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10 Low Maintenance Houseplants for Air Purification

Posted on May 25, 2023 by dishanth

The Top Low Maintenance Houseplants for Air Purification

Snake Plant
Aloe Vera
English Ivy
Spider Plant
Peace Lily
Boston Fern
Rubber Plant
Golden Pothos
Bamboo Palm
Chinese Evergreen

Snake Plant

The snake plant, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, is one of the most popular low maintenance houseplants for air purification. This plant is great for beginners as it can survive in almost any lighting condition and doesn’t require frequent watering. It also removes toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is not only a great houseplant for air purification, but it also has several other health benefits. This low maintenance plant can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. Aloe vera is known to remove formaldehyde from the air and can be used to treat minor burns and skin irritations.

English Ivy

English ivy is another low maintenance houseplant that can purify the air in your home. It can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. English ivy is known to remove toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

Spider Plant

The spider plant is a great choice for those looking for low maintenance houseplants for air purification. This plant can remove formaldehyde and xylene from the air and survive in low light conditions. It doesn’t require frequent watering and is safe for pets.

Peace Lily

The peace lily is a beautiful low maintenance houseplant that can also purify the air in your home. It can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. The peace lily is known to remove toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

Boston Fern

The Boston fern is a popular choice for those looking for low maintenance houseplants for air purification. This plant can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. The Boston fern is known to remove toxins such as formaldehyde and xylene from the air.

Rubber Plant

The rubber plant is a low maintenance houseplant that can purify the air in your home. It can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. The rubber plant is known to remove toxins such as formaldehyde from the air.

Golden Pothos

The golden pothos is a low maintenance houseplant that can also purify the air in your home. This plant can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. The golden pothos is known to remove toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air.

Bamboo Palm

The bamboo palm is a low maintenance houseplant that can remove toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde from the air. This plant can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. The bamboo palm is also pet-friendly, making it a great choice for those with furry friends at home.

Chinese Evergreen

The Chinese evergreen is a low maintenance houseplant that can purify the air in your home. It can survive in low light conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering. The Chinese evergreen is known to remove toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde from the air, making it a great choice for those looking for a low maintenance plant that can improve air quality.

How to Care for Low Maintenance Houseplants

Low maintenance houseplants are great for those who don’t have much time to devote to caring for plants. Here are some tips on how to care for them:

Water: Most low maintenance houseplants for air purification don’t require frequent watering. Overwatering can harm your plant, so letting the soil dry out between watering sessions is important. You can check if your plant needs water by sticking your finger in the soil. If it’s dry, it’s time to water your plant.
Light: Most low maintenance houseplants can survive in low to medium light conditions. However, it’s important to make sure your plant is getting enough light to thrive. If your plant starts to look droopy or its leaves start to turn yellow, it may be a sign that it’s not getting enough light.
Soil: Use well-draining soil for your low maintenance houseplants. This will help prevent overwatering and root rot.
Fertilizer: Low maintenance houseplants don’t require frequent fertilizing. You can fertilize your plant once every few months with a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer.

FAQs

Can low maintenance houseplants really purify the air?

Yes, certain houseplants are known for their ability to purify the air and remove toxins.

How often should I water my low maintenance houseplants?

Most low maintenance houseplants don’t require frequent watering. It’s important to let the soil dry out between watering sessions.

Are low maintenance houseplants safe for pets?

Most of the low maintenance houseplants listed in this article are safe for pets. However, it’s always a good idea to check if a plant is pet-friendly before bringing it into your home.

Can low maintenance houseplants survive in low light conditions?

Yes, most low maintenance houseplants can survive in low to medium light conditions.

Do low maintenance houseplants require frequent fertilizing?

No, low maintenance houseplants don’t require frequent fertilizing. You can fertilize your plant once every few months with a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer.

Source Happy Eco News

This ‘liquid tree’ in Belgrade is fighting back against air pollution

Posted on December 7, 2021 by dishanth

Belgrade has an innovative tool in the fight against dirty air – this so-called “liquid tree”.

It’s Serbia’s first urban photo-bioreactor, a solution for tackling greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.

It contains six hundred litres of water and uses microalgae to bind carbon dioxide and produce pure oxygen through photosynthesis.

“The microalgae replaces two, 10-year-old trees or 200 square metres of lawn,” said Dr Ivan Spasojevic, one of the authors of the project from the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research at the University of Belgrade.

“The system is the same because both trees and grass perform photosynthesis and bind carbon dioxide.

“The advantage of microalgae is that they are 10 to 50 times more efficient than trees.

“Our goal is not to replace forests but to use this system to fill those urban pockets where there is no space for planting trees.”

Belgrade is the fourth most polluted city in Serbia, due to the two large coal power plants nearby.

The two plants are among the top 10 dirtiest plants in Europe, according to the European NGO Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).

In 2019, Serbia ranked as Europe’s fifth most polluted country with an average PM 2.5 in air pollution, according to the IQAir’s World Air Quality Report.

Another report in December 2019 also put the country under increased scrutiny, as scientists claimed Serbia had Europe’s worst per capita record for pollution-related deaths: 175 per 100,000 people.

Activists have also claimed that pollution in Serbia and in other parts of the Balkan peninsula is so bad that it can be seen, smelt and even tasted, especially during autumn and winter.

Source Euronews.green

This is the effect coronavirus has had on air pollution all across the world

Posted on April 28, 2020July 27, 2020 by dishanth

The coronavirus pandemic has lead to an increase in air quality all around the world. Lockdowns have resulted in factories and roads shutting, thus reducing emissions.
These 11 visualizations, using data from NASA’s Global Modeling and Data Assimilation team, show the dramatic impact lockdown measures have had on pollution levels.

To contain the coronavirus pandemic, billions of people have been told to stay at home. In China, authorities placed almost half a billion people under lockdown, the equivalent of nearly 7% of the world’s population. Many other countries have since taken similar measures, initially in hard-hit Italy and Spain, and more recently in the United States and India.

The restrictions have sent financial markets into free fall. But they have also given residents in some of the world’s most polluted cities something they have not experienced in years: clean air.

Reuters visualisations, based on data from NASA’s Global Modeling and Data Assimilation team, show how concentrations of some pollutants fell drastically after the lockdowns started.

Satellite observations record information on aerosols in the atmosphere. NASA’s model is then able to provide estimates of the distribution of these pollutants close to the Earth’s surface.

China

The maps below show how levels of PM2.5 nitrate fell in China’s Hubei province after the government imposed travel restrictions. Nitrate is one of the components that make up PM2.5, tiny particles, about 3% of the diameter of human hair, that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, leading to heart disease, strokes or cancer.

Nitrate aerosols are formed from nitrogen compounds, which can be emitted by human activities, especially burning fuel and diesel.

“We may soon learn how much of an impact this temporary pause in pollution has had on human health and the environment, but the clearest takeaway from this event is how satellite measurements of nitrogen compounds can be used as an indicator of economic activity,” said Ryan Stauffer, a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Ground station metrics from Wuhan, where the pandemic originated, show how certain pollutants including nitrogen dioxide were at record lows during the first few months of the year.

Some of the major sources of nitrogen dioxide are vehicle exhausts, power plants and wastewater treatment plants.

Scientists say nitrogen dioxide pollution has been steadily decreasing over the last few years. However, the lockdown may have contributed to this year’s drop.

The following charts show monthly averages of pollutants over the last seven years.

South Korea

In early March, South Korea reported a large increase in COVID-19 cases. Since then, ground stations have been measuring the lowest levels of some pollutants for seven years. Although South Korea did not impose major restrictions on residents, changes in daily activity could have contributed to the drop.

Italy

Similar patterns unfolded across Italy following the introduction of a nationwide lockdown on March 9. Restrictions had already been implemented in late February in some northern regions, where COVID-19 cases had surged.

The industrial belt across northern Italy often experiences high levels of air pollution, but estimates show otherwise this year.

Of the pollutants that fell most significantly in northern Italy, nitrogen dioxide stood out, according to data recorded at ground stations. Bergamo, one of the provinces most affected by the virus, has experienced improvements in air quality.

India

Every winter, New Delhi and other big cities in the north are enveloped in a blanket of smog as farmers burn crop residue. The air tends to clear a little in spring.

However, in the first few months of this year, India experienced a significant decline in some pollutants. The lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the country’s 1.3 billion people could be a major contributing factor. However, there may also be other factors impacting air quality, according to Pallavi Pant, an air quality scientist at the Health Effects Institute in Boston.

“Air pollution levels are often influenced by local meteorology, like temperature or wind speed. Several early analyses are showing declines in air pollution in regions where shutdowns have taken place. However, any such analyses should consider all relevant factors.” Pallavi Pant told Reuters.

Ground stations in northern India also show a downward trend in overall PM2.5, according to data from local authorities.

Beyond improvements in outdoor air quality, scientists are also curious how lockdowns have affected indoor air quality, with millions of people staying at home for far longer than usual.

“As we continue to talk about improvements in outdoor air quality, people are spending a lot more time indoors and the exposure patterns for indoor air pollution might be different at this time too,” said Pant.

Written by

Marco Hernandez, Data Visualization Developer, Reuters Graphics

This article was published in collaboration with Reuters Graphics.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.