you know that the air in your home can actually be harmful? Fret not,Bindu Gopal Rao offers tips to improve the indoor air quality in homes.
Modern life exposes us to a vast number of harmful toxins every day. The air in enclosed spaces likes homes and offices has 2,200 times more concentration of toxins than the outdoors! The market therefore has new tools and technologies that promise to help.
Sharp’s Plasmacluster Technology creates a forest-fresh environment indoors by generating negative and positive ions which are created in natural environments like a forest. These ions kill all harmful substances like pollen dust, allergens, virus, mould, gases and foul smell not just from the air but also from the surface of things kept indoors, thus creating a neutral and fresh environment to breathe easy and safe air.
Says Sunil K Sinha, Managing Director, Sharp Business Systems (India) Limited, “We eat thrice a day and drink water 15 to 20 times a day.
A normal adult takes 20,000 breaths a day. It is evident that air is the most important substance going into our bloodstream. Studies reveal that indoor air is many times more stale and suffocating than outdoor air. “As we spend more time indoors, we are exposed to this kind of stale air which increases the threat of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.”
Samsung recently launched 2012 AC range that claims to offer clean air, uninterrupted comfort and powerful cooling. Its technology is aimed at providing clean air by eliminating harmful micro organisms for contamination-free indoor air, while its built in stabiliser aims to regulate voltage during power surges and outages to keep the AC working fine all the time.
Air purifiers such as Eureka Forbes’ new product ‘Euroair Detox’ is designed to detoxify indoor air and ensure protection from air-borne diseases. The purifier sets to eliminate bacteria and viruses, and release negative ions to ensure pure air circulation.
Marzin R Shroff, CEO- Direct Sales and Sr. VP, Marketing, Eureka Forbes explains, “Breathing pure air is very important for good health; it is impure air around people that is making them prone to severe conditions like asthma, respiratory disorders, viral diseases and fatigue. Choosing the right purifier is important.”
Making a difference
In these cases, there is usually a similar set of clinical symptoms experienced by the people and a clear cause can often be found upon investigation.
Legionnaires’ disease is an example of BRI caused by bacteria which can contaminate a building's air conditioning system.
Simple solutions
Our homes are the focal point of all positive energies in our life; thus care must be taken to use positive smells to enhance the energies around. It is absolutely pertinent to fill one’s home with air quality which adds a special touch to the get-up of the house. Says Kiran Ranga, Founder and Managing Director, Ripple Fragrances Pvt. Ltd, “To accentuate the aromas, Iris has various products like reed diffusers fashioned from tall, stiff grass that are porous and provide a 24-hour aromatic experience, fragrance vaporisers, use of essential oils which spread the scent on heating along with other products like aroma candles which are smokeless and dripless, and pot pourri, all of which bring about a luxurious yet fine air quality at homes.”
Fragrances that can be used in home settings are cinnamon and jasmine which bring in the energies of possibilities, hope and confidence to the living room; rosemary or lemon grass fragrances for children’s study rooms; tangerine for better sleep in the child’s bedroom along with using the scents of rose and citronella to adorn the living room.
Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), recently announced its independent foray into the air care category via ‘aer’, a premium air care innovation. Nisaba Godrej, President Human Capital and Innovation, Godrej Group says, "aer is not a spelling mistake. It is a range of delightful air care products with simple, intuitive, functional delights – an experience we believe people would love."
Says Venkat Chalasani, CEO, Samskruti Builders, “Use low/no VoC paints, cleaners, fresheners and deodorants. Also, use mosquito nets and take proper care during evenings so that you don't have to use pesticides. While constructing your home, design it for passive air circulation because this is very important.
A proper design to take care of mosquitoes and insects from entering your house as well as ensuring that radon does not enter through flooring/walls is a must. It is advisable to avoid carpets. Use cleanable drapery and add plants to filter the aerosol pollutants.”
