I know it sounds very consumeristic, but we all have to give some kind of a gift to friends and family as this is the social norm. Why not give something that will also help people be aware of the air quality in the ambient they spend most of their time, indoors?

Air Quality Monitors

You can find air quality monitors for all wallets. The most important thing to consider is not the amount of sensors the monitor has, but the effectiveness of the monitor in communicating the air quality information to the users and always consider products that are meant to last. Super cheap products are not a good investment for your wallet and the environment. e-waste is a real issue on a global scale.

Think simple, a simple Carbon Dioxide (CO2) with Temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) monitor is enough sometimes. Studies have shown that high levels of carbon dioxide in the air can lead to cognitive decline. When carbon dioxide levels are high, it can lead to headaches and decreased cognitive function. In fact, research has found that people who work in environments with high levels of carbon dioxide have lower cognitive scores than those who work in environments with lower levels of the gas. Here are some to consider; Aranet4, Smart Air CO2 Monitor, and Inkbird IAM-T1.

If you want to go a step further with a more complete solution, look into an air quality monitor with Particulate Matter (aka PM2.5) sensor, CO2, temperature, and RH. Fine particulate matter is a type of air pollutant that can have a significant impact on human health. When inhaled, these tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, leading to a range of health problems. Exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to respiratory issues like coughing and wheezing, as well as more serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. In addition, long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 has been shown to shorten life expectancy. Some monitors to consider are; Atmotube Pro, Awair Element, AirVisual, and Airthings.

Air Purifiers

Once we have identified the issue with the help of an indoor air quality monitor, then we need to find a way to mitigate the particle pollutants. Particulate matter is the only thing air purifiers can address effectively once equipped with good HEPA filters. Gas pollutants like VOCs and CO2 in my humble opinion need other approaches like better ventilation in order to dilute them. Some good air purifiers that I have used and recommend are; HealthWay, BRISE, Mila Care, and Healthy Air Technology.

I always recommend getting air cleaners as big as your wallet allows you to. Avoid small units as they have a hard time keeping up with filtration even in small spaces. Bigger units are less noisy, and they can operate on lower wattage.

The DIY Route

I would suggest a million times to people to build a DIY air quality monitor and/or air purifier instead of buying garbage from Amazon or similar online stores. There are some very good DIY air quality monitors for indoor and outdoor applications to consider like the Air Gradient and Sensor.Community.

For DIY air purifiers, the most famous is the Corsi-Rosenthal Box, but you can find more on Google.

Books

Last but not least, books are a great and inexpensive way to raise awareness. Among my books there are other to consider like Choked by Beth Gardiner, Clearing the Air by Tim Smedley, The Invisible Killer by Gary Fuller, See The Air (English) by Sotirios Papathanasiou, and Healthy Buildings by Joseph G. Allen. For kids Nicholas and his incredible eyesight (English & Español) by Sotirios Papathanasiou.