Toni Reale | File Photo

Those looking to begin an indoor plant collection should look no further than any one of the 70 unique varieties of snake plant. These evergreen perennial houseplants are tough-as-nails and thrive with little care. It’s a low-risk and high-reward plant, especially for a beginner. 

Natural history

Snake plants are part of the Asparagaceae family of flowering plants that include things such as asparagus, agave and yucca. These types of plants are native to regions of Africa, southeast Asia and Madagascar. 

Generally, snake plants can be divided into two main groups: hard-leaf and soft-leaf species. The difference in leaf morphology is a result of the different environments and climate regimes in which they evolved. Those with hard, thick, sometimes cylindrical leaves that retain moisture originate from arid environments, much like succulents. But those with thin, flatter leaves originate from tropical environments with higher humidity and rainfall.

Typically, snake plants begin growing around a center-point called a rosette. As the plant matures and grows in tight clumps, most lose that rosette pattern. In the wild, they spread mostly underground by rhizomes. Some varieties can get several feet tall. Unlike their agave cousins which die after they flower, the snake plant’s tiny fragrant flower will turn to tiny berries after it is pollinated and the plant will live on.

How to care for your plant

Light: These plants demonstrate more rigorous growth in medium light, but they can live in low- to bright- indirect light conditions as long as they aren’t at risk for getting burned by direct sunlight.

Water: Overwatering is the leading cause of death for these plants. They should only be watered when the top 1.5 inches to 2 inches of the soil is dry, roughly every 3 weeks. Timing is all on lighting and humidity conditions. Water less in the winter when it is dormant.

Soil: Well-drained soil in a pot that has a drainage hole is very important. The plant’s roots could become soggy and rot if water cannot drain. 

Fertilizer: Snake plants do not need to be fertilized, but if you choose to do so, only lightly fertilize in early spring. When you eventually re-pot your plant, the new soil will have enough nutrients to support its growth.

Pests: Snake plants are not prone to infestations or diseases. However, for any plant to flourish, you must begin with a healthy specimen. Be sure to inspect any new plant for potential pests or diseases before taking it home. Look for webs, small white dots, gnats in the soil and yellow round spots that are gooey to the touch. 

Fun facts

• In the late 1980s, NASA conducted a study to determine which plants were best for increasing indoor air quality. Snake plants made the list because of its exceptional ability to purify air by absorbing toxins (namely well-known carcinogens such as xylene, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides and toluene) through their leaves. These plants also produce clean oxygen at night while most plants release carbon dioxide at night in the absence of photosynthesis.
• In many African countries, snake plant fiber is used to make rope and baskets.
• Extracts from the sap of this plant can be used as an antiseptic and even has antibacterial potency against E. coli bacteria. 
• Recent advances in genetic research actually archived the genus Sansevieria that snake plants were assigned to for decades and reassigned them all to the genus Dracaena. These types of nomenclature changes are hard to adopt so you will hear snake plants mostly referred to as Sansevieria. 

Toni Reale is the owner and creative director of Roadside Blooms, a unique flower and plant shop in Park Circle in North Charleston.  It specializes in weddings, events and everyday deliveries using near 100 percent American- and locally-grown blooms. Online at: roadsideblooms.com. Visit at 4610 Spruill Ave., Suite 102, North Charleston. 

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Gas leak at ConocoPhillips’ field in Alaska prompts evacuations -local media | WTVB | 1590 AM · 95.5 FM | The Voice of Branch County

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For the health and safety of everyone, our offices are temporarily closed to the public. If you have won a prize from us we will be mailing it to you or will contact you with specific information needed to redeem your prize. Feel free to call us with questions during weekday business hours at (517) 279-1590.

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When I told my friends and family that I was leaving Tennessee to go to school in California, I was constantly warned to be wary of traffic, earthquakes and wildfires. I would roll my eyes upon hearing these cautionary tales, doubting that my life in California would ever be significantly affected by earthquakes or fires — although, I was rather worried about the traffic. 

However, as the fall set on my freshman year, there were days I would wake up and smell something burning. I would look out of my window (shoutout seventh floor of Birnkrant) and see hazy clouds of smoke hanging in the sky. That 2019 wildfire season, which was relatively quiet compared to other years, saw over 250,000 acres of land burned and at least three fatalities. While I was fortunate that the fires weren’t affecting me in any particularly harmful ways, I certainly became aware of the dangers they impose. 

Wildfires are occurring more and more frequently. The five year average has nearly doubled since 2008, largely because of a redhot 2020 fire season which saw well over 3.5 million acres burned. 

Humans are responsible for 84% of wildfires in the United States, according to Tess Joosse, a writer at Science Magazine. While lightning strikes and dry thunderstorms cause fires, they are seasonal threats. A forgotten fire pit or sparked powerline could ignite a wildfire at any moment. 

Wildfires have a mixed effect on the environment. By heating the soil, fire triggers seed germination, leading to more vegetation for animals to consume. However, wildfires also can burn down forests that can take hundreds of years to recover. As seen in the 2020 fires in Australia, animals can fall victim to the flames, with over 3 billion animals killed or displaced as a result of these widespread fires. 

It isn’t only the environment that is suffering because of wildfires. In 2020, over 600,000 Californians were displaced from their homes, over twice as many in 2019. Wildfires are expensive, costing California taxpayers an estimated $1.3 billion since July 2021, not to mention the personal devastation they can cause. 

The pollution posed by wildfires can also affect our ability to be active outside. When I was smelling smoke in my freshman dorm, it was likely harming my lungs. The increase in air pollution that wildfires cause can lead to eye irritation or a cough, but also more serious conditions such as bronchitis and heart failure. This provides a challenge to Californians, who want to enjoy the surplus of outdoor activities that the state has to offer year-round. If you have preexisting health conditions or are (wisely) concerned about your long-term lung health, the wildfire season can take away your ability to enjoy the outdoors. 

Athletes are proven to be more at risk of inhaling smoke and pollution because more air is inhaled through the mouth while exercising. The Air Quality Index measures the amount of pollutants on a scale of one to 500. A safe AQI is considered between 50 and 100. However, the NFL and NCAA allow players to compete when the AQI is as high as 200. 

In 2018, a wildfire in Northern California known as Camp Fire caused problems for the NFL teams in the state. The San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and the then Oakland Raiders all had practices shortened or canceled during the peak of the Camp Fire crisis. During the Monday Night Football game between the 49ers and New York Giants, smoke from the nearby fires clouded the 49ers’ stadium in Santa Clara. Players on the sideline could be seen wearing oxygen masks, a clear indication that the air was not safe to inhale. 

As the climate continues to heat and dry up, wildfires will increasingly occur, resulting in many more situations in which the AQI isn’t safe to hold practices or games. Professional sports will suffer and be forced to spend money on more indoor facilities equipped with powerful evaporative humidifiers that don’t release any harmful chemicals in the air and can improve the indoor air quality.  

High school, club and recreational sports will suffer significantly more than teams at the professional level. With budgets a fraction of the size as those of the MLB or NFL, more practices and games will be canceled in order to protect the players. Wildfire season occurs largely in the fall, when football is taking place. High school football programs will likely need to shorten their seasons or start later in the year in order to account for time missed due to fires. 

Despite what Smokey the Bear says, it’s not just you who can prevent wildfires. They’re inevitable and will occur more frequently in our changing environment. It’s important to follow fire safety protocols, especially when in a dry or forested setting, but it will be difficult for our society to significantly decrease the number of wildfires each year. Sports, as well as the rest of the world, will have to adapt to account for the dangers that wildfires present. 

Patrick Warren is a junior exploring the relationship between sports and the climate. His column “The World of Sports” runs every other Wednesday.

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Ahuja Residences has launched its premium boutique hotel in Gurugram AIR Conscious Living by Ahuja Residences, Nestled in avenues of DLF Phase 2 in Gurugram, this 4-star hotel which is located on MG Road, within less than a km distance from Sikandarpur metro station. It is 10 kms from the airport, and 2.5 kms from DLF Cyber Hub in Gurgaon.

By emphasizing on energy and water efficiency, the management has also focused on the use of construction materials that have very low carbon emissions to design their latest business hotel in Gurugram.

The company designed and constructed the project strategically. From choosing a location surrounded by natural plantations to designing the guest rooms in a soothing colour palette of light shades including grey, light green and more, AIR by Ahuja Residences promises a memorable experience. The restaurant and banquet rooms boast a feature wall that combines a gentle waterfall with vertical gardens on either side.

The entire building consisting of guest rooms, restaurant, conference rooms, cafeteria and back-office has special air ventilation and filtration system, which is designed to achieve good indoor air quality all times during building operations.

With a commitment to air conscious living, Ahuja Residences have taken environmentally conscious initiatives to design the property as a ‘Green building’

The hotel is also expected to soon receive “Green Building Certification” by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). Created as a result of Jaideep Ahuja’s “labor of love,” AIR combines an automation technology that includes “touch panel and voice-operated room fixtures” and an air purification system, which ensures ambient air is maintained at an AQI of 50 or below within the building.

The property is equipped with EV Charging station for vehicles, 33kv Solar PV and solar water heating system and LED installed for efficient lighting. Food waste composting machine is installed for zero solid waste discharge and Rainwater harvesting to harvesting the roof and non-roof water.

Ahuja Residences has made optimum use of natural resources, successfully facilitated the effective use of water conservation and energy efficiency thus meeting the green features required to certify the property as a green hotel. It has 58 guest rooms, one all day dining restaurant and room service.

A 2,000 sq ft banquet room that can host up to 120 people and 2 meeting rooms equipped with the latest smart meeting technology for meetings. Every room has a hi-speed wireless internet and 4K TVs that are equipped for streaming services and OTT channels.

In addition to this, the property also aims to cater to different types of audiences with a design that is friendly for differently-abled patrons and senior citizens. With a parametric sculpted wall and front desk in the lobby leading to a Zen lounge, the residence show cases natural elements, lighting, fresh water and minimal wastage.

It offers over 300 properties across the country, with more than 1000 fine suites and rooms dotting the tourist map.

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We know that kids have really struggled during the last two years of the pandemic. The Connecticut Education Association (CEA) is trying something new to raise awareness about the problems both students and staff face on a daily basis.     

The CEA is taking to social media with a campaign called “What You Don’t See.”

“One of the things that we started to realize was that so much of the experience of educators and students were invisible to the people making decisions,” Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association said.

“There’s so much that people don’t see that really influence how our school’s function, and what our student experience is like, and what our teacher experience is like, and we figured if we could start shedding light on to the things that are unique to our working conditions, unique to our experience, then it helps make good decisions happen,” Dias continued.

Some of those “invisible” issues include indoor air quality, but the majority focus is on mental health.

“We have a host of students presenting with pretty major mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, things that you wouldn’t expect to see in five- and six-year-olds,” a woman for the campaign said.

And many more voiced their thoughts for the campaign.

“And what I’m going to tell you is that this year, more than any year ever, counselors are crying in their cars because we are overwhelmed. We are overworked, and we have too much to do,” Sharon Veatch, a Falls Village school counselor said.

“What you don’t see is that our children are hurting, Vanessa and Cassidy Hammond, a mother and daughter from Danbury said.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness said 39,000 Connecticut Children Suffer from major depression. 24,000 are not getting the help they need, and part of that stems from staffing issues.

In Connecticut, there’s an average of one school counselor for every 457 students. The recommended ratio is one counselor for every 250 students.

“Mental health, I always tell people, it’s one of the few times it really, genuinely is a numbers game. If we don’t have the people to help the kids, we can’t help them. We’re going to do our best; we are going to rely on everything we possibly can, all of our training, sort of in the trenches as teachers, we’re given some training on how to triage,” Dias said.

“If we can properly staff and work with them, some of those mental health specialists, and we can infuse our districts with more support like that, it actually makes everybody’s life better. Your classroom teachers have more ability to focus on those activities. Your principals can focus on leading their buildings. Your social workers, guidance counselors, and school counselors can do their jobs more effectively and less triage in more preventative, thoughtful, structured counseling,” she continued.

Dias said local lawmakers have worked with them recently to alleviate some of these problems. There was recently a proposal to fund HVAC upgrades in schools.

Dias said there are still more issues to tackle, and the goal of the campaign is to make more people notice.

“When you hear kids talk about what this is like, so it’s really powerful too I think, have those individual narratives actually to put a voice to things like anxiety. It’s one thing to say that word, it’s a whole other thing to have students talk about trying to get out of the car, to get into the school, to face the day. We really want people to step up and tell your story, “Dias stated.

Those who want to share their story for the campaign can visit the Connecticut Education Association Website.

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