Here Are 8 Things That You Can Do Immediately To Make The Air Around You Cleaner And Safer!
Don't wait for the government to stir into action, ensure that you and your family can breathe easy
While we wait for the Delhi government to live up to its promise of installing air purifiers in Delhi to help citizens breathe easy in the city, there is no respite in sight for those suffering from respiratory diseases as yet. For those of us who are finding it difficult to breathe with every passing hour, there is no good news coming our way.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Diwali marks the beginning of a spike in pollution levels in Delhi and continues till spring next year. The upcoming wedding season, with all the firecrackers, spell further doom.
However, here are a few simple way that you can help purify the air around you.
Camphor
Instead of the chemically treated version available at a cheaper price, the raw untreated camphor leaves a stronger impact on the senses. It helps in cleaning blockages in the nasal cavity that come with congestion from the common cold.
Air purifying plants
Best to test which plants you and your family are allergic to before you go on a spree of creating DIY plant air purification kits. Please also ensure that they do not hold water for too long as that could lead to breeding of mosquitoes and other insects.
ALSO READ: These Plants Do A Much Better Job Of Cleaning The Air
Salt lamps
The Himalayan salt lamps are not for decoration alone. Its main purpose is to use the crystallised salt to use the heat to cleanse the pollutants in the air. This works best in a smaller, closed room but a good night's sleep next to a salt lamp is said to boost immunity as well as detoxify the lungs.
Beeswax candles
While these are more expensive than the regular paraffin wax candles, the benefit of the beeswax candle is that it lasts longer and actually contributes in cleansing the air. The normal candles actually release chemicals like benzene and toluene into the air. Organic candles, made from the wax of beehives, burn with no smoke at all and are known to generate charged particles to counter pollutants in the air.
Bamboo charcoal
Live charcoal emits toxin-burning particles which cleanse the air of unwanted chemicals, dust, pollen and allergens while also soaking in excessive moisture and are known to combat all form of air-borne infections. The charcoal is available in strips that can be kept in a corner of the room and recharged once every month by placing in sunlight. They have been scientifically proven to counter formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene and chloroform gases.
Khus curtains
Used traditionally in Indian homes to cool the air during the summers, khus also help act as a natural filter letting a fragrant cleansed air pass through windows and doors. In summers, they have to be kept moist to help turn hot air from the outside turn into a cool fragrant breeze on the other side, in winters you need to sprinkle a little bit of water to help process the air better but helps to restrict the smog from entering your house.
Avoid indoor smoking
Stepping out of the house in the cold to have a cigarette may not seem like a good idea but if you want to breathe easy and curb the impact of passive smoke on your family, do it. While it is not advised for people suffering from respiratory troubles to smoke at all, having to step out in the cold for every smoke can be a good way to help you kick the butt.
Eucalyptus oil
Nature has its way of cleansing itself from time to time. The eucalyptus is best-known for its medicinal properties. Used extensively to help in respiratory diseases, it helps in treating nasal congestion effectively. The essential oil from the eucalyptus helps in killing any bacteria and removing pollutants from the air. Mix a few drops oil with some water and place on a diffuser for best effect.
