Air pollution is a major threat in today’s world. A lesser-known subcategory of it is Indoor air pollution — the deterioration of air quality indoors, be it within your home or your office. Indoor air pollution can be caused by chemical, biological, or anthropogenic factors.
Household air pollution is majorly caused by the consumption of fuels. However, the use of polyester, acrylic, and other artificial chemicals found in mattresses, wall paints, furniture also contributes to it. While most of the efforts are placed on reducing outdoor air pollution and targeting the consumption of fuels, indoor air pollution has failed to receive its due attention. But how does Indoor air pollution affect us? Why should we pay heed to it?
So, what causes indoor air pollution?
Primary sources of indoor air pollution are wood stoves, fireplaces, and any appliances that burn fuel. Secondary sources at the level of product sourcing begin with the usage of pesticides in the manufacturing of a crop or produce. Inside your house, carpets, flooring material, bed sheets, mattresses, paints, toys, furniture, cosmetics, and laundry items are all potential sources of pollutants. The dust accumulated or the textile particles present in the air are pollutants. Biological sources like pollens, animal dander, and dust mites as well as Radon (a chemical element), asbestos, tobacco, and cigar smoke also cause this kind of pollution.
Why should you care about indoor air pollution?
Because it affects you; it affects me; it affects everybody — Indoor air pollution is a killer on the spree.
Indoor air pollution has adverse effects on our health. It can cause wheezing, asthma, respiratory infections, cardiovascular diseases and lead to the deterioration in the functioning of the lungs. Polycyclic aromatics used in the manufacturing of pigments, dyes, plastics, and pesticides are potent immune suppressants and exhibit toxic, mutagenic properties. Formaldehyde which is used in products such as glue, paint, press fabrics, cosmetics, etc. is capable of causing irritation in the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.
As per the graph above, air pollution is the third-highest factor resulting in deaths around the world as of 2019. Indoor air pollution, not far behind, takes the eighth position. This makes it a serious threat to all of us. The poor, the rich, babies, and adults alike.
Secondly, it is also harmful to the environment. As we all know, the increased use of plastics and the combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in accelerated, rapid climate change. When plastic is burned, it releases more pollutants into the atmosphere. This ultimately results in global warming. Added to that, the use of pesticides in farms adds to the chemicals released into the air. This makes organic farming a less polluting, and more viable option.
Thirdly, using low-cost products in order to save money might only lead you to purchase more of them, making it an expensive affair and a non-sustainable one. Investing in a carpet priced a bit higher that lasts for five years is better than having to replace a cheap carpet every alternate year. This would minimize the overall resource consumption of each product you use.
How can we contribute to reducing indoor air pollution?
Indoor air pollution is on the rise and it can be prevented at the level of an individual consumer. The first solution is sustainable living – utilization of organic, green, and natural products, ranging from food items, clothing, home furnishing, and more. Replacing chemical-based products with organic material will offer several benefits, besides reducing pollution. These include improvement of air quality, better sleep, reduction of stress, reduction of dust, and anti-fungal and anti-bacterial environment.
The second step is to reuse products that are being used by you frequently, such as paper bags, containers, and so on. This reduces your overall consumption.
The third one is to increase recycling efforts at home and offices. Purchasing products made out of recycled materials also serves as a good solution.
The fourth solution is to be conscientious and minimalistic in consuming inorganic and chemical-based products. These are some of the minimum efforts at an individual level that can create a gradual change in carbon emissions and pollution abatement. It is necessary that as consumers, we are aware of what goes into the manufacturing of the products we consume.
How does Mojopanda contribute?
Mojopanda works with the ideas of sustainable development, minimalistic waste production, and maximising living standards. Our products are sourced naturally and manufactured with minimal use of energy, water, and resources, thus, promoting sustainable clothing and living.
A majority of our items in the apparel and baby care section are organic. Organic farming also ensures better health quality of the sheep from which our wool is sourced. This makes the entire cycle of production sustainable.
Most of our products are 100% biodegradable. Our cushions, carpets, organisers, and home décor items do not use any artificial blends such as acrylic in their production. We do not use Formaldehyde in the manufacturing of any of our organic products either. You can go through our product descriptions to get an idea of how and from where our products are sourced and manufactured.
Awareness resulting to change is the key to good health. Mojopanda is a organic clothing brand that brings natural, eco-friendly alternatives that keep you safe and makes this earth a greener place. Each purchase you opt to make from Mojopanda is a step you take further to reduce pollution and lead a better lifestyle.
In harming the environment, we harm ourselves.
Click here to take a look at our products.
References:
NCBI, 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7215772/
United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/formaldehyde/facts-about-formaldehyde#whatcontains
Our world in data, https://ourworldindata.org/air-pollution
Science direct, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110062114200237
