The air we breathe
You can live with out food for weeks, without water for days, without air for seconds. When was the last time you thought about the quality of the air you breathe? Throwing open the windows? Having houseplants?
I know up until yesterday, I really never had. Maybe it was the fact that I grew up in the country of east-central Minnesota – eight miles outside of a city of 2,000 people on a 160-acre farm. Maybe it was the fact that for the past seven years, I’ve lived in the heavily-wooded hills of west-central Wisconsin. I’ve more or less been “spoiled” with high-quality, peaceful air since the day I was born.
A childhood neighbor of mine now lives just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. From her home, you can SEE the smog on the strip. That’s what people are breathing in. Gross, nasty smog. Granted, it is Sin City and all…but shouldn’t the air we breathe be clean air, be smog-free?
For the time being, I’m currently living 30 minutes outside of Phoenix, the United States’ sixth largest city. The air where I live appears to be decent, so last night I threw open my bedroom window and allowed in the night-air. Doing so aired out my room and immediately made the space feel fresher and more alive. Try it! Air-out your home once a day and FEEL the difference it makes!
I’m also really excited to, in the not-too-distant-future, pick up some houseplants for my bedroom. They say that a person should have two plants for every 100 square foot of interior space. Right now I’m leaning towards these fine specimens:
1) The Bonsai Ficus. Sculptural, artistic, and fabulous! I want.
2) The Dinosaur Plant. This one has been on my list for a few years now. Why? Well, namely because you cannot kill it. If you forget to water the plant, it uses its genius and goes into survival mode. It’s the prehistoric evergreen that just won’t die. It might not be on THE LIST of the best plants for cleaning indoor air, but it has a geeky story. I’m in love.
3) The Chinese Evergreen. Great for low-light areas. This guy is one of the best for cleaning indoor air. And he looks great.
4) Gerbera Daisies. Bright, fun, playful! Perfect for bringing joy into any room! And, this one’s also on top of the best-plants-for-cleaning-the-air-list. Pretty and practical!
Once I pick up my natural air fresheners, I’ll let you know! You’ll need to wish me luck in keeping these babies growing! While my mother is essentially a master gardener and my father is a farmer, I’m still learning how it’s all done! To date, I’ve managed to kill off nearly every house plant that’s entered my domain, including a cactus. True story.
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Looking for more ways to improve the quality of your air and where to find that best-plants-for-cleaning-the-air-list? Check this out. How do you keep your air fresh and clean? What’s worked for you? What hasn’t? Anyone else as bad with houseplants as I am? Any secrets to share on taking care of plants?
About Sara
Sara Hefty (B.B.A. and H.H.C.) teaches workaholic women how to have it all and flourish without burning out, binging or being spiteful. As an expert in transformational health coaching, she holds women accountable for letting go of unwanted weight, being brilliantly nourished, grounded in truth and feeling confident, happy and playful every single day.
As a woman with her own weight loss story, wide-ranging family heritage of cancer, and a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Sara’s appreciation for convenient nutrient-dense food, personal growth, inspiring design, financial responsibility, and social entrepreneurship led to her “Pursuit of Ownership: Health, Home, and Legacy” model of heart-on-fire-hot empowered living.
Sara is the founder of PROJECT LUX and SaraHefty.com. She currently lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with her husband Brian and hound-dog Raja.
