We all have a responsibility to care for the Earth, and the environment which sustains us. While we need to take many “big” steps, we can also take small ones to both care for our planet and improve our own immediate environment. Here are three small changes you can make for a more eco-friendly lifestyle at home.

Shelter A House Plant.

Besides their aesthetic value, houseplants can be good for your overall health. They naturally purify the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into their immediate environment. Studies by NASA have found that houseplants can remove about 87 percent of harmful air toxins within a 24-hour cycle. Cleaner indoor air can improve your mood, and their beauty can help reduce stress, turning your home into your own personal oasis.

With such a large variety of houseplant species to choose from, it can be difficult to pick the right one. The key to choosing the perfect houseplant is to take into consideration the conditions and level of care it needs. The ing Ming Aralia plant is a great start for beginners. These plans can thrive in both indirect light and bright light and require minimal maintenance as they can go for days without water. Indigenous to the Pacific Islands, their beauty lies in the green upper sides, and purple undersides of their leaves.

Despite being a great air purifier, the Ming Aralia was traditionally hailed for its medicinal components, as early research showed it helped reduce inflammatory, fungal, and bacteria-related illness.

Consider Using CBD Products.

Cannabidiol is fast becoming a natural remedy to help in the treatment of common illnesses. Popularly referred to as CBD, it is one of the active ingredients (cannabinoids) found in the industrial hemp plant. Whilst THC is another well-known cannabinoid and has a psychoactive effect (meaning it gives the user a “high,”) CBD has no psychoactive effect, making it the preferred option for individuals seeking relief from their discomfort.

Some common CBD products include CBD oil, CBD supplements, CBD edibles, and CBD tinctures and topicals. Of these, CBD oil is the most commonly used. It is made from CBD that has been extracted from the cannabis plant, then diluted with hemp seed or coconut oil. The wellness industry is fast embracing it and has found CBD oil is commonly used to help those with insomnia, as well as reduce anxiety and depression in people with an over-active mind, and alleviate discomfort NOTE: I have rubbed CBD oil on my hands to help reduce joint pain related to arthritis).

NOTE: Never ingest anything intended for health or wellness reasons without speaking to a medical professional or doctor first!

Opt for Natural Insect Repellent.

Most people use insect repellent to prevent bug bites and the infections that they transmit. However, most consumers are not aware of the chemicals used to make insect repellents. DEET, for instance, is an active ingredient found in a majority of synthetic insect repellents. But some studies show that DEET has a toxic effect on the body’s central nervous system, with the added side effect of causing a skin rash.

Stop The Bites insect repellent is a natural repellent for ticks with none of these downsides. Hailed as having the same efficacy as synthetic tick repellents, when properly applied, it can repel ticks and mosquitos for a period of up to one week. It can be applied as a spray on shrub and vegetation, as well as on swing sets and the patio.

Instead of DEET, it consists of active ingredients like lemongrass oil, geraniol, castor oil, cedarwood oil, corn oil, and sodium lauryl sulfate, plus water, soap, oleic acid and 1-monolaurin, a byproduct of coconut fat.

NOTE: Take special care not to apply it on or near food and vegetables, or food-bearing plants. Apply late in the day or early evening and not directly on bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Keep children and pets off lawns that have been treated until the product dries.

About Sponsored Posts: Occasionally, we run posts sponsored by companies that offer some interesting options. The post doesn’t imply endorsement of a particular product.  

The post 3 Natural Products to Add to Your Eco-Friendly Lifestyle appeared first on Big Green Purse.

How clean is the air you’re breathing?

Probably not very. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that indoor air could be dirtier than the air that’s outdoors. The new brēth (pronounced “breathe”) natural air purifier gets rid of indoor air pollution with unique technology that has the cleaning power of almost 200 houseplants! brēth uses just three plants, packaged in a cute, easy-to-maintain planter that takes up barely any room, to keep your air fresh and clean.

Read on to learn how to breathe better…with brēth – and how you can get your very own brēth air purifier, available on Kickstarter.

INDOOR AIR CAN BE REALLY ICKY!

Indoors is where we spend about 90% of our time, either at home or at work.

Unfortunately, the inside air we breathe can be contaminated with all kinds of pollutants. Most of those pollutants are chemicals that have been linked to cancer, asthma, itchy eyes, and other health problems. They include formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and other “volatile organic compounds” (VOCs).

You know that “new furniture smell” or “new paint smell,” the one that gives you a headache or makes you antsy and maybe even nauseous? Or the smell left behind from furniture polish, cleansers, and so-called air fresheners? Those smells and fragrances are made from synthetic chemicals that can make you ill, and they’re the primary source of indoor air pollution.

Here are 16 Surprising Things That Pollute The Air in Your House

HOW DOES THE brēth PLANT AIR PURIFIER HELP?

brēth eliminates these harmful indoor pollutants using just three plants, an LED light, and a fan. Doesn’t that sound simple?

The fan actually captures the pollutants and sends them into a canister that also contains three plants. The pollutants get converted into organic compounds that nourish the plant roots, purifying the air in the process.

The technology works like “a miniature ecosystem,” says Mark Prescott, the company’s co-founder. The proprietary technology “greatly improves a plant’s ability to remove indoor air pollution.”

“This is the most natural purification mechanism that biology provides us to clean indoor environments.”

This video explains exactly how it all happens.

WHY PLANTS?

We already know that trees and forests help purify our outdoor air. NASA (yes, THAT NASA) wondered if houseplants could do the same for indoor air. The agency conducted a Clean Air Study that found that common indoor houseplants provide a natural way to remove toxins from the air.

The NASA study identified more than 50 houseplants, including pathos, spider plants, and dracena, that do a particularly good job cleaning the air. Those are some of the same plants that brēth uses to do the same. Ray Greenstreet at Greenstreet Growers, who co-created brēth and who is an expert at building “living green walls” to help purify the air in bigger office complexes, took NASA’s research and his company’s own expertise and voilá: brēth technology so you can breathe better.

IT WORKS WHETHER YOU ARE GOOD WITH PLANTS…OR KILL THEM!

The beauty of this system is that it works whether you’ve got a green thumb…or whether you’ve killed every plant you’ve ever tried to take care of.

⇒The brēth unit is self-contained.

⇒ It comes with a monitor that tells you when the plants need water, so you won’t forget to water or overwater, either.

⇒ The attached full-spectrum LED light makes sure the plants get enough light, so you can keep them in an office or bedroom or kitchen or dining room or living room or nursery – whether they get direct sunlight or no sunlight at all.

⇒ An app for your mobile device monitors the air and shows you just how clean your air is staying, thanks to brēth.

⇒ The plants only require watering every 10 days, and minimal trimming.

HERE’S WHERE YOU CAN GET ONE

You can order your brēth plant air purifier over on its Kickstarter page, but you’ve only got until October 13 to do so. Buy it now, and you’ll pay just $99 (plus shipping), which is 50% off the retail price.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I occasionally work with some of the backers of brēth. However, I wouldn’t recommend this technology to you if I didn’t think it provided an important health benefit at a reasonable price. Thanks!

The post This New Plant Air Purifier Makes Breathing Better appeared first on Big Green Purse.

The research is pretty strong that adding greenery to your office, whether that’s in your home or out, has all kinds of psychological and physical health benefits. We’re partnering with office furniture retailer Jason L to highlight the many reasons why it’s time for you to install office gardens where you work.

Why Plant Office Gardens?

Get More Work Done
One of the top benefits of being surrounded by greenery is that it increases productivity. Why? Plants are sort of like therapy dogs – you can touch and smell them, and they can have a calming effect on your workspace. The folks at Jason L report that 15% more ideas are generated by people who worked in an office with a garden or surrounded by plants. When you feel better, you work better. It’s as simple as that.

Feel Better
Speaking of feeling better, just think about how uplifting it is to walk into a room that includes some beautiful plants. I immediately feel my blood pressure drop a couple of notches when I see a variety of plants together.

Minimize Discomfort
Research shows that hospital patients tolerate pain better if there is a plant in their room or on their ward. Looking at plants, watering them, taking trimmings can all be very peaceful and meditative.

Breathe Cleaner Air
Indoor plants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours. They also absorb carbon dioxide and emit fresh oxygen, says NASA.

Be Creative
From adding a few hanging plants to your space to creating garden walls, the sky is almost literally the limit when it comes to how use use plants to express yourself creatively. You can have desk top plants, floor plants, baskets full of plants, flower boxes, herbs, flowers, fruit trees, terrariums, and more.

Put It To Use
Numerous companies and factories plant garden walls or rooftop gardens as a way to increase insulation and reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as increase employee well-being. These tips will help you figure out if a rooftop garden makes sense where you work.

How to Install Office Gardens

Look at Light
All plants need light, but some need a lot more than others.

A variety of specimens, like golden pathos and peace lilies, that can tolerate very low light levels and even some artificial light.

Others, like spider plants, do much better with more light.

Before you get a plant, take stock of how much light it needs, as well as how much it will get in your space. If those two factors measure up, you’re good to go.

Know the Air Temp
Like light, some plants do better in a cooler space and others want temps much warmer.

If your plant is going to go near a drafty window, skip the orchids and other “hot house” plants.

If the room is hot, think about tropical or desert plants, depending on the humidity.

Consider Humidity
Tropical plants will need to be misted often and watered frequently. Desert plants, just the opposite. In addition to knowing the light exposure and temperature of your space, consider how humid it is and how often plants require watering.

What Do You Like to Look At?
Whatever plants you choose, make sure you enjoy looking at them. If you don’t, you’ll lose interesting in keeping them alive. And no one likes a dead plant!

Here’s the bottom line. People benefit when they work around office plants (or plants in warehouses, factories, and retail outlets). Whether you’re adding greenery to your home office or something larger, you won’t regret bring some foliage into your space.

Thanks to Jason L for these images. You can see their complete infographic on office gardens right here. 

NOTE: Sponsors and partners enable us to bring you the expert content you need to live the greener life you want. All editorial opinions remain our own. 

The post Plant Office Gardens to Get More Work Done, Breathe Better appeared first on Big Green Purse.

  One way we can do so is by installing plants in the rooms where we work and live.  Gaddy’s Plant Hire, a company based in Australia that specializes in renting out plants to offices and special events (and our sponsors for this post), has taken to heart the recommendations of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to use plants for air purification.

Plants for Air Purification

 Though plants don’t particularly look like air filters, they are. Plants emit water vapor that helps pull contaminated air down around a plant’s roots, where it is then converted into food for the plant. The more air circulates through the roots of the plants, the more effective the plants are at reducing pollution.  As you might expect, some plants are better air purifiers than others. For example,

·  A    * Aloe vera, an easy-to-grow succulent that thrives in the sun, helps remove by-products of chemical-based cleansers, paints and more, including formaldehyde and benzene.

·          * Spider plant is a quick grower with copious foliage that is almost impossible to kill, despite the worst neglect. In addition to formaldehyde and benzene, it will also filter carbon monoxide.

  * Snake plant (shown right), also known by its Latin name Sansevieria trifasciata or its other common name, mother-in-law’s tongue, is also effective at filtering out formaldehyde. It loves low light and the warm, moist conditions found in many bathrooms.

·          * Golden pothos is a fast-growing vine that brightens up any room with its yellow and green, heart-shaped leaves.  Keep it watered, but it can do well in low light as well.

Other effective botanical air purifiers include English Ivy, Dracaena, Rhododendron, Chinese Evergreen, Bamboo Palm, Heart Leaf Philodendron, and one of my personal favorites, the Peace Lily, pictured above left.  (I’ve had a big Peace Lily in my living room for over ten years; in addition to its air purifying properties, I love the beautiful white flowers it sends up a couple of times a year).

If it’s not enough that plants freshen your air, consider how much more content you are in a room filled with at least some plants. Again, research tells us why: According to a University of Agriculture study conducted in Norway, indoor plants can combat fatigue, sore throats and other cold-related illnesses, in part by increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust. Other studies report that hospital patients whose windows have a garden view recover more quickly than those who have to look at a wall. Many companies have also noted that both productivityand creativity increase when employees work around plants.

For me, I particularly enjoy seeing bulbs bloom in the winter months. It sounds so simple, but it really gives me something to look forward to when everything outside is dormant and forlorn.

NOTE: Sponsorships enable us to continue to bring you independent, expert content at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions are unbiased and our own. Thanks.

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