MANILA, Philippines ? It was a Sunday morning and I sat on my bike along EDSA, waiting for the traffic officer to signal us to traverse Aurora Boulevard. I looked around to see many surfaces of assorted grays: soot with various shades of color. Brownish on the concrete of the flyover, maroonish on the red of the bus sidings, murky yellow-olive on the signage board of a store. Soot. Ugh.

I was biking along with the ?Tour of the Fireflies,? an annual bike brigade that promotes awareness on the use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transport. Fireflies, they say, are extremely sensitive to air quality and thus we don?t see them anymore in Metro Manila.

I am not a bike commuter, but my love of nature and the opportunity to weave through the tapestry of green that still blankets the hillside trails at the fringes of the Metro have brought me to try biking again.

The pollution and soot so thick and present in the city is an everyday dilemma. Our buildings and interior spaces look old, drab and dirty because of this soot, largely produced by our massive carbon-fueled transport system. For a tropical country, it?s frustrating that we have to close the doors and windows of our homes and spaces to evade the threatening pollution.

Surfaces

In my own battles on resolving maintenance while trying to uphold design, I have always sought for materials that don?t absorb dirt, are easy to clean, and will maintain their aesthetic qualities despite constant cleaning and washing. Here?s my take on the surfaces that brave our polluted environment:

? Non-tarnishing metals such as stainless steel for various applications. Usage is endless, from hardware to accessories. Good quality surgical stainless steel is guaranteed against rusting and can be cleaned with mild soap and water. Stainless steel can be used for furniture, door and cabinet faces and edges, even counter or tabletop surfaces. When polished like a mirror, dirt is obvious and easily spotted to be cleaned.

? Wood stain and oiled finishes over faux wood finishes and plain painted lacquered surfaces. As against lacquer paint finishes, stained wood that is properly sealed does not absorb dirt. Lacquered finishes look clean and crisp when new but eventually absorb or are stained by our chemical-laden polluted air. Timber in oiled finishes are even better, they can be rubbed-down clean and even can maintain their luster.

? Synthetic solid surfaces for kitchen and lavatory counters and other areas of heavy usage. Wet surfaces need more care than dry ones. Compared to natural stone, these do not absorb dirt and moisture. Du Pont?s Corian, for example, will resist the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. Their non-porous surface make them stain-resistant and therefore very easy to clean.

? Decorative high-pressure laminates. This is one of the most versatile materials one can toy around with when at play with design. Brands like Formica and Wilsonart carry an incredible assortment of colors and patterns which can be applied to floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, countertops and practically any surface you can think of. Laminate surfaces are non-porous and even their textured surfaces are extremely easy to clean.

One of these days, our collective efforts to clean the air will bear fruit. Someday, the fireflies may return. In the meantime, we move on with the day-to-day cleaning and wiping. Wish I had a thousand hands to wash down the surfaces along EDSA.