Cleaning air in our homes key to checking pollution: Book

Charity begins at home and so should our effort to ensure the indoor air is clean, say two experts in the field of air purification who suggest ways on how we can protect ourselves from the dangers of growing air pollution.

According to Kamal Meattle and Barun Aggarwal, who has come out with a book titled "How to Grow Fresh Air", fresh air helps us think better and become smarter in view of air pollution choking the country, particularly Delhi.

They say our homes and other indoor spaces where we spend most of our lives are also very toxic but this is one problem we can fix.

"Because unlike outside air, our homes are under our control. So, this is the space we should focus all our attention on and ensure the air is clean," the authors say.

In the book, published by Juggernaut, Meattle and Aggarwal share practical suggestions, recommendations and solutions on how best one can have clean air indoors.

They say that implementing these measures - declutter and clean, invest in a good air purifier, sealing and ventilation, and indoor plants that give fresh air - can change lives dramatically.

They also say that changing the way people live or rearranging homes or simple actions like keeping bedrooms clean and carpet-free can reduce the toxicity levels in the home.

"Some of these may seem impractical at first, but it is just a matter of getting used to the changes. The benefits of these suggestions far outweigh the temporary discomfort one may face," they say.

Meattle is an environmentalist whose own office block - Paharpur Business Centre - is rated among Delhi's cleanest buildings and Aggarwal is the CEO and founder of Breathe Easy, an indoor air purifying solutions provider.

They say for Delhiites, air pollution has become a household term.

"This is because vehicular pollution isn't the only reason the capital's air is so bad. There are several other reasons that contribute to this, such as a historical problem that resurfaces every year - stubble burning in Delhi's neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab," the book says.

(With inputs from agencies.)