BERNAMA/DPA – When temperatures soar outside, keeping your home cool becomes essential.

But what if the usual methods like ventilating and shading windows aren’t enough?

Instead of immediately turning to air conditioning, consider using natural solutions – specifically, the right plants. Experts explained how certain greenery can help cool a home during hot weather.

HOW IT WORKS

Indoor plants can help raise humidity through photosynthesis, absorbing carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen and water.

The moisture released by the plants into the air evaporates and increases the humidity, said gardening consultant for a German homeowners association Martin Breidbach.

This transpiration process requires energy and with the evaporated water, the plants cool themselves and their surroundings.

Plants can also help to clean the air by absorbing dust particles and contaminants.

Gardening engineer Heinrich Beltz noted that potting soil has a similar effect as it also releases water into the air. Clay flower pots, being porous, also release water – unlike plastic containers.

All that said, greenery can improve the room climate somewhat, but plants cannot replace strong ventilation.

WHICH PLANTS TO CHOOSE?

Basically, all plants improve the room climate, Breidbach said, “since they cool off the surrounding air through the process of photosynthesis”. Plants that have small leaves such as birch fig or ornamental asparagus are especially good at absorbing dust particles. Indoor linden or Cyprus grass raise the humidity particularly well.

For dry, hot rooms, the rule is: The more plants, the better. If the room climate is already pleasant, then the number of plants is sufficient. If the air is moist, you probably have too many plants, Beltz said.

The optimal humidity level for rooms is 40-60 per cent.

The plants’ effect on the room climate also depends on their size and how much you water them.

As a rule of thumb, the more you water, the stronger the cooling effect and the increase in humidity.

Room plants with big leaves therefore have a bigger effect since they need lots of water. However, “a large cactus can naturally help out more than a tiny birch fig”, Beltz said.

WHERE TO KEEP PLANTS?

Be it the living room, bedroom or bathroom, just how many plants you can place inside a room depends on the available light.

Most plants need a lot of light and should be placed near the window. Ferns and spider plants, by contrast, do well with less light.

Dragon-tail plant, peace lily and dracaena prefer bright locations without direct sunlight. They can be placed at some distance from the window.

Some plants, like citrus plants are sensitive to dry air which makes them less suited for moistening dry rooms, Beltz said.

ROLE OF OUTDOOR PLANTS

Even outdoors, plants can help to cool things off on the inside.

Plants growing outside your windows can reduce the amount of direct sunlight coming through and prevent rooms inside from heating up.

Breidbach recommended growing climbing plants on a pergola. However, you shouldn’t place them too close to the windows or the greenery could block the view and reduce “the air flow when ventilating the rooms”.

For large planters and troughs, Breidbach recommended perennial climbing plants such as climbing roses, clematis and hops, which develop well on a trellis.

If you want more variety, annual morning glories, bell vines or runner beans are another option.

Plants growing on walls also have an insulating effect. Growing ivy on your home, for example, can help to regulate indoor temperatures, Beltz said.

WHICH CLIMBING PLANTS ARE BEST?

Climbers make for great natural blinds.

Grow them on a trellis at some distance from the facade and their leaves will provide shade in hot weather.

Breidbach recommended to inform yourself in advance as to which plants are suited to a specific location and to the facade at hand.

PARIS (AFP) – Playing a monotonous sound stimulates the activity of a fungus that promotes plant growth, a study suggested, raising the potential that playing music could be good for crops and gardens.

Whether or not blasting Mozart could help plants grow has long been a matter of scientific debate. The United States TV show MythBusters even tested it out, finding that plants exposed to death metal and classical music grew a little better than those left in silence, but deeming the results inconclusive.

However, with the plant world facing a raft of human-driven challenges – including erosion, deforestation, pollution and a burgeoning extinction crisis – the future of the world’s biodiversity and crops are increasingly feared to be under threat.

According to the new study in the journal Biology Letters, “the role of acoustic stimulation in fostering ecosystem recovery and sustainable food systems remains under-explored”.

Based on previous work that exposed E coli bacteria to sound waves, the team of Australian researchers set out to assess the effect sound has on the growth rate and spore production of the fungus Trichoderma harzianum.

This fungus is often used in organic farming for its ability to protect plants from pathogens, improve nutrients in the soil and promote growth.

The researchers built little sound booths to house petri dishes full of fungi.

Instead of pop bangers, they were played Tinnitus Flosser Masker at 8 kHz. This was the audio from one of many white noise videos on YouTube which are intended to relieve tinnitus or help babies fall asleep.

“Think of the sound of an old-school radio in between channels,” lead study author Jake Robinson of Flinders University told AFP.

“We chose this monotone for controlled, experimental reasons, but it might be that a more diverse or natural soundscape is better,” he said.

“This needs further research.”

The petri dishes were played this sound at a level of 80 decibels for half an hour a day.

After five days, the growth and spore production were higher in the fungi that were played the sound, compared to those that sat in silence.

While far from definitive, the researchers suggested some potential reasons this could
happen.

The acoustic wave could be converted into a fungi-stimulating electrical charge under what is known as the piezo-electric effect.

Another theory involves tiny receptors on the membranes of the fungi called mechanoreceptors.

These are comparable to the thousands of mechanoreceptors on human skin that play a role in our sense of touch – which involves reacting to pressure or vibration.

“It might be that sound waves stimulate these mechanoreceptors in the fungi, which then trigger a cascade of biochemical events that lead to genes being switched on or off – for instance, the kind of genes responsible for growth,” Robinson said.

“Our preliminary research suggests the fungi respond to the sound, but we don’t know yet if this benefits the plants. So, this is the next step,” he added.

“Can we influence soil or plant microbial communities as a whole? Can we speed up the soil restoration process by stimulating the earth with natural soundscapes? What impact might this have on the soil fauna?” he asked.

“There are many important questions to keep us busy.”

BERNAMA/DPA – Around eight million mattresses are discarded annually in Germany, with 95 per cent ending up incinerated and only five per cent being recycled, conservationists report. It’s not just the waste that’s concerning – constantly replacing mattresses can also strain your wallet, as a quality one doesn’t come cheap.

However, by properly maintaining your mattress, you can extend its lifespan, reduce the need for frequent replacements, and do your part to help the environment.

“At the end of the day, the best waste is waste not produced in the first place,” reminded Germany’s Association of Local Utilities.

SIX MATTRESS CARE TIPS THAT ARE EASY TO IMPLEMENT:

Turn regularly

Turn and flip your mattress at least every three months to keep it maximally comfortable for as long as possible.

Remove discolouration

Depending on the model, you can wash the mattress cover to get rid of unsightly discolouration and stains. Be sure to check the textile care label on the cover beforehand to find out at what temperature it can be washed – and whether the cover can go in the tumble dryer or needs to be air-dried.

Germany’s Industrial Association for Body Care and Detergents (IKW) recommended pulling the fabric apart once while it is damp before hanging it up so that it retains its original size.

Vacuuming

The cover can also be cleaned regularly with a vacuum cleaner when changing the fitted sheet.

Use a mattress topper

This five-to-10 centimetres thick layer of memory foam, latex, wool, or feather material is added on top of your bed, beneath the fitted sheet, to provide support and protect your mattress from stains and sagging.

Toppers are usually used with box spring beds. There are also waterproof or water-repellent variants that are suitable for babies and small children, or people living with incontinence. A mattress pad is similar to a topper but thinner – up to five centimetres thick – and provides light support, and won’t change the feel of the bed or alter the temperature.

Use an under pad or protector

These additional pads go between the slatted frame and the mattress to prevent it from slipping and getting scuff marks if it rubs against the frame during movement.

Ventilate properly

According to the IKW, a room climate with low humidity and temperatures between 17 degree Celsius (°C) and 19°C prevents mould.

To sleep well on your new mattress for as long as possible, try to test it in the shop and lie on it thoroughly before you buy. This will help you avoid returns.

BERNAMA-DPA – No matter the season, celebrations often involve plenty of cooking, which can raise the risk of fat catching fire.

Hot oils and fats can pose a fire hazard, so it’s important to stay attentive while cooking and use a timer to keep track.

“Many home cooks underestimate the dangers of stovetops and ovens.

“They crank up the heat too high, get distracted during cooking, or don’t know how to respond if a fire starts,” warned fire and explosion protection specialist Hermann Dinkler.

He offered a list of tips to help prevent fat fires in the kitchen.

CAUSES OF GREASE FIRES

Grease fires occur when fats or oils are heated above their smoke point and ignite.

“Fats and oils can self-ignite when heated to high temperatures. So don’t heat oil or fat to such an extent that it starts smoking,” said Dinkler.

WATCH FOR FAT EXPLOSIONS

Never extinguish burning fat with water as the water suddenly evaporates with an explosion. Burning fat droplets fly into the air and can cause severe burns.

PREVENTING GREASE FIRES

To prevent grease fires, observe the following tips:

– Keep your kitchen clean and dry as oil and water residues can help cause a grease fire.

– Do not overheat oil or fat, and pay attention to the smoke point of the oil or fat you are using.

– Do not leave the pot or pan unattended. If you have to leave the kitchen, switch off the hob.

– Do not leave children unattended in the kitchen when cooking with hot oil or fat.

Bear in mind also that if you don’t store your oils and fats properly, they can oxidise more easily and therefore catch fire, said specialists.

So there is a greater risk of a grease fire if you are using older oil from a bottle that has already been opened.