The video spot for LightAir air cleaners promises that they can protect you from dangerous pollutants. Consumer Reports tested the $300 LightAir Ion Flow 50-F Surface, along with more than two dozen other portable air cleaners.
To evaluate how well they remove dust and smoke, testers place them in a special sealed room. The chamber is filled with fine, powdered clay dust, as well as cigarette smoke.
Testers use a particle analyzer to measure how well the air cleaners remove the contaminants. Testers found the LightAir about as effective at removing dust and smoke as using no air cleaner at all.
An air cleaner from Brookstone, the PureIon Pro, did far better removing dust and smoke. But it produces a small amount of ozone, which can aggravate asthma. The Brookstone meets voluntary standards on ozone levels. But Consumer Reports does not recommend any product that produces ozone.
Consumer Reports says even if you do have asthma or allergies, you probably don't need any air cleaner. To improve air quality, put dust-mite covers on your mattress and pillows. Don’t use a fireplace or let pets in your bedroom.
If you’ve taken those steps and still think you need an air purifier, Consumer Reports found some that are good at dust and smoke removal. The Holmes HAP756-U air cleaner for $150 is a good choice.
Consumer Reports says there’s another inexpensive way to improve the air in your home. If you heat and cool with forced air, you can replace the filter with better one -- something you need to do every couple of months.
Consumer Reports tests found that the $25 the 3M Filtrete Elite Allergen 2200 MPR filter does an excellent job removing dust and pollen.
2012年2月16日星期四
2012年2月7日星期二
Howell Company Secures $465 Million Contract With Army
A company with only 40 employees in Howell is one of five that will share in a $465 million dollar contract with the U.S. Army. It's a contract that holds the opportunity to bring jobs and money to the area.
"We've been doing military work for over 20 years. They're a great customer," said Ralph Beebe, President of Highland Engineering.
Ralph Beebe and his crew at Highland Engineering work hard to provide our troops with what they need.
"When something leaves our facility, the people know where it's going…who's using it and we make sure it's right," said Beebe.
15 years ago they designed a water treatment purifier now used by the Air Force, NATO and FEMA. Recently, they've added on some new products to their list.
"It was a competitively bid contract. Highland Engineering was one of the winners and that's up to a $465 million contract over the next 5 years," said Beebe.
Beebe's company was one out of 5 companies across the country and the only one in Michigan chosen by the U.S. Army to build portable bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms and kitchens that will be shipped to troops all around the world.
The local company brings the comfort of home to our troops, the things we take for granted, like running water to wash your hands and to flush the toilet.
Not only is this one of the biggest contracts for Beebe's company, he says local suppliers will also feel the effects and when these units are in full production it will add about 40 to 50 jobs.
"The veteran unemployment rate right now is an issue and as new jobs come on that would certainly be our first stop...is hiring the vets," said Beebe.
The focus of their work is making the troops as comfortable as they possible.
"They're doing one of the hardest and most difficult jobs, a hot shower at the end of the day is great thing," said Beebe.
Beebe says they hope to be in full production of the units in 5 to 6 months. They plan to produce about 60 a month and ship more than 700 a year to troops.
"We've been doing military work for over 20 years. They're a great customer," said Ralph Beebe, President of Highland Engineering.
Ralph Beebe and his crew at Highland Engineering work hard to provide our troops with what they need.
"When something leaves our facility, the people know where it's going…who's using it and we make sure it's right," said Beebe.
15 years ago they designed a water treatment purifier now used by the Air Force, NATO and FEMA. Recently, they've added on some new products to their list.
"It was a competitively bid contract. Highland Engineering was one of the winners and that's up to a $465 million contract over the next 5 years," said Beebe.
Beebe's company was one out of 5 companies across the country and the only one in Michigan chosen by the U.S. Army to build portable bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms and kitchens that will be shipped to troops all around the world.
The local company brings the comfort of home to our troops, the things we take for granted, like running water to wash your hands and to flush the toilet.
Not only is this one of the biggest contracts for Beebe's company, he says local suppliers will also feel the effects and when these units are in full production it will add about 40 to 50 jobs.
"The veteran unemployment rate right now is an issue and as new jobs come on that would certainly be our first stop...is hiring the vets," said Beebe.
The focus of their work is making the troops as comfortable as they possible.
"They're doing one of the hardest and most difficult jobs, a hot shower at the end of the day is great thing," said Beebe.
Beebe says they hope to be in full production of the units in 5 to 6 months. They plan to produce about 60 a month and ship more than 700 a year to troops.
2012年2月1日星期三
Vendors deem weekend show a great success
Many of the exhibitors at the annual Greater Portsmouth Home Show deemed the weekend event a great success as Saturday was great and Sunday was almost as well attended, was their joint agreement.
John and Mary Mirabella of Newfields have had a leaky basement for years and found several companies anxious to share their knowledge and potential solution to their long standing problem.
"I was impressed with the professionalism of the vendors I spoke with, and plan on doing business with one of them," said John.
The show offered one-stop shopping for people looking for solutions or suggestions, such as in-home vacuum systems or air purifiers, both available from Electrolux.
According to representative Nicole Bodzivch of Wales, Mass., Electrolux has more than 600 stores across the country and she does "an incredible" number of shows each year.
"This is a good one," said Bodzivch, "it is well attended and the people ask good questions. I have several good prospects and sign-ups this weekend."
A popular spot was the booth occupied by Urban Tree Service Of Rochester. According to Edward Roy, arborist for the company, the weekend was an opportunity to show the public that Urban Tree does more than take down trees.
"We do everything from transplanting trees to mosquito control, " said the UNH grad. "I enjoy expanding the public's image of our company."
Rich Guidice, a representative of the Portsmouth MetLife, enjoyed his time at the show.
"We are hooked up with WiFi," said Guidice, "and are able to give showgoers exact quotes on our very low rates."
Luncheon was available from the Frank Jones Center with scrumptious looking sandwiches and decadent brownies evident. A representative of the kitchen advised that their appropriately called homemade shepherd's pie was a big hit.
From basements to roofs pretty much anything home-oriented was available including an evaluation of your posture from Breakfast Hill Chiropractic of Rye.
As chiropractic assistant Carly Taylor put it: "You can't take care of your home if you can't move."
John and Mary Mirabella of Newfields have had a leaky basement for years and found several companies anxious to share their knowledge and potential solution to their long standing problem.
"I was impressed with the professionalism of the vendors I spoke with, and plan on doing business with one of them," said John.
The show offered one-stop shopping for people looking for solutions or suggestions, such as in-home vacuum systems or air purifiers, both available from Electrolux.
According to representative Nicole Bodzivch of Wales, Mass., Electrolux has more than 600 stores across the country and she does "an incredible" number of shows each year.
"This is a good one," said Bodzivch, "it is well attended and the people ask good questions. I have several good prospects and sign-ups this weekend."
A popular spot was the booth occupied by Urban Tree Service Of Rochester. According to Edward Roy, arborist for the company, the weekend was an opportunity to show the public that Urban Tree does more than take down trees.
"We do everything from transplanting trees to mosquito control, " said the UNH grad. "I enjoy expanding the public's image of our company."
Rich Guidice, a representative of the Portsmouth MetLife, enjoyed his time at the show.
"We are hooked up with WiFi," said Guidice, "and are able to give showgoers exact quotes on our very low rates."
Luncheon was available from the Frank Jones Center with scrumptious looking sandwiches and decadent brownies evident. A representative of the kitchen advised that their appropriately called homemade shepherd's pie was a big hit.
From basements to roofs pretty much anything home-oriented was available including an evaluation of your posture from Breakfast Hill Chiropractic of Rye.
As chiropractic assistant Carly Taylor put it: "You can't take care of your home if you can't move."
2012年1月12日星期四
The Privileges of China’s Elite Include Purified Air
The elite upper class members of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing have always had special privileges over those without membership, ranging from organic produce to better medical institutions, causing envy amongst ordinary citizens.
The ordinary citizens of Beijing seem to be well-informed on what the elite have that they don’t; however, the idea that the elite breathe the same polluted air as everyone else might not be too accurate.
The Broad Group, a Chinese company, produces machines that filter the air, thus purifying it. The company advertises the presence of its purifiers in many places where many officials live and work, including the Great Hall of the People and the Chinese presidential office.
“Creating clean, healthy for our national leaders is a blessing to the people,” boasts the company’s government-endorsed advertising.
Despite the Chinese government’s support of it, the Broad Group’s advertising campaign has spurred much criticism from lower class Chinese citizens.
“They don’t have to eat gutter oil or drink poisoned milk powder and now they’re protected from filthy air,” said a post on Sina Webo, China’s most popular blogging service. “This shows their indifference to the lives of ordinary people.”
Many find the idea of purified air specifically for China’s elite outrageous, especially when pollution can cause so many health problems.
“Pollution affects the cells of the human body,” said Mrs. Martinez, a teacher in the health academy and a retired nurse. “Chemical substances in the air attack the DNA in cells, and when the DNA is under attack, the cell undergoes something called a mutation, which can be the beginning of cancer.”
The United States Embassy’s air monitoring device has reported extremely hazardous levels of pollution in the Chinese atmosphere, even though Chinese readings deem it only “slightly polluted.”
The readings released by the American Embassy are based on very small particulate matter, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers, because of its ability to enter the lungs so easily. Chinese readings are based on particulate matter at a minimum of more than 10 micrometers, which includes visible sand and dust.
Despite the government’s fear that releasing readings based on smaller particulate matter could potentially worsen the image of some cities, the government does seem to be moving towards releasing more detailed data on pollution to the public. The ordinary citizens of China have a right to know what they are breathing in.
It isn’t surprising that the lower class Chinese resent the elite for their purified air. Clean air is something to be envied, especially somewhere with extreme pollution like Beijing.
The ordinary citizens of Beijing seem to be well-informed on what the elite have that they don’t; however, the idea that the elite breathe the same polluted air as everyone else might not be too accurate.
The Broad Group, a Chinese company, produces machines that filter the air, thus purifying it. The company advertises the presence of its purifiers in many places where many officials live and work, including the Great Hall of the People and the Chinese presidential office.
“Creating clean, healthy for our national leaders is a blessing to the people,” boasts the company’s government-endorsed advertising.
Despite the Chinese government’s support of it, the Broad Group’s advertising campaign has spurred much criticism from lower class Chinese citizens.
“They don’t have to eat gutter oil or drink poisoned milk powder and now they’re protected from filthy air,” said a post on Sina Webo, China’s most popular blogging service. “This shows their indifference to the lives of ordinary people.”
Many find the idea of purified air specifically for China’s elite outrageous, especially when pollution can cause so many health problems.
“Pollution affects the cells of the human body,” said Mrs. Martinez, a teacher in the health academy and a retired nurse. “Chemical substances in the air attack the DNA in cells, and when the DNA is under attack, the cell undergoes something called a mutation, which can be the beginning of cancer.”
The United States Embassy’s air monitoring device has reported extremely hazardous levels of pollution in the Chinese atmosphere, even though Chinese readings deem it only “slightly polluted.”
The readings released by the American Embassy are based on very small particulate matter, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers, because of its ability to enter the lungs so easily. Chinese readings are based on particulate matter at a minimum of more than 10 micrometers, which includes visible sand and dust.
Despite the government’s fear that releasing readings based on smaller particulate matter could potentially worsen the image of some cities, the government does seem to be moving towards releasing more detailed data on pollution to the public. The ordinary citizens of China have a right to know what they are breathing in.
It isn’t surprising that the lower class Chinese resent the elite for their purified air. Clean air is something to be envied, especially somewhere with extreme pollution like Beijing.
2011年12月26日星期一
Some Chinese turn to U.S. Embassy for clarity in smog data
The Beijing smog often keeps Zhushen Zhenyu trapped at home, on his mother's orders, when he'd rather be playing basketball outside, but the 8-year-old still hopes for a silver lining in the clouds of pollution choking China's capital.
"When will the air quality be so bad we don't have to go to school?" he asked a city official one recent smoggy day.
"That depends on government policy," was the cryptic reply of Li Yunting, an engineer at the Beijing Environmental Monitoring Center, which opened to public visits last month.
The doubts about official pollution data keep piling up for China's government, as green activists, celebrity bloggers and ordinary citizens increasingly demand action and information to halt the environmental fall-out from decades of breakneck economic growth.
Burning coal is largely responsible for the oppressive smog, which the United Nations has rated the worst in the world. China has more than doubled its coal consumption in the past 10 years but has not kept pace with the clean-air technology found in the West. It also relies on cheaper forms of coal that emit more pollutants, and Beijing's nearly 5 million cars do not generally meet the standards of the USA.
The past two months have been dire. The high incidence of heavy air pollution has sent many residents rushing to buy face masks, air purifiers and household plants believed to clean dirty air.
The haze has highlighted discrepancies between the government's robustly sunny statistics and the far scarier numbers recorded and issued by the U.S. Embassy here. Beijing described the air pollution as "light" on December 4, a smog-filled day that forced the city airport, the world's second busiest, to cancel hundreds of flights because of poor visibility. The embassy reading was "beyond index," literally off the measurement charts that stop at "hazardous."
The embassy measurements, begun in 2008 and issued hourly via Twitter, use a standard employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to measure tiny airborne particles, such as soot from burning gas in cars, that are under 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
Experts consider these particles most damaging to human health, as they are small enough to penetrate the lungs and blood, potentially causing lung cancer and other diseases.
China publishes figures using a standard that measures coarser particular matter such as dust and keeps secret, for internal research, the measurements of smaller particles its scientists collect.
Despite the Chinese government's blocking of Twitter, the U.S. Embassy figures are widely circulated in Beijing on Chinese websites or microblogs. In recent weeks, celebrity bloggers such as real estate mogul Pan Shiyi and children's author Zheng Yuanjie have pressured Chinese officials to give a more accurate picture of air quality.
Yu Ping, a Beijing journalist and father of a 6-year-old boy who, like him, has suffered a sore throat in recent weeks, threatens to sue the municipal environmental protection agency if they don't respond to his request for the recent data.
"This is very important for me, my son and all citizens of Beijing and China," he says.
Yu's quest has inspired several other Chinese to demand data from their city governments, Yu says. He is grateful to the U.S. government for its transparency, but "it should be the Chinese government that does this," he says.
Some Beijingers, such as Wang Jinlan, say the U.S. government should mind its own business. Her daughter Du Lanxin, 8, says they filled their house with special plants last month to purify the air.
"Our home is better now, but when I go out, it's sometimes very hard to breathe," she says. Her mother drives her to school every day rather than breathe the smog on a bicycle or bus, but in doing so, she adds to the city's clogged, polluted streets.
Hua Lei, vice director of the center, insists that, over the past two years, Beijing's air quality has improved. She says the center measures small particulates in the air but does not release the data because the public "won't understand the figures."
Environmentalist Feng Yongfeng, founder of the environmental group Green Beagle, has been lending air-quality monitoring equipment to companies and communities since May.
"As a government, you must let the people know the worst level of air quality," he says.
Under growing pressure, Beijing is now revising national air-quality monitoring standards and promises to require the release of data on smaller particulates — by 2016.
Environmental consultant Steven Andrews, an American based in Beijing, says the problem is that China's "target culture" means officials, fearful for their jobs, distort pollution levels to ensure they meet government benchmarks.
Even under the new standards, "levels will still be called good in Beijing that would be in the unhealthy range in the U.S," he says.
"The air is dangerous; it will cause cancer," says Sam Zhang, 41, a vegetable wholesaler who signed up for the monitoring center visit. He says he trusts the U.S. Embassy figures over his own government's data.
"Taxpayers pay the government officials' salaries, so they should tell the truth about air quality," he says, "but they are not elected by the people, so we have no hope they will tell the truth."
"When will the air quality be so bad we don't have to go to school?" he asked a city official one recent smoggy day.
"That depends on government policy," was the cryptic reply of Li Yunting, an engineer at the Beijing Environmental Monitoring Center, which opened to public visits last month.
The doubts about official pollution data keep piling up for China's government, as green activists, celebrity bloggers and ordinary citizens increasingly demand action and information to halt the environmental fall-out from decades of breakneck economic growth.
Burning coal is largely responsible for the oppressive smog, which the United Nations has rated the worst in the world. China has more than doubled its coal consumption in the past 10 years but has not kept pace with the clean-air technology found in the West. It also relies on cheaper forms of coal that emit more pollutants, and Beijing's nearly 5 million cars do not generally meet the standards of the USA.
The past two months have been dire. The high incidence of heavy air pollution has sent many residents rushing to buy face masks, air purifiers and household plants believed to clean dirty air.
The haze has highlighted discrepancies between the government's robustly sunny statistics and the far scarier numbers recorded and issued by the U.S. Embassy here. Beijing described the air pollution as "light" on December 4, a smog-filled day that forced the city airport, the world's second busiest, to cancel hundreds of flights because of poor visibility. The embassy reading was "beyond index," literally off the measurement charts that stop at "hazardous."
The embassy measurements, begun in 2008 and issued hourly via Twitter, use a standard employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to measure tiny airborne particles, such as soot from burning gas in cars, that are under 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
Experts consider these particles most damaging to human health, as they are small enough to penetrate the lungs and blood, potentially causing lung cancer and other diseases.
China publishes figures using a standard that measures coarser particular matter such as dust and keeps secret, for internal research, the measurements of smaller particles its scientists collect.
Despite the Chinese government's blocking of Twitter, the U.S. Embassy figures are widely circulated in Beijing on Chinese websites or microblogs. In recent weeks, celebrity bloggers such as real estate mogul Pan Shiyi and children's author Zheng Yuanjie have pressured Chinese officials to give a more accurate picture of air quality.
Yu Ping, a Beijing journalist and father of a 6-year-old boy who, like him, has suffered a sore throat in recent weeks, threatens to sue the municipal environmental protection agency if they don't respond to his request for the recent data.
"This is very important for me, my son and all citizens of Beijing and China," he says.
Yu's quest has inspired several other Chinese to demand data from their city governments, Yu says. He is grateful to the U.S. government for its transparency, but "it should be the Chinese government that does this," he says.
Some Beijingers, such as Wang Jinlan, say the U.S. government should mind its own business. Her daughter Du Lanxin, 8, says they filled their house with special plants last month to purify the air.
"Our home is better now, but when I go out, it's sometimes very hard to breathe," she says. Her mother drives her to school every day rather than breathe the smog on a bicycle or bus, but in doing so, she adds to the city's clogged, polluted streets.
Hua Lei, vice director of the center, insists that, over the past two years, Beijing's air quality has improved. She says the center measures small particulates in the air but does not release the data because the public "won't understand the figures."
Environmentalist Feng Yongfeng, founder of the environmental group Green Beagle, has been lending air-quality monitoring equipment to companies and communities since May.
"As a government, you must let the people know the worst level of air quality," he says.
Under growing pressure, Beijing is now revising national air-quality monitoring standards and promises to require the release of data on smaller particulates — by 2016.
Environmental consultant Steven Andrews, an American based in Beijing, says the problem is that China's "target culture" means officials, fearful for their jobs, distort pollution levels to ensure they meet government benchmarks.
Even under the new standards, "levels will still be called good in Beijing that would be in the unhealthy range in the U.S," he says.
"The air is dangerous; it will cause cancer," says Sam Zhang, 41, a vegetable wholesaler who signed up for the monitoring center visit. He says he trusts the U.S. Embassy figures over his own government's data.
"Taxpayers pay the government officials' salaries, so they should tell the truth about air quality," he says, "but they are not elected by the people, so we have no hope they will tell the truth."
2011年12月22日星期四
Panasonic launches new eco-friendly appliances
Panasonic announced the launch of new additions to its washing machine and air purifier ranges, highlighted by eco-friendly features.
The consumer electronics giant’s new EcoNavi-powered washing machines use 90 per cent less water and promises to produce better results, ensuring optimum water and energy consumption by detecting waste. It also uses 40 per cent less power.
Unveiled were the NA-148VB3 and NA-127VB3 for the B series, and the 140VG3 and 148VG3 for the G series. The latter line comes with a 3D sensor, Perfect Sense, HydroActive+ and Invertor motor that work together to provide the best possible cleaning and resource savings.
The machines also feature a new intuitive LCD screen that allows the user to monitor the activities of the device.
“Panasonic products are designed to enhance the daily lifestyle of our customers and this is particularly true for our washing machines. Incorporated in these machines are advanced features, innovative design and an eco-conscious philosophy that will fit smartly into home and a busy lifestyle,” said Shoaib Tareen, deputy general manager of home appliances at Panasonic Marketing Middle East’s consumer electronics department.
Also launched were the new range of humidifier air purifiers, the F-VXF70M and F-VXF35M, both of which are equipped with nanoeTM, and OH radical wrapped by water molecules that penetrates and deodorises fabrics, as well as hydrating skin.
“Now, with the new range of air purifiers, nanoeTM OH radicals can activate better since moisture in the air can be set by these machines in a comfortable and conducive manner, thanks to the humidifier function,” said Motoharu Sugaya, Panasonic Marketing Middle East product manager.
The air purifiers are energy efficient, which can reduce 40 per cent of the normal energy consumption through Panasonic’s EcoNavi function.
The consumer electronics giant’s new EcoNavi-powered washing machines use 90 per cent less water and promises to produce better results, ensuring optimum water and energy consumption by detecting waste. It also uses 40 per cent less power.
Unveiled were the NA-148VB3 and NA-127VB3 for the B series, and the 140VG3 and 148VG3 for the G series. The latter line comes with a 3D sensor, Perfect Sense, HydroActive+ and Invertor motor that work together to provide the best possible cleaning and resource savings.
The machines also feature a new intuitive LCD screen that allows the user to monitor the activities of the device.
“Panasonic products are designed to enhance the daily lifestyle of our customers and this is particularly true for our washing machines. Incorporated in these machines are advanced features, innovative design and an eco-conscious philosophy that will fit smartly into home and a busy lifestyle,” said Shoaib Tareen, deputy general manager of home appliances at Panasonic Marketing Middle East’s consumer electronics department.
Also launched were the new range of humidifier air purifiers, the F-VXF70M and F-VXF35M, both of which are equipped with nanoeTM, and OH radical wrapped by water molecules that penetrates and deodorises fabrics, as well as hydrating skin.
“Now, with the new range of air purifiers, nanoeTM OH radicals can activate better since moisture in the air can be set by these machines in a comfortable and conducive manner, thanks to the humidifier function,” said Motoharu Sugaya, Panasonic Marketing Middle East product manager.
The air purifiers are energy efficient, which can reduce 40 per cent of the normal energy consumption through Panasonic’s EcoNavi function.
2011年12月20日星期二
Panasonic unveils eco-friendly appliances
Panasonic has unveiled an eco-friendly washing machine that uses less water and humidifying air purifiers that are effective against air borne impurities.
The washing machine models launched today (December 20) include the NA-148VB3, NA-127VB3 for the B series, and 140VG3 and 148VG3 for the G series, a statement from the company said.
It ensures optimum water and energy consumption by detecting waste. The Econavi machines reduce wash time and power consumption by 45 percent, and consumes less water.
The G series of washing machines comes with 3D sensor, perfect sense, hydroactive+ and inverter motor which works together to ensure clean results and the best resource savings.
“It’s A+++ energy label is a guarantee that it will help minimise energy consumption, while it’s high performance design, flexibility and ease of use mean washing has never been so efficient,” said Shoaib Tareen, deputy general manager, consumer electronics department, Panasonic marketing, Middle East.
The Panasonic hydroactive+ technology consists in 5 point multi-directional showers coming from 5 directions which rapidly penetrate items and guarantee efficient washing and rinsing.
In addition, the perfect sense technology detects precisely the amount of clothes to reduce waste of water and get the best washing results, the statement said.
The 3D sensor wash analyses the movement of the drum, detecting the movement of the laundry in the machine and makes adjustments to enable the laundry to tumble from the optimal position.
Panasonic washing machines allows the user to choose from a host of customised care programmes and options that deliver perfect results, the new drum further protects clothes during washing and assures an efficient rinsing, it said.
The 34 cm large aperture makes it easy to load and wash big volumes of clothes, and the advanced stain master technology provides 23 stain treatments to get rid of the toughest of common stains.
A new LCD screen on the front of the machine shows the programme being used and the time left in the cycle as well as the temperature and spin speed, putting the user in total control of every wash.
The eco/speed mode gives the option to save time: reduce the time of the wash by 40 percent with speed mode, or use 50 percent less energy and 30 percent less water with eco mode.
Panasonic also launched its new humidifier air purifiers, F-VXF70M, F-VXF35M, both of which are equipped with nanoe OH radicals.
“Now, with the new range of air purifiers, nanoe OH radicals can activate better since moisture in the air can be set by these machines in a comfortable and conducive manner, thanks to the humidifier function,” said Motoharu Sugaya, product manager, Panasonic marketing Middle East.
The new air purifiers are energy efficient which can reduce 40 percent of the normal energy consumption, EcoNavi function, which works like a sensor with memory, the statement said.
The F-VXF70M is equipped with a strong suction power called the mega catcher which has a powerful suction power, which enables dust and other air pollutants lying within 30 cm above the ground to be captured faster, it said.
The washing machine models launched today (December 20) include the NA-148VB3, NA-127VB3 for the B series, and 140VG3 and 148VG3 for the G series, a statement from the company said.
It ensures optimum water and energy consumption by detecting waste. The Econavi machines reduce wash time and power consumption by 45 percent, and consumes less water.
The G series of washing machines comes with 3D sensor, perfect sense, hydroactive+ and inverter motor which works together to ensure clean results and the best resource savings.
“It’s A+++ energy label is a guarantee that it will help minimise energy consumption, while it’s high performance design, flexibility and ease of use mean washing has never been so efficient,” said Shoaib Tareen, deputy general manager, consumer electronics department, Panasonic marketing, Middle East.
The Panasonic hydroactive+ technology consists in 5 point multi-directional showers coming from 5 directions which rapidly penetrate items and guarantee efficient washing and rinsing.
In addition, the perfect sense technology detects precisely the amount of clothes to reduce waste of water and get the best washing results, the statement said.
The 3D sensor wash analyses the movement of the drum, detecting the movement of the laundry in the machine and makes adjustments to enable the laundry to tumble from the optimal position.
Panasonic washing machines allows the user to choose from a host of customised care programmes and options that deliver perfect results, the new drum further protects clothes during washing and assures an efficient rinsing, it said.
The 34 cm large aperture makes it easy to load and wash big volumes of clothes, and the advanced stain master technology provides 23 stain treatments to get rid of the toughest of common stains.
A new LCD screen on the front of the machine shows the programme being used and the time left in the cycle as well as the temperature and spin speed, putting the user in total control of every wash.
The eco/speed mode gives the option to save time: reduce the time of the wash by 40 percent with speed mode, or use 50 percent less energy and 30 percent less water with eco mode.
Panasonic also launched its new humidifier air purifiers, F-VXF70M, F-VXF35M, both of which are equipped with nanoe OH radicals.
“Now, with the new range of air purifiers, nanoe OH radicals can activate better since moisture in the air can be set by these machines in a comfortable and conducive manner, thanks to the humidifier function,” said Motoharu Sugaya, product manager, Panasonic marketing Middle East.
The new air purifiers are energy efficient which can reduce 40 percent of the normal energy consumption, EcoNavi function, which works like a sensor with memory, the statement said.
The F-VXF70M is equipped with a strong suction power called the mega catcher which has a powerful suction power, which enables dust and other air pollutants lying within 30 cm above the ground to be captured faster, it said.
2011年12月19日星期一
Breathing in Beijing
Air pollution in China's big cities gets lot of attention, but one British entrepreneur says the challenge can be faced, Angela Shen reports.
Running from a problem does nothing to solve it - especially one as difficult and pervasive as air pollution. Chris Buckley, a British expatriate, felt the touch of pollution on his health soon after he moved to Beijing in 2000, where he developed mild asthma. Despite this, however, he never considered leaving Beijing to be an option.
"My life and job are here," says Buckley, referring to the two stores that he owns in Shunyi district of Beijing. "So, like everyone here in Beijing, [I had] to adapt and get on with life."
Buckley says he had wanted to come to China for a long time, but initially got a posting to Japan.
"When the chance came up to come here, I took it."
Later, he swapped his research and development job at P&G to open a shop for Tibetan art and rugs.
"My interest in 'things Tibetan' goes back a long way - I first visited the area in 1996 and liked the art and handicrafts immediately. I collected old Tibetan rugs for a while and then met a Tibetan workshop manager, Norbu Tsering, and founded the Tibet Tanva Weaving Workshop with him."
Buckley had a long interest in design that fit well with rug-making. "Our business is in new Tibetan rugs that we make at our own workshop," but he also sells other kinds of weavings made by Tibetan artisans, including Wangden meditation rugs, traditional aprons and yak-hair blankets.
Happy with his Tibetan rug business, Buckley says he had to do more than just try to cope with his asthma. He did extensive research on remediating air pollution, and became convinced that good air purifiers would make life easier not just for him but for expats making the transition to Beijing.
As a longtime scientist, Buckley says, he liked doing product research, so he didn't find the process of trying different models of air purifiers to be tedious.
So, even before his research into air pollution and air filters, Buckley was familiar with using and operating air filters. The hardest part of the research, he says, was measuring the amount of air pollution.
Blueair, a Swedish product that Buckley had shipped over from England, was the fifth model he had tested during his trial-and-error research. He says the machine works quickly, efficiently and quietly. The last factor would be critical to homeowners who want to keep it on at night and still get a good night's sleep.
"I use to wake up in the middle of the night, finding myself unable to breathe, which scared my wife," says Buckley, whose asthma had been much more active before his installation of Blueair in his bedroom.
While Buckley says a top-quality filter such as Blueair is good for children and people with respiratory problems, it is not a perfect answer.
In Beijing, unless you live like a hermit (without ever opening any windows or doors), no matter how much you clean there will always be a thin layer of dust on the table the next day.
"I am optimistic about the future of Beijing air, Buckley says, despite resorting to what some see as drastic measures. "It took Western cities - for example, Los Angeles - decades to solve air-pollution problems, so expecting Beijing to fix its issues overnight is unrealistic.
"Another point to bear in mind is that some of the improvements in air quality in the US and Europe have come from shutting down traditional industries (such as iron- and steel-making) and importing these goods from Asia instead. China has become the manufacturing workshop of the world, so it has a far more difficult job to control air pollution than the US or the average European country."
One consequence of this, he says, is that "there is sure to be a market for air purifiers here for some time to come."
Buckley says air pollution in the capital decreased in 2009 due to the "big push to improve air quality" during the Olympics, and the temporary closure of many industries and factories during the financial crisis later. However, with many people buying more cars, air pollution has returned to the level it was at in 2005 and 2006, he says.
Longterm solutions - top-of-the-line scrubbers for coal plants, replacing coal with nuclear power - are both costly and controversial.
Ultimately, however, it is the government and the people's decision. It is the government, he says, that "needs to find a balance between people's desire for economic growth and healthcare."
"My job is not really to educate people about pollution," says Buckley, though he will try to make the information about air pollution on his website more readily available to non-English speakers in the future. "My job is to answer the needs [of] people who already know about air pollution."
Most of his customers are foreigners, especially families with kids.
"The biggest thing you can do for your health here is to put an air purifier in your bedroom. After that, the next priority is to put air purifiers in living rooms and offices. We also sell N95-rated face masks for very high pollution days and for those who like to walk, cycle or get other outdoor exercise in the city."
Running from a problem does nothing to solve it - especially one as difficult and pervasive as air pollution. Chris Buckley, a British expatriate, felt the touch of pollution on his health soon after he moved to Beijing in 2000, where he developed mild asthma. Despite this, however, he never considered leaving Beijing to be an option.
"My life and job are here," says Buckley, referring to the two stores that he owns in Shunyi district of Beijing. "So, like everyone here in Beijing, [I had] to adapt and get on with life."
Buckley says he had wanted to come to China for a long time, but initially got a posting to Japan.
"When the chance came up to come here, I took it."
Later, he swapped his research and development job at P&G to open a shop for Tibetan art and rugs.
"My interest in 'things Tibetan' goes back a long way - I first visited the area in 1996 and liked the art and handicrafts immediately. I collected old Tibetan rugs for a while and then met a Tibetan workshop manager, Norbu Tsering, and founded the Tibet Tanva Weaving Workshop with him."
Buckley had a long interest in design that fit well with rug-making. "Our business is in new Tibetan rugs that we make at our own workshop," but he also sells other kinds of weavings made by Tibetan artisans, including Wangden meditation rugs, traditional aprons and yak-hair blankets.
Happy with his Tibetan rug business, Buckley says he had to do more than just try to cope with his asthma. He did extensive research on remediating air pollution, and became convinced that good air purifiers would make life easier not just for him but for expats making the transition to Beijing.
As a longtime scientist, Buckley says, he liked doing product research, so he didn't find the process of trying different models of air purifiers to be tedious.
So, even before his research into air pollution and air filters, Buckley was familiar with using and operating air filters. The hardest part of the research, he says, was measuring the amount of air pollution.
Blueair, a Swedish product that Buckley had shipped over from England, was the fifth model he had tested during his trial-and-error research. He says the machine works quickly, efficiently and quietly. The last factor would be critical to homeowners who want to keep it on at night and still get a good night's sleep.
"I use to wake up in the middle of the night, finding myself unable to breathe, which scared my wife," says Buckley, whose asthma had been much more active before his installation of Blueair in his bedroom.
While Buckley says a top-quality filter such as Blueair is good for children and people with respiratory problems, it is not a perfect answer.
In Beijing, unless you live like a hermit (without ever opening any windows or doors), no matter how much you clean there will always be a thin layer of dust on the table the next day.
"I am optimistic about the future of Beijing air, Buckley says, despite resorting to what some see as drastic measures. "It took Western cities - for example, Los Angeles - decades to solve air-pollution problems, so expecting Beijing to fix its issues overnight is unrealistic.
"Another point to bear in mind is that some of the improvements in air quality in the US and Europe have come from shutting down traditional industries (such as iron- and steel-making) and importing these goods from Asia instead. China has become the manufacturing workshop of the world, so it has a far more difficult job to control air pollution than the US or the average European country."
One consequence of this, he says, is that "there is sure to be a market for air purifiers here for some time to come."
Buckley says air pollution in the capital decreased in 2009 due to the "big push to improve air quality" during the Olympics, and the temporary closure of many industries and factories during the financial crisis later. However, with many people buying more cars, air pollution has returned to the level it was at in 2005 and 2006, he says.
Longterm solutions - top-of-the-line scrubbers for coal plants, replacing coal with nuclear power - are both costly and controversial.
Ultimately, however, it is the government and the people's decision. It is the government, he says, that "needs to find a balance between people's desire for economic growth and healthcare."
"My job is not really to educate people about pollution," says Buckley, though he will try to make the information about air pollution on his website more readily available to non-English speakers in the future. "My job is to answer the needs [of] people who already know about air pollution."
Most of his customers are foreigners, especially families with kids.
"The biggest thing you can do for your health here is to put an air purifier in your bedroom. After that, the next priority is to put air purifiers in living rooms and offices. We also sell N95-rated face masks for very high pollution days and for those who like to walk, cycle or get other outdoor exercise in the city."
2011年12月14日星期三
Just this side of winter
Well before the first hint of dawn, I listen to the sounds our house makes in the night. Whirring overhead fan. Purring air purifier. Just barely audible radio voices—KBIA at 5:30 a.m., connecting us automatically to NPR and the world. Click. The thermostat register checking its own temperature, set at 65 degrees for the night. Clink. Ice dropping onto a pile of cubes in the refrigerator’s freezer bin.
Still one more sound catches my attention. Unfamiliar, it is curious enough to have me leave the warmth of down feathers, wool blankets and Kit to find its source. But first, I slip my bare feet into chocolate-colored high topped, fleece-lined Ugg boots—replacements for my old pair purchased in New Zealand long before the world decided that these wooly boots from Down Under were in fact not so ugg-ly after all.
Ignoring traditional house robes, I opt for a warm, oatmeal-colored, oversized sweater that almost reaches my knees and add a sleeveless fleece-lined vest the color of Burmese garnets. Catching my image in the glass porch door, my white pajama pants float beneath the sweater and vest like Pakistani shalwar kameez. For an instant, I see my beautiful sisters Molly and Kim in the late 1970s. Dressed in traditional pajama-like pants and long tops, they are wrapped in cashmere pashmina shawls as a cold dawn rises over the ancient city of Gabedero in Sindh Province, Pakistan.
That sound again, and I’m back in the warming room where I discover that the fan switch on the front of the Buck stove has been blowing all night over hot embers stowed under a pile of gray ash. Sifting under the pile, I uncover two live shards of last night’s fire, add twigs and a small piece of split wood. Soon, I have fire humming back to life in the stove.
One final sound. A cat scratches at the basement door. Fanny, our sharp-eared calico Manx has heard me padding around. Still dark outside; nonetheless, morning is underway as far as this cat is concerned. Feed me, she insists while weaving in, around and just ahead of my feet—a feline skater executing perfect 8s on icy linoleum. The tinny-tight snap of a tuna can opening, instantly bringing our three cats to their bowls. Only then do I push in the coffee button. Clear water runs through dark ground java and cinnamon--drip, drip dripping dark brown into the carafe below.
Milk steamed and coffee poured, I head for the couch across from the now glowing Buck stove, adding a large piece of split firewood on my way. Pre-dawn. My favorite hour of the day. In touch with the house and its living, breathing sounds, I am fully awake and at peace. The fire, a plaid, wool blanket and two sprawling lap cats conspire to keep me warm. Settled in at last, I join the rich cast of characters in two books by Sri-Lankan born, Canadian author Michael Ondaatje--colorful companions for what remains of the night.
In The Cat’s Table, an 11-year old boy makes a life-altering journey by ship from Ceylon to England in 1954. In his lyrical travel memoir, Running in the Family, Ondaatje (in his early 40s) reconnects with his eccentric Ceylonese/Dutch family and the landscape he left as a child, moving first to England, then relocating to Canada in 1962.
Upon arriving back in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Ondaatje identifies sounds in the night, linking him to his distant childhood there. Reading his description of a peacock’s disturbed cry when awakened from its perch high in the trees, I’m instantly linked through memory to a mysterious peacock on a walkabout many years ago that spent a night in a walnut tree at our former Breakfast Creek home.
Then, as light spills from Ondaatje’s pen over flaming tropical flamboyant trees, I look up to witness the arrival of dawn at Boomerang Creek, just this side of winter.
Still one more sound catches my attention. Unfamiliar, it is curious enough to have me leave the warmth of down feathers, wool blankets and Kit to find its source. But first, I slip my bare feet into chocolate-colored high topped, fleece-lined Ugg boots—replacements for my old pair purchased in New Zealand long before the world decided that these wooly boots from Down Under were in fact not so ugg-ly after all.
Ignoring traditional house robes, I opt for a warm, oatmeal-colored, oversized sweater that almost reaches my knees and add a sleeveless fleece-lined vest the color of Burmese garnets. Catching my image in the glass porch door, my white pajama pants float beneath the sweater and vest like Pakistani shalwar kameez. For an instant, I see my beautiful sisters Molly and Kim in the late 1970s. Dressed in traditional pajama-like pants and long tops, they are wrapped in cashmere pashmina shawls as a cold dawn rises over the ancient city of Gabedero in Sindh Province, Pakistan.
That sound again, and I’m back in the warming room where I discover that the fan switch on the front of the Buck stove has been blowing all night over hot embers stowed under a pile of gray ash. Sifting under the pile, I uncover two live shards of last night’s fire, add twigs and a small piece of split wood. Soon, I have fire humming back to life in the stove.
One final sound. A cat scratches at the basement door. Fanny, our sharp-eared calico Manx has heard me padding around. Still dark outside; nonetheless, morning is underway as far as this cat is concerned. Feed me, she insists while weaving in, around and just ahead of my feet—a feline skater executing perfect 8s on icy linoleum. The tinny-tight snap of a tuna can opening, instantly bringing our three cats to their bowls. Only then do I push in the coffee button. Clear water runs through dark ground java and cinnamon--drip, drip dripping dark brown into the carafe below.
Milk steamed and coffee poured, I head for the couch across from the now glowing Buck stove, adding a large piece of split firewood on my way. Pre-dawn. My favorite hour of the day. In touch with the house and its living, breathing sounds, I am fully awake and at peace. The fire, a plaid, wool blanket and two sprawling lap cats conspire to keep me warm. Settled in at last, I join the rich cast of characters in two books by Sri-Lankan born, Canadian author Michael Ondaatje--colorful companions for what remains of the night.
In The Cat’s Table, an 11-year old boy makes a life-altering journey by ship from Ceylon to England in 1954. In his lyrical travel memoir, Running in the Family, Ondaatje (in his early 40s) reconnects with his eccentric Ceylonese/Dutch family and the landscape he left as a child, moving first to England, then relocating to Canada in 1962.
Upon arriving back in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Ondaatje identifies sounds in the night, linking him to his distant childhood there. Reading his description of a peacock’s disturbed cry when awakened from its perch high in the trees, I’m instantly linked through memory to a mysterious peacock on a walkabout many years ago that spent a night in a walnut tree at our former Breakfast Creek home.
Then, as light spills from Ondaatje’s pen over flaming tropical flamboyant trees, I look up to witness the arrival of dawn at Boomerang Creek, just this side of winter.
2011年10月16日星期日
The Best And Worst Electronic Air Cleaner You Can Buy Today
As deterrence is far better than cure we strive to keep our area clean and sanitary. Air is among the main elements of survival. Every living being endures by breathing air. But the escalating environmental pollution needs an added aid to help keep the air refreshing. An Electronic Air cleaner gives that support to you. It truly is a system particularly produced to eliminate the contamination and purify the air. Keep in mind filtered air is definitely expected for better health at home.
Why Use An Electronic Air cleanser?
The ancient cleanser employed considering that ages will be the broom. It is low cost and convenient but restricted. The dust contaminants seldom go anywhere far. The person sweeping and people close by get sprayed with dust particles. The bending necessary to sweep with the broom has given the women a persistent back ache. The electronic cleaner is built retaining this planned.
The electronic cleaner is designed to cleanse the air to a greater magnitude. They remove dust, pollens, dust mites, and other allergens and also bacteria. Certain electronic residence air purifiers are helpful at removing particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Absolute Air At Shelter Away from the working hours we invest our day at house. To stay wholesome it is particularly essential to inhale refreshing. Inside smog is amid the leading five ecological wellness perils. To prevent or control this risk ventilate your home with clean exterior air. This becoming insufficient you possibly can use an air cleansing equipment.
Some air maintaining products are created to be installed within the duct work of a home’s central heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning program to clean the air inside the whole residence. Portable room air purifiers could be utilized to clean the air within a room or precise areas, but they are not intended for whole-house filtering method.
Some filtration systems make use of ultraviolet light enhancements designed to ruin air-borne pollutants in interior air. Two forms of air cleansing devices are mechanical hvac filters and automated air cleansers. Mechanical air filters eliminate particles by capturing them on filter supplies. Gas-phase air filters get rid of gases and smells by making use of a material referred to as a sorbent, for example activated carbon, which adsorbs the contaminants. These filters are commonly designed to remove one or much more gaseous contaminants from the airstream that goes by by means of them.
Even though air-cleaning devices might assist manage the levels of airborne dirt such as those related to allergens, air cleaning might possibly not decrease unpleasant well being outcomes from indoor air toxins.
Learn more about an electronic air cleaner. Stop by Fred Zinman’s site where you can find out all about electronic air cleaner and what it can do for you.
Why Use An Electronic Air cleanser?
The ancient cleanser employed considering that ages will be the broom. It is low cost and convenient but restricted. The dust contaminants seldom go anywhere far. The person sweeping and people close by get sprayed with dust particles. The bending necessary to sweep with the broom has given the women a persistent back ache. The electronic cleaner is built retaining this planned.
The electronic cleaner is designed to cleanse the air to a greater magnitude. They remove dust, pollens, dust mites, and other allergens and also bacteria. Certain electronic residence air purifiers are helpful at removing particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Absolute Air At Shelter Away from the working hours we invest our day at house. To stay wholesome it is particularly essential to inhale refreshing. Inside smog is amid the leading five ecological wellness perils. To prevent or control this risk ventilate your home with clean exterior air. This becoming insufficient you possibly can use an air cleansing equipment.
Some air maintaining products are created to be installed within the duct work of a home’s central heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning program to clean the air inside the whole residence. Portable room air purifiers could be utilized to clean the air within a room or precise areas, but they are not intended for whole-house filtering method.
Some filtration systems make use of ultraviolet light enhancements designed to ruin air-borne pollutants in interior air. Two forms of air cleansing devices are mechanical hvac filters and automated air cleansers. Mechanical air filters eliminate particles by capturing them on filter supplies. Gas-phase air filters get rid of gases and smells by making use of a material referred to as a sorbent, for example activated carbon, which adsorbs the contaminants. These filters are commonly designed to remove one or much more gaseous contaminants from the airstream that goes by by means of them.
Even though air-cleaning devices might assist manage the levels of airborne dirt such as those related to allergens, air cleaning might possibly not decrease unpleasant well being outcomes from indoor air toxins.
Learn more about an electronic air cleaner. Stop by Fred Zinman’s site where you can find out all about electronic air cleaner and what it can do for you.
2011年9月8日星期四
Ecomajik Corporation to Offer Air Purifiers to Texas Wildfire Victims
Locally based Ecomajik Corporation announced today it will try to do it's part to help neighbors dealing with smoke damage and health concerns after the wildfires across the Austin, Texas area. The company distributes Air Purifiers with technology designed for NASA for use in the Space Shuttle. These air purifiers have long been used by the Red Cross and were employed by the Defense Department to clean the air in the Pentagon after the 911 attack.
Ecomajik will provide air purifiers to residents on a loan basis without charge. Additionally if residents are interested in purchasing units they have established a special program to help fire victims.
"My husband and I survived the wildfires in San Diego several years back. We know what challenges families have to deal with, even when your home makes it through the crisis untouched. Sometimes smoke damage can linger for weeks or months and is very unhealthy for inhabitants. Our Air Purifiers eliminate smoke and mitigate smoke damage from fires killing all odors and removing contaminants from the air." noted Susan Braun Ecomajik Corporation President. "Breathing this contaminated air can be very hazardous to your health, especially if your are an "at risk" individual." she added.
Residents in Bastrop, Moonglow, Steiner Ranch, Pedernales, Union Chapel, Luther Hill, and surrounding areas qualify for the free loan of equipment while supplies last. The air purifiers remove all contaminants from the air in homes and sanitize exposed surfaces as well. About the size of a bookshelf speaker they can clean a home up to 3,000 sq feet.
Ecomajik will provide air purifiers to residents on a loan basis without charge. Additionally if residents are interested in purchasing units they have established a special program to help fire victims.
"My husband and I survived the wildfires in San Diego several years back. We know what challenges families have to deal with, even when your home makes it through the crisis untouched. Sometimes smoke damage can linger for weeks or months and is very unhealthy for inhabitants. Our Air Purifiers eliminate smoke and mitigate smoke damage from fires killing all odors and removing contaminants from the air." noted Susan Braun Ecomajik Corporation President. "Breathing this contaminated air can be very hazardous to your health, especially if your are an "at risk" individual." she added.
Residents in Bastrop, Moonglow, Steiner Ranch, Pedernales, Union Chapel, Luther Hill, and surrounding areas qualify for the free loan of equipment while supplies last. The air purifiers remove all contaminants from the air in homes and sanitize exposed surfaces as well. About the size of a bookshelf speaker they can clean a home up to 3,000 sq feet.
2011年3月15日星期二
A Superhero Scrubs the Air: The Mighty Houseplant
The humble houseplant is on the attack. Building on NASA experiments for air purification in
space, scientists are pinpointing plant species—from the peace lily to the asparagus fern—
that are particularly skillful at cleaning indoor air of pollutants that can cause a range of
health problems.
A growing body of global research is showing plants can reduce dust particles and
contaminants, such as formaldehyde and benzene, that come from cigarette smoke, paint,
furniture, building materials and other sources. Big growers such as Costa Farms, based in
Goulds, Fla., and retailers Lowe's and Home Depot now sell plants with tags promoting their
air-cleaning abilities.
"The advantage of plants is you can sometimes solve your problem with $100 of plants or
propagate your own," says Stanley J. Kays, a horticulture professor at the University of
Georgia, which is spearheading plant research with scientists in South Korea. In addition to
studying existing plants, researchers there are trying to see if certain species could be
bred to create super-efficient air cleaners.
Interest in plants as air purifiers—what's called "phytoremediation"—comes amid mounting
concerns about the quality of indoor air. People spend more than 90% of their time inside,
where levels of a dozen common organic pollutants can be two to five times higher than
outside, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Associated health problems range
from headaches and asthma to respiratory diseases and cancer. The agency says it is
particularly concerned about air quality in homes that have taken steps to be more energy-
efficient by adding insulation and other weatherization techniques.
That said, plants aren't yet recognized as a mainstream air-filtration tool. The EPA says
"there is currently no evidence … that a reasonable number of houseplants can remove
significant quantities of pollutants in homes and offices." The U.S. Green Building Council,
which certifies buildings based on environmental standards, says while "using plants to help
clean air is a great strategy…we've had difficulty quantifying the results."
That could be changing. Studies conducted over the past five years by the University of
Technology, Sydney found that small groups of the Janet Craig and Sweet Chico plants placed
in offices with high airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds consistently
reduced total VOC levels by up to 75%. Reductions to negligible levels were maintained over
the course of five- to 12-week periods studied. "Potted plants can provide an efficient,
self-regulating, low-cost, sustainable bioremediation system for indoor air pollution,"
researchers concluded.
In another study at Washington State University, dust was reduced as much as 20% when a
number of plants were placed around the perimeter of computer lab and small office for one
week.
Margaret Burchett, a professor who led the Sydney studies, estimates that six or more plants
in a 1,200- to 1,500-square-foot house could achieve noteworthy contaminant reductions. At
work, "if you have a couple of nice plants sitting on your desk, it will help purify the air
you breathe," says Bill Wolverton, author of the new book "Plants: Why You Can't Live Without
Them," and one of the NASA scientists who studied plants.
Indoor-air pollutants come in two primary forms: particle pollution, such as dust, pollen,
animal dander and smoke, and gaseous pollutants such as VOCs that are emitted from sources
such as building materials, dry-cleaned clothing and aerosol sprays.
Plants clean the air, researchers say, primarily by absorbing pollution through small leaf
pores called stomata, and via microorganisms living in the potting soil or medium that
metabolize contaminants. Scientists believe plants can begin removing pollution the moment
they're placed in a room and can be particularly useful in spaces where there's little
outside ventilation.
Pinpointing specific air quality problems can be tricky. Do-it-yourself kits and
environmental companies can conduct air-quality tests at consumers' homes. But interpretation
of the results can be confusing because there's no universal national standard for acceptable
levels of many VOCs, according to the EPA.
As for remedies, ventilation often works best, but not every climate is suitable for open
windows and doors. Mechanical ventilation units that remove stale air from a home and provide
fresh outdoor air can cost $600 to upwards of $2,500, not including installation. Indoor air
-cleaning devices using HEPA and activated carbon or ultraviolet-light technology have some
limitations and may require filter changes.
That's why researchers see opportunity for indoor plants, which are inexpensive and
relatively easy to find and maintain. In 2009, UGA scientists identified five "super
ornamentals"—plants that showed high rates of contaminant removal when exposed in gas-tight
glass jars to common household VOCs, such as benzene (present in cigarette smoke) and toluene
(emitted from paints and varnishes). They are: the purple waffle plant, English ivy,
asparagus fern, purple heart plant, variegated wax plant.
space, scientists are pinpointing plant species—from the peace lily to the asparagus fern—
that are particularly skillful at cleaning indoor air of pollutants that can cause a range of
health problems.
A growing body of global research is showing plants can reduce dust particles and
contaminants, such as formaldehyde and benzene, that come from cigarette smoke, paint,
furniture, building materials and other sources. Big growers such as Costa Farms, based in
Goulds, Fla., and retailers Lowe's and Home Depot now sell plants with tags promoting their
air-cleaning abilities.
"The advantage of plants is you can sometimes solve your problem with $100 of plants or
propagate your own," says Stanley J. Kays, a horticulture professor at the University of
Georgia, which is spearheading plant research with scientists in South Korea. In addition to
studying existing plants, researchers there are trying to see if certain species could be
bred to create super-efficient air cleaners.
Interest in plants as air purifiers—what's called "phytoremediation"—comes amid mounting
concerns about the quality of indoor air. People spend more than 90% of their time inside,
where levels of a dozen common organic pollutants can be two to five times higher than
outside, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Associated health problems range
from headaches and asthma to respiratory diseases and cancer. The agency says it is
particularly concerned about air quality in homes that have taken steps to be more energy-
efficient by adding insulation and other weatherization techniques.
That said, plants aren't yet recognized as a mainstream air-filtration tool. The EPA says
"there is currently no evidence … that a reasonable number of houseplants can remove
significant quantities of pollutants in homes and offices." The U.S. Green Building Council,
which certifies buildings based on environmental standards, says while "using plants to help
clean air is a great strategy…we've had difficulty quantifying the results."
That could be changing. Studies conducted over the past five years by the University of
Technology, Sydney found that small groups of the Janet Craig and Sweet Chico plants placed
in offices with high airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds consistently
reduced total VOC levels by up to 75%. Reductions to negligible levels were maintained over
the course of five- to 12-week periods studied. "Potted plants can provide an efficient,
self-regulating, low-cost, sustainable bioremediation system for indoor air pollution,"
researchers concluded.
In another study at Washington State University, dust was reduced as much as 20% when a
number of plants were placed around the perimeter of computer lab and small office for one
week.
Margaret Burchett, a professor who led the Sydney studies, estimates that six or more plants
in a 1,200- to 1,500-square-foot house could achieve noteworthy contaminant reductions. At
work, "if you have a couple of nice plants sitting on your desk, it will help purify the air
you breathe," says Bill Wolverton, author of the new book "Plants: Why You Can't Live Without
Them," and one of the NASA scientists who studied plants.
Indoor-air pollutants come in two primary forms: particle pollution, such as dust, pollen,
animal dander and smoke, and gaseous pollutants such as VOCs that are emitted from sources
such as building materials, dry-cleaned clothing and aerosol sprays.
Plants clean the air, researchers say, primarily by absorbing pollution through small leaf
pores called stomata, and via microorganisms living in the potting soil or medium that
metabolize contaminants. Scientists believe plants can begin removing pollution the moment
they're placed in a room and can be particularly useful in spaces where there's little
outside ventilation.
Pinpointing specific air quality problems can be tricky. Do-it-yourself kits and
environmental companies can conduct air-quality tests at consumers' homes. But interpretation
of the results can be confusing because there's no universal national standard for acceptable
levels of many VOCs, according to the EPA.
As for remedies, ventilation often works best, but not every climate is suitable for open
windows and doors. Mechanical ventilation units that remove stale air from a home and provide
fresh outdoor air can cost $600 to upwards of $2,500, not including installation. Indoor air
-cleaning devices using HEPA and activated carbon or ultraviolet-light technology have some
limitations and may require filter changes.
That's why researchers see opportunity for indoor plants, which are inexpensive and
relatively easy to find and maintain. In 2009, UGA scientists identified five "super
ornamentals"—plants that showed high rates of contaminant removal when exposed in gas-tight
glass jars to common household VOCs, such as benzene (present in cigarette smoke) and toluene
(emitted from paints and varnishes). They are: the purple waffle plant, English ivy,
asparagus fern, purple heart plant, variegated wax plant.
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