Nope. Not the 70s duo that is all out of love. As in office air.
Most of us here at CCFL have been thinking about it in relation to comfort and temperature. Too cold. Too hot. Shivering. Sweating. Over the last few months, we have been reluctant participants on the building’s temperature rollercoaster ride. What fun it has been!
But beyond the obvious discussion regarding air temperature, what about the overall quality of our air? According to Discovery Health, “The average adult, when resting, inhales and exhales about 7 or 8 liters of air per minute. That totals about 11,000 liters of air per day.” Wow.
Air is easy to take for granted. Most of the time we inhale and exhale without conscious thought. But as we all know, getting enough air is not optional. We literally must have it to survive. And the serious consequences of highly contaminated air—while more insidious than not getting sufficient air—can become just as life-threatening in the long run.
Ann Brown, the communications lead for EPA’s Air, Climate, and Energy Research Program, emphasizes this point, “The average person takes between 17,280 and 23,040 breaths a day. That is a lot of breaths… and each one is an opportunity to put pollutants into your lungs and body and to increase health risks if you are exposed to air pollution.”
So not only is the quantity of our air critical, but the quality is as well. Higher concentrations of pollutants and lower levels of oxygen take a direct toll on our lungs and harm our health.
Often we think of pollution in terms of factory emissions, city smog, and car exhaust. While those pollutants are also damaging to the environment and our health, it is the indoor air we breathe every single day that has the highest impact. Most experts agree that indoor air is consistently 2-10 times more polluted than outdoor air.
The EPA notes that “Most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors and many spend most of their working hours in an office environment….Pollutants in our indoor environment can increase the risk of illness. Several studies by EPA, states, and independent scientific panels have consistently ranked indoor air pollution as an important environmental health problem.”
The American Lung Association warns, “Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of infections, lung cancer and chronic lung diseases such as asthma.” The ALA lists many common indoor air pollutants. Here are a few:
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Bacteria and viruses
• Building and paint products
• Cleaning supplies and chemicals
• Carbon monoxide
• Carpets
• Mold and dampness
• Dust mites and dust
• Water damage
• Formaldehyde
• Smoke
• Lead
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Asbestos
• Radon
It is clear that breathing in fresh, clean air is unequivocally essential to our physical wellbeing. But what about the effect of less than optimal air quality on our mental acuity and workplace productivity?
Joseph G. Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, conducted a fascinating double-blind study, which looked at this very thing.
In his article, “Research: Stale Office Air is Making You Less Productive,” written for the Harvard Business Review, he reveals these substantive results. “We found that breathing better air led to significantly better decision-making performance among our participants. We saw higher test scores across nine cognitive function domains when workers were exposed to increased ventilation rates, lower levels of chemicals, and lower carbon dioxide. The results showed the biggest improvements in areas that tested how workers used information to make strategic decisions and how they plan, stay prepared, and strategize during crises. These are exactly the skills needed to be productive in the knowledge economy.”
Here is the entire must-read article: https://hbr.org/2017/03/research-stale-office-air-is-making-you-less-productive
Here are the riveting results of the CogFX study: http://naturalleader.com/thecogfxstudy/study-1/view-the-reports
Because numerous external factors affect workplace air quality, it can be a complex issue with many contributing aspects to address. Leased facilities, older or malfunctioning HVAC systems, and contracted cleaning services are just a few of the influences that have a pivotal impact on office air quality. But since it is such a significant piece of workplace wellness—when it is proactively addressed at every level—fresher, cleaner air exponentially improves workers’ health and professional productivity, making it well worth the effort!
So while supporting high-impact changes and air quality improvements within the building, are there simple things that can be done personally? Absolutely.
Here are some tips to improve office air daily:
• Store office food properly.
• Make sure food wrappings and refuse are either removed promptly or sealed in a trash bag.
• Cut back on clutter and dust by cleaning office surfaces regularly.
• Be conscious of different types of VOCs, and avoid using products that emit higher, more toxic levels.
• Endeavor to purchase and use greener office furnishings and supplies whenever possible.
• Remove any sitting water and clean up any water spills or damp areas promptly.
• Make sure all office vents remain open and clear of obstruction for proper air circulation.
Additionally, having living plants in the office has been shown to increase oxygen levels and decrease harmful VOCs thanks to their amazing air purifying abilities. According to a study conducted by NASA, certain houseplants are better than others at removing impurities from the air.
Referencing this study, Erin Mariano writing for MindBodyGreen provides this list of seven air purifying plants perfect for the office and their VOC cleansing abilities:
1. Philodendron – removes formaldehyde from the air.
2. Chinese Evergreen – removes benzene and formaldehyde from the air.
3. Boston Fern – removes formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air.
4. Spider Plant – removes formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air.
5. Pothos – removes benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air.
6. Snake Plant – removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene from the air.
7. Peace Lily – removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and ammonia from the air.
For an extra oxygen boost, consider prioritizing a 5-minute fresh air break during the workday to go outside and take ten deep breaths. Or try going on a short walk or running an errand outdoors over the lunch hour. Deep breathing increases oxygen to the brain and improves circulation throughout the body while decreasing cellular toxins and the adverse effects of stress.
Our bodies and minds need adequate air—and not just any air—clean, fresh, high-quality air. When we get it we feel better, think better, and even work better.
Air supply good? Check. Feeling better physically? Check. More mentally alert and productive? Check. Deep breath.
Citations:
1. Discovery Health. “How much oxygen does a person consume in a day?” Share Care. https://www.sharecare.com/health/air-quality/oxygen-person-consume-a-day.
2. Brown, Ann. “How Many Breaths Do You Take Each Day?” The EPA Blog. 28 April 2014. https://blog.epa.gov/2014/04/28/how-many-breaths-do-you-take-each-day.
3. Indoor Air Quality. “Why is Indoor Air Quality Important?” United States Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/office-building-occupants-guide-indoor-air-quality#why-indoor.
4. Healthy Air. “Indoor Air Pollutants and Health.” American Lung Association. Reviewed 7 Dec. 2017. Updated 19 June 2018. https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants.
5. Allen, Joseph G. “Research: Stale Office Air is Making You Less Productive.” Harvard Business Review. 21 March 2017. https://hbr.org/2017/03/research-stale-office-air-is-making-you-less-productive.
6. Marino, Erin. “7 Houseplants That Purify The Air (And Are Nearly Impossible To Kill).” MindBodyGreen. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-26149/7-houseplants-that-purify-the-air-and-are-nearly-impossible-to-kill.html.
Disclaimer: These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Always check with your doctor before making lifestyle changes, especially if you have a medical condition.