We're building up to Clean Air Day on the 20th June. We manufacture products that keep air in industrial workplaces free from contaminants, but what impact does our everyday life have on our environment and the air we breathe?
According to https://www.cleanairday.org.uk/whatcanido there are lots of easy things that you can do to help keep the air cleaner in your home for you and your family.
1. Regularly service your boilers
Make sure your boiler is serviced each year to help keep it burning fuel cleanly and reduce pollution and prevent Carbon Monoxide from being created.
2. Be careful what you burn
If you have a wood burning stove, make sure to always use well-seasoned wood that has had a chance to dry out properly, so it burns efficiently and with less pollution.
3. Choose low-chemical cleaning, DIY and personal care products
Choose fragrance free cleaning products and follow the instructions when using them to avoid using too much. Instead of using aerosols, look for other options and open the window for fresh air rather than using an air freshener.
4. Keep your kitchen smoke free
When you are cooking, try to keep lids on pots whenever you can. This will reduce the amount of energy needed to cook and reduce the amount of pollution from your gas hob. It will also reduce the amount of moisture getting into the air, which can help to avoid mould.
5. Make the most of fresh air
Opening windows when you are cooking or cleaning can be a very good way to stop air pollution building up inside your house. It allows fresh air in and stops the concentration of pollution from getting too high.
6. Protect yourself and your family when out and about
• Use people power
Walk, cycle or scoot whenever you can, rather than driving. Being stuck in traffic can expose you to lots of pollution. Polluted air from the exhaust of the vehicles in front can get sucked into your car, and often stays trapped there, meaning you breathe in lots of the pollution.
• Take quieter routes
When you can, avoid walking along the busiest roads. Choose ways to get to your destination that use quieter streets, trips through parks and other green spaces or pedestrianised areas.
Quieter roads have been shown to reduce your exposure to pollution by 20%.
7. Have some plants around the home
Research that was carried out by NASA showed that there are plants which can remove pollution from the air. Different plants were shown to remove different pollutants, with plants like ivy, spider plants and Peace Lilies helping to remove some formaldehyde from the air and Aloe Vera and Chrysanthemums helping to remove benzene from the air.
8. Recycle!
Recycling helps preserve the earth's resources, and it also helps to clear the air! Manufacturing goods using recycled materials often releases significantly fewer emissions than new items according to http://greeningforward.org/environmental-issues/waste/recycle/recycling-facts/, so make sure to recycle and purchase recycled items when possible!
9. Compost it!
About two-thirds of landfill waste contains biodegradable organic matter from households, business and industry. As this material decomposes, it releases methane gas. As a potent greenhouse gas, methane traps up to 20 times more heat in the atmosphere compared with carbon dioxide the EPA states.
In the U.K., much of that methane from landfill sites is used to produce electricity, with carbon dioxide as a by-product, which has a weaker global warming effect. Oftentimes the air surrounding landfill sites smells unpleasant, due to the decaying organic waste Find out more: https://sciencing.com/effects-landfills-environment-8662463.html
You can make changes to the organic matter you throw away:
• You can start a garden composter – find out more here: http://www.homecompostingmadeeasy.com/foodscraps.html
• Some local authorities even take away your food waste for you - you just need a kitchen caddy to collect all of your organic waste!
To learn more about Clean Air Day visit: https://www.cleanairday.org.uk/