While air-purifying appliances have gained popularity, nature offers a more sustainable and more efficient solution: plants.
When strategically placed, plants significantly improve air quality, especially impactful in urban environments – both at school & home.
Why Plants Outshine Appliances
- 24/7 Operation: Unlike appliances that require energy (i.e., are not eco-friendly) and maintenance, plants work tirelessly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Natural Beauty & cool: Plants add a touch of natural beauty to any space, enhancing both the aesthetics and incorporating positivity & cool energy in the environment.
- Quiet & peaceful: No noisy or even gentle fans or filters to disturb the peace.
- Multiple Benefits: Beyond air purification, contributing to the planet/environment & sustainability, plants are known to reduce stress, boost mood, and increase productivity.
Do Plants really matter?
Plants, often referred to as nature’s air purifiers, play a crucial role in improving air quality. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, helping to reduce the levels of harmful pollutants in the air. Additionally, plants filter out particulate matter, such as dust and smoke, which can have adverse health effects.
Benefits of Incorporating Plants in Schools and Homes
- Improved Air Quality: As mentioned earlier, plants can significantly enhance air quality by removing pollutants and releasing oxygen.
- Enhanced Cognitive Function: Studies have shown that exposure to greenery can improve cognitive function, attention span, and creativity.
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety: The presence of plants can create a calming and serene environment, reducing stress and anxiety.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Plants can add a touch of beauty and natural elegance to any space.
Maximizing the Air-Purifying Power of Plants
To ensure optimal performance, consider the following tips:
- Strategic Placement: Plants should be placed in areas with high foot traffic or near electronic devices that emit harmful electromagnetic radiation.
- Variety of Plants: A diverse range of plants can effectively filter different types of pollutants.
- Proper Care: Regular watering, adequate sunlight, and occasional fertilization will keep your plants thriving, positively impacting your living/working/learning spaces.
- Regular Maintenance: Clean the leaves periodically to remove dust – and maximize their air-purifying capacity.
Here’s a TIME magazine article on this: https://time.com/5105027/indoor-plants-air-quality/
ANY PRACTICAL TIPS ?
Some practical Tips for Greening your Surroundings to improve ambient air:
- Indoor Plants: Choose air-purifying plants like Snake Plant, Peace Lily, or Rubber Plant to improve indoor air quality. There are quite a few known varieties that impact air quality more effectively, although all plants contribute.
- Outdoor Gardens: Create a small garden or plant trees in your backyard or balcony to contribute to a greener neighborhood.
- School Gardens: Encourage your child’s school (like we have done @ the Sixth element schools) to establish a school garden & plant lots of trees on the periphery, where students can learn about plants, gardening, and environmental sustainability. A few pots in each classroom or every room @ home also helps. These can potentially be far more effective in comparison with air purifying machines, as they work 24*7.
- Community Initiatives: Participate in community initiatives that promote planting trees and creating green spaces.
By incorporating these natural air purifiers into our homes and schools, we can create healthier and more sustainable environments for ourselves and future generations, besides nurturing a culture of green values and Eco-friendly sustainable practices.
At the Sixth Element school campuses at South City1 as well as Tata Primanti, Sector 72 – our campuses are unique islands of Eco-friendly plants that lead to cleaner air campuses. Many visitors/parents often remark that the air feels nice – as they enter our school campuses.
We have also measured our school’s AQI often and found that our School’s air quality is often significantly better than ambient conditions elsewhere in Gurgaon & NCR.
Dear parents – try emulating this simple solution at home too (incorporate plants into our surroundings at home too) and make your family’s and your child’s physical & emotional health better.
Try this experiment with your child: go to a neighborhood park(possibly with your child/children) – and try to sit under a tree for a while– where there are few plants nearby – and experience the magic of bathing in and inhaling the significantly cleaner/healthier air.
Some areas in your neighborhood to try this can be any green/parks in Gurugram, including :
- SouthCity1
- Sector31
- Sector40
- Sushant Lok
- Sector72
- Sector70
- Sector48
- Badshahpur corridor*
- Leisure Valley
(*) which is right next to the Sixth Element – Tata Primanti campus – and the trees near our school’s north/east boundary help filter our school campus air, too.
What are your thoughts on creating a green, Eco-friendly, plant-led environment? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.
The Sixth Element School is a green school that encourages all of the above.
Why – the Sixth Element School?
Very simply, the Sixth Element was a phrase coined by the school founders 20 years back to illustrate igniting the joy of learning – so important for children’s development – as we nurture and get them ready for the future.
How to Foster a Well-Rounded Child?
While there is lots of operating structure and detailed SOPs in the school’s daily /weekly/monthly/annual – schedules – “how” the same is executed is unique – i.e., the Sixth element way of incorporating co-curricular & scientific & artistic activities, project work, etc – leading to children enjoy learning & look forward to coming to school each day (and interestingly they do miss school on holidays 😊 ! )
Some examples of what’s done to instill values & character building:
- Instil values: Understanding the differences between right and wrong is discussed in its many facets, often discussing environmental issues, volunteering for community activities and clean-ups, and respecting all living beings.
- Values as a Compass: Values are the moral principles that guide our actions. The Cambridge International Curriculum, with its emphasis on global citizenship and community service, fosters values like respect, empathy, and responsibility.
- Embrace sustainability: Reduce waste, conserve energy, and grow your food together. Encouraging minimalism (BTW, we are a uniform school), upcycling, gardening, and exploring green technologies like rainwater harvesting, recycling, etc
- Building Confidence: The curriculum’s focus on individual & team achievement (over experiential projects in small groups) and overcoming difficulties – and making progress, encouraged by the teacher, helps build self-esteem. By setting and achieving goals, students develop a strong sense of confidence and resilience.
- Life Skills for Real World: The curriculum’s focus on independent learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving equips students with essential life skills. These skills are invaluable in navigating challenges and opportunities- building confidence.
The Sixth Element School’s commitment to sustainability?
As the best school in Gurgaon, the Sixth Element School, education should go beyond classrooms. Our green, airy, spacious campuses are a living laboratory where children learn experimentally about sustainable practices. From solar panels to rainwater harvesting, recycling & near no plastics usage.
Our curriculum integrates sustainability into every subject, fostering a deep appreciation for nature, science, commerce & the arts – while instilling a desire to protect our planet.
By igniting the joy of learning and nurturing curiosity, confidence, values, and environmental consciousness – we empower children to become not only successful individuals but equally responsible members of society and global citizens.
Does a unique International Curriculum School like the Sixth Element help?
A progressive, holistic school following Cambridge International Curriculum significantly contributes to lots of experiential learning and project-based work.
The Sixth Element School: Where Cambridge International meets India- in an exclusive, low-density, impactful format
The reason why we chose the Cambridge International curriculum is that the blend of teacher-directed as well as learner-self-driven learning & research seems to be relevant for aspirational kids from Indian families, keen on preparing their kids to be global citizens of the future – whether based in India or overseas.
Is the Sixth Element School duly registered with Cambridge International?
Yes, The Sixth Element School – is duly registered as one of over 10,000 schools globally – as a Cambridge International school with a global registration number IA 892
Keen to see what a unique school like The Sixth Element School offers? Schedule a visit and see for yourself why it could be the perfect launchpad for your child’s bright, global future!
We started the first sixth element school 20 years back in 2004 @ Gurgaon.
Our schools & afternoon extended school & afternoon ‘activities enriched’ daycare centers are unique, exclusive, compact neighborhood green campuses – where a lot of outdoor activities & experiential learning (physical – not digital) take place with children on most days.
Our unique Smaller campus – with only two sections per class grade – and very limited children on campus allow us to focus on each child’s growth & development properly.
We are proud of our high-quality, committed teachers – the very backbone of any good learning environment.
We raise well-rounded, future-ready individuals who are prepared to face the challenges of the world with confidence and integrity, using the right methods and practices. As an example, our foundational fitness program, delivered in partnership with Fit Kids, our gym, our green playgrounds, and great coaches, gives our school kids a great foundational fitness start.
A good understanding and partnership between parents and schools are key to nurturing the future leaders of Gurugram, our great nation, and our planet.
THE SIXTH ELEMENT SCHOOL WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF CATALYSING & ENSURING “THE SIXTH ELEMENT – i.e. THE JOY OF LEARNING ” FOR EVERY CHILD. OUR CURRICULUM IS BENCHMARKED WITH THE BEST INTERNATIONALLY WHILE DRAWING FROM OUR VERY OWN CORE ANCIENT INDIAN BEST PRACTICES SUCH AS THE GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA) & VALUES. THANKS TO ITS 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND ITS CORE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES DRAWN FROM PIAGET, VYGOSTKY, AND BRUNER – WHICH IS INCIDENTALLY THE RESOURCE POOL – FOR THE FOUNDATIONAL YEARS SCHOOL CURRICULUM OF THE UPGRADED NEW EDUCATION (NEP) UNDER ROLLOUT IN INDIA NOW.
So, in line with some of India’s top and globally the very best, we are now a unique 100% Cambridge International School.
www.sixthelment.edu.in
the Sixth Element School
the schoolchildren love
SOUTH CITY 1. TATA PRIMANTI (sector 72)
85272-74695 or 97736-32626
since 2004(20 years)
Limited enrollment is available in pre-NURSERY, NURSERY, KG & DAYCARE, and grade 1 in our prenursery to K12 school programs.
@ Gurgaon’s only single-section “exclusive” boutique VENTILATED, AIRY, SPACIOUS. GREEN SCHOOL CAMPUSES