Many of us enjoy spending time outdoors in the fresh air. In Fuquay-Varina, we are fortunate to have beautiful weather days all year long. This means we can enjoy hiking, swimming, sailing, gardening, and so much more, while breathing in fresh, clean air. But, what about the time we spend indoors? The air in our homes and workplaces may not be as clean as we think. It is likely that we are breathing in pollutants from chemicals, dust, and mold. Those of us who spend more time indoors are more likely to experience adverse health effects from indoor air pollutants.
The good news is, there are ways to improve indoor air quality. Mallory Harris and Elise Davis from Wake 15 Girl Scout Troop 4893 have dedicated almost two years to researching this subject, and now they are sharing their findings and solutions with senior citizens at The Addison of Fuquay-Varina, with hopes of spreading their message even further.
Harris and Davis, both eighth graders from Fuquay-Varina, are working toward their Girl Scout Silver Award. This is the highest award a Cadette, a Girl Scout member in sixth through eighth grade, can earn. To do this, Harris and Davis had to research an issue, create a plan to address the issue, and take action to improve their community in a lasting way. Girls must demonstrate leadership skills, organizational abilities, and a commitment to making a difference to earn the Silver Award.
These young ladies chose indoor air quality after discovering that the average person spends 90 percent of their time indoors, and the elderly spend even more time inside. They wanted to do something that would help the residents of retirement and assisted-living homes not only have cleaner air, but possibly experience health improvements as well.
Their solution, after much research, is surprisingly easy and affordable. Davis and Harris discovered that many houseplants can be used as more than just decoration—they help clean the air. There are two plants that they specifically recommend for their superior ability to purify the air and their low cost: the spider plant and the purple waffle plant. Both are found at local nurseries, are non-toxic to pets, and are low maintenance.
Davis and Harris developed a brochure to explain how these plants improve indoor air quality by taking CO2 from their surroundings and releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere. The brochure also provides a care guide for the purple waffle plant and the spider plant.
The girls brought this information to The Addison of Fuquay-Varina, where administrators welcomed them to work with the residents. The group started with a pot-painting day during which residents decorated the pots they would later use for their new plants. Through fundraising, Davis and Harris were able to provide pots and plants. They later came back to help with the planting and spend more time with the residents.
“We wanted to spend time with the residents and get to know them,” said Harris. “They were welcoming, and it was nice to see the residents so happy.”
Harris and Davis have spent a great deal of time learning about the dangers of indoor air pollution and the benefits of indoor plants. Now their mission is to educate people about what they have learned.
“We realize how many things we use on a day-to-day basis that pollute our air,” said Davis. “We wanted to create a project that will have a lasting effect. That’s why we chose plants; they will last for years.”
Having done their research and shared what they have learned about using plants to improve indoor air quality, Harris and Davis will submit their project to the Girl Scouts in hopes of earning the Silver Award.
Both Davis and Harris will be attending high school in the fall and plan to continue doing work to help others. Their time spent with the residents at The Addison of Fuquay-Varina had a positive influence on them and they hope that their story might inspire other young people to interact with people of older generations.
While Davis and Harris both learned a lot about plants, the lasting impact of this project is that they are helping others in a truly meaningful way.
