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The lines between the outdoors and indoors are being blurred. Homeowners build extensive outdoor living spaces so they can relax on weather-resistant furniture and even cook in lavish kitchens in their backyards. In addition, indoor three-season rooms full of bright, open windows that showcase outdoor vistas challenge the boundaries between outside and inside. “It gives me a sense of emotional purpose and wellness,” said Sharon Kosofsky, a coach trainer with Ideal Wellness that has a location based in Smokey Point. She said, during the lockdown, caring for plants help provide a routine and schedule for her family. For those working with limited budgets, there are some easy, inexpensive ways to enjoy the majesty of natural landscapes indoors. Houseplants can be used to improve indoor spaces, and they also provide various health benefits. Help with allergies According to WebMD, rooms with houseplants tend to have less dust and mold in them than those without any foliage. “They purify our air by reducing toxins,” Kosofsky said. She added such plants as spider plants and snake plants help eliminate dust
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and toxins and are easy to care. Leaves and other parts of the plants serve as natural filters, catching airborne particles and allergens. Plants with textured leaves might be especially effective at trapping particles. Put more oxygen into the air The human respiratory system works by bringing in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Plants do the opposite during photosynthesis. They absorb carbon dioxide and then release oxygen. Plants can put much more oxygen into the air, improving indoor conditions. Increase indoor humidity and reduce illness Studies from the Agricultural University of Norway found that indoor plants can increase humidity in indoor spaces, which decreases the incidences of sore throats, dry coughs, dry skin, and the common cold. Higher absolute humidity can decrease the chances of survival and transmission of the flu virus. Kosofsky said ferns help add moisture into the air especially during the winter months where forced heat can reduce humidity. She said ferns can help boost people’s mood, which increases dopamine.
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She said ferns can help remove toxins in the air too. Filter the air Researchers who presented their work at the 252nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society found certain houseplants can combat the potentially harmful effects of volatile organic compounds. Plants may help filter out VOCs like benzene, acetone and formaldehyde, which can enter indoor air via cleaning supplies, dry-cleaned clothes, furniture, printers, and paints. Improve interior atmosphere Prevention magazine says plants can be used to screen unattractive areas, moderate room temperature by shading spots from the sun and even reduce noise. Plants also can improve ambiance and create a pleasing atmosphere in a room. Another handy plant to have in the house is Aloe Vera. They can help heal small burns and “they need very little care,” Kosofsky said. Can improve mood Growing and caring for plants can alleviate everyday stress. A nationwide study from UK Magazine Gardeners World found 80 percent of gardeners declared themselves satis-
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Having houseplants in your home can offer a variety of benefits fied with life compared to 67 percent among nongardeners. Gardeners were more positive mentally. Greenery can help people feel more at home and improve mental health. A rehab center in Norway found patients reported a greater increase in wellbeing four weeks after having greenery added to their surroundings. A lavender plant is a great mood enhancer, Kosofsky said.
“The smell is delightful. It helps fighting against depression,” she added. Bringing a house plant into the home does require a bit of planning. “It’s good to do a little research,” Kosofsky said. Learn how much sunlight a plant needs, if it’s an annual or a perennial. If someone has a pet, they should find out what plants are harmful to animals. It’s also to learn how to check if a plant has died or has simply gone
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dormant. She recommended checking out a local nursery or buying online as great sources to acquire plants. In addition to snake and spider plants, lavender, and aloe vera, she is growing an avocado in a mason jar on her windowsill. She said it’s getting ready to sprout. For more information about Ideal Wellness and the services they offer, go to www.idealwellness.com.
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Home & Garden
Real People. Real Life.
P.O. BOX 39 n MARYSVILLE, WA 98270
March 24, 2021- March 30, 2021 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
The many benefits of houseplants
Pages 4-7
Vol. 14 No. 28 n
March 24, 2021 - March 30, 2021
MARYSVILLE • ARLINGTON • SMOKEY POINT • LAKEWOOD • TULALIP • QUIL CEDA VILLAGE
Haller Middle School students test efficacy of washing hands By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com
restrictions began March 22 for the county. All indoor businesses will be able to have increased capacity due to the county’s decreasing number of coronavirus cases and inperson spectator events can return with restrictions.
Haller Middle School students conducted science experiments to help prove the efficacy of handwashing when they returned to in-person learning recently. Students used a powder that lights up under ultraviolet light to coat their hands, then washed them and see how well they removed the material. “Everyone got to cover their hands to simulate germs,” said Natalie Hollifield, one of the Haller Middle School science teachers behind the experiment. “We were really focusing on germs and the spread of germs, and preventing the spread, specifically through hand-washing.” Students were testing the
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PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON
Personal trainer Laura Anderson performs cleaning to sanitize surfaces at Rain City Fitness after a training session on March 18.
Snohomish County moves to Phase 3 of recovery plan By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Pandemic restrictions are being loosened again as Snohomish County enters Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. The reduced coronavirus
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Haller Middle School sixth grader Jackson Ogden tests the efficacy of his hand-washing during a science experiment.
Marysville recriminalizes drug possession ____ Action taken to close loophole created by State Supreme Court decision By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com After a Washington State Supreme Court decision invalidated the state’s illegal drug possession laws, the city of Marysville enacted their own misdemeanor law for possession when the Marysville City Council on March 8 adopted a new ordinance that makes it a gross misdemeanor to possess controlled substances without a prescription. On Feb. 24 the State Supreme
Court ruled that the state’s current drug possession laws were unconstitutional. The crux of the case was that the old laws were “strict liability” laws. That means a person could be guilty of drug possession even if they did not know about the drugs in their possession or intend to have them. “The problem was the concern of prosecuting someone who didn’t know they had drugs on them,” said Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring. Under the old laws, even if the drug possession was accidental and that was proved in court, a
person could still be found guilty of drug possession. “That’s probably rare in practice,” said Nehring. “If you read the case in question that the State Supreme Court was deciding, it did look like it happened there though.” Because of the court’s ruling, the state’s drug possession laws were considered unconstitutional and voided. “When the State Supreme Court struck down the law it left a vacuum because there wasn’t a law available to prosecute drug possession,” said Nehring. “During that time frame we could no longer arrest for mere
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When the State Supreme Court struck down the law it left a vacuum because there wasn't a law available to prosecute drug possession.
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Mayor Jon Nehring
possession,” said Marysville Police Chief Erik Scairpon. The police department could still make arrests for selling or buying illegal drugs and for possessing drug paraphernalia though, he said. Scairpon criticized the sudden
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impact of the decision. “It was really frustrating to see a Supreme Court decision come down without a plan on how the state was going to deal with that massive of a change,” he said.
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