Map

Call
The garden area of Orchard Villa with many trees in view - Karma Lakelands.

AIR QUALITY IN GREEN AREAS

Most people assume that if they live near a green area with lots of trees surrounding them, air pollution will not affect them. The hundreds of trees are thought to act as a barrier to incoming pollutants. However, the data tell a very different story. Air quality in green areas that are in or near polluted parts of the country can range from poor to even hazardous.

There are 2 important things you need to understand before you lull yourself into the familiar complacency of living in a green area within a city. While trees and green cover are important to help keep pollution in check, a pocket of green is only part of a larger and complex system at work.

First, the trees make the air above them cooler, and warmer air from more polluted areas moves horizontally towards this cooler air, making the area with green trees also heavily polluted. Secondly, air quality is not a local issue that can be pinned down to a small area. Air is constantly moving, and the air pollution zone of Northern India starts in Pakistan and ends in Bangladesh. Hence, a small green zone will not have “clean and healthy” air when everything around it is polluted, and the air is constantly moving. Now that we know air can be poor, what are some of the specific pollutants we are exposed to, and what can we do to reduce our exposure?

An overview of a bedroom with sofas and a double bed in view - Karma Lakelands.
everett-pachmann-JsPkVrHMQoo-unsplash

PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5, PM1)

  • PM2.5 refers to particles with a diameter between 0 and 2.5 µm (though what is measured is typically only between 0.3 and 2.5 µm). These are usually called fine particles and can include secondary aerosols, combustion particles, recondensed organic metallic vapour, and acid components. Fine particles can reach all the way down to the alveoli in the lungs.
  • PM0.1 refers to particles with a diameter of less than 0.1 µm and is called ultra-fine particles. Ultra-fine particles are the most harmful to health as they can penetrate into the bloodstream.
  • The safe level for PM2.5 exposure is 10 µg/m³ for annual average exposure. The average exposure when living in Delhi is 153 µg/m³ – about 15× the safe level.
  • To avoid exposure to pollutants: stay indoors as much as possible, seal all windows and openings so that polluted air cannot enter, and use an air purifier equipped with a True HyperHEPA filter, which can effectively remove fine particles from the air.
  • If you spend more time on the road, use a high-efficiency HyperHEPA car air purifier, which protects against PM2.5, ultra-fine particles, allergens, diesel soot, and microscopic particles.

CARBON DIOXIDE

  • The main source of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) indoors is human beings. At levels over 800 ppm, it significantly reduces human productivity, impairs cognitive ability, and causes discomfort such as drowsiness and headaches.
  • Carbon Dioxide cannot be filtered from the air using activated carbon or other molecular filters like some indoor gases. Therefore, it must be diluted by introducing outdoor air with low CO2 concentration into the building (using an air purifier capable of bringing in fresh air) or by having many plants in the space, as they absorb carbon dioxide.

VOCs

  • VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are carcinogenic gases that are emitted into the air from certain solids or liquids. They are present in our daily lives. We are constantly exposed to smells from several sources. Formaldehyde, one of the most common VOCs, is a colourless gas with an acrid (sharp and bitter) smell. It is common in many building materials such as plywood, particleboard, and glues.
  • Other sources of VOCs include the burning of fuels such as gas, wood, and kerosene, as well as tobacco products. VOCs can also come from personal care products such as perfume and hair spray, cleaning agents, dry-cleaning liquids, paints, lacquers, varnishes, printing machines, mosquito repellents, deodorants, etc. VOCs include a variety of chemicals that can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, shortness of breath, headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and even cancer.
  • One can use a high-quality filter that is capable of removing VOCs from the air. Typically, a simple carbon filter will not do this effectively. One must invest in a higher-grade filter with broad-spectrum gas removal capability.

HARMFUL GASES

  • The gaseous air pollution can originate from either outdoor or indoor sources. Outdoor air can contain high concentrations of Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Ozone (O3), Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), Ammonia (NH4), Dioxins, Furans, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most of these gases are related to vehicle emissions, landfills, burning of waste (including plastics), and open sewage systems.
  • These gases, at high concentrations, can create various health effects, such as increased respiratory symptoms in people with asthma. Sometimes the combination of particulate matter with gases like NOx is harmful, as particulates carrying NOx penetrate deep into the lungs and can cause respiratory disease. Ozone is a lung irritant, and high concentrations of ozone are harmful to our health.
  • Again, it is very important to have proper analysis and testing done in a living space for these harmful gases, especially if there are strong odours, electronics tend to fail often, or AC pipes corrode quickly. To protect oneself from damage caused by these gases, one must invest in high-quality gas-phase filtration that can target these harmful gases. Consult a professional before purchasing such equipment. As we have seen above, it is imperative that we work towards clean air for ourselves. We drink 2–4 litres of water and are very particular about its quality. Yet, we breathe 11–13 thousand litres of air each day. What do we do about this?

Continue your booking