How to grow fresh air | Kamal Meattle

Summary

Seventeen years ago, a personal battle with air pollution led to the discovery of three common plants—Areca Palm, Mother-in-Law's Tongue, and Money Plant—that can purify indoor air and improve health. The plants help convert CO2 to oxygen and reduce harmful chemicals, with notable benefits like improved blood oxygen levels and reduced health issues like respiratory irritation and asthma. This research, applied in a 50,000-square-foot building, resulted in a 42% increase in blood oxygen levels and a 20% rise in productivity. The initiative aims to combat growing energy demands and improve urban living conditions.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Delhi's air pollution can severely reduce lung capacity and impact health.
• 🏥 Using scientific research from IIT, TERI, and NASA, three common indoor plants can improve indoor air quality.
• 🌴 Areca Palm converts CO2 into oxygen and requires four shoulder-high plants per person, with leaf cleaning daily in polluted cities.
• 🛌 Mother-in-Law's Tongue releases oxygen at night, recommended six to eight waist-high plants per person.
• 💧 Money Plant removes formaldehydes and volatile chemicals, preferably grown hydroponically.
• 🍃 Combining these three plants can produce enough fresh air indoors, even in sealed environments.
• 🏢 Implementation in a 50,000-square-feet Delhi building with 1,200 plants improved blood oxygen levels and reduced health issues.
• 📉 Documented reductions include eye irritation by 52%, respiratory problems by 34%, headaches by 24%, lung impairment by 12%, and asthma by 9%.
• ⚡ Indoor plants can boost human productivity by over 20% and reduce energy requirements in buildings by 15%.
• 🌎 Scaling this approach to larger buildings can help address growing global energy demands and urban air quality challenges.
• 🌱 Simple changes like indoor greenery contribute to healthier living, sustainable energy use, and improved workplace efficiency.

Q & A

What prompted the speaker to explore indoor air quality solutions?

The speaker became allergic to Delhi's air 17 years ago, and doctors informed him that his lung capacity had decreased to 70 percent, which motivated him to find solutions to improve indoor air quality.

Which three plants are highlighted as essential for improving indoor air quality?

The three essential plants are Areca Palm, Mother-in-Law's Tongue, and Money Plant.

How does the Areca Palm contribute to indoor air quality?

Areca Palm removes CO2 from the air and converts it into oxygen. Four shoulder-high plants per person are recommended for optimal benefits.

Why is Mother-in-Law's Tongue considered a 'bedroom plant'?

Mother-in-Law's Tongue converts CO2 into oxygen at night, making it ideal for bedrooms. Six to eight waist-high plants per person are recommended.

What specific harmful substances does the Money Plant remove?

The Money Plant removes formaldehydes and other volatile chemicals, contributing to cleaner indoor air.

How should the plants be maintained to ensure maximum air-purifying effect?

Plants should be grown in sterile vermi manure or hydroponics, leaves wiped daily in polluted cities like Delhi, and taken outdoors every 3-4 months for proper care.

What were the measurable health benefits observed in the Delhi building with 1,200 indoor plants?

Compared to other buildings, there was a 52% reduction in eye irritation, 34% in respiratory issues, 24% in headaches, 12% in lung impairment, and 9% in asthma. Blood oxygen levels had a 42% probability of increasing by 1% after 10 hours indoors.

What additional advantages, beyond health, were observed from using these plants indoors?

Using these plants led to a 20% increase in human productivity and a 15% reduction in energy requirements for buildings due to lower fresh air intake needs.

How is this indoor plant strategy being scaled for larger buildings?

The approach is being replicated in a 1.75-million-square-feet building with 60,000 indoor plants to enhance air quality and sustainability.

Why is improving indoor air quality important for the environment and energy consumption?

Buildings consume 40% of the world's energy, and with 60% of the global population expected to live in urban buildings, reducing energy requirements via indoor plants can significantly reduce environmental impact and meet growing energy demands.

How did the government of India recognize the results of this indoor air improvement strategy?

A government study published on September 8, 2008, confirmed that the Delhi building using these plants was the healthiest building in the city, based on reduced health issues among occupants.

What philosophical message does the speaker leave the audience with?

The speaker ends with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: 'Be the change you want to see in the world,' encouraging individuals to take proactive steps for healthier living environments.