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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Protective Plants

Indoor Greenery Removes Airborne Toxins

Along with naturally beautifying a home, many indoor plants help purify air quality often contaminated by chemicals found in common household products and furnishings. A recent study by the State university of New York at Oswego found that bromeliads  absorbed up to 80 percent of pollutants from  volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted by paint, furniture, printers, dry-cleaned clothes and other household products. Other plants that scored highly for purifying the air of VOCs in airtight container tests were dracaena and spider plants (ScienceAlert.com). In related news, peace lilies have been shown to be effective in reducing airborne ammonia.

NASA scientists have discovered that Boston fern, rubber plants, English ivy, devil’s ivy, peace lily, mum and gerbera daisies help clear the air of the formaldehyde often used in insulation, carpeting and particleboard furniture. (RodalesOrganicLife.com)

Environmental scientist B.C. Wolverton’s book How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office cites ferns as another good plant for removing formaldehyde from the home. Ferns are nontoxic, making them good indoor plants for pet owners per the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Indoor levels of formaldehyde can also be reduced by potting areca palm, amstel king ficus and weeping fig plants, according to MotherEarthLiving.com. The website also cites how dragon tree plants can help remove xylene (used in solvents), trichloroethylene (found primarily in adhesives) and toluene (a solvent and gasoline additive) from the air.

Beyond improving air quality, indoor plants also boost ambient oxygen levels, lower mold counts and serve as a natural humidifier and mood enhancer.

 

 

Image: antpkr/Shutterstock.com

Eco Tip
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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