http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8307024.stm
Thursday, 15 October 2009 15:19 UK
Green spaces 'improve health'
Illustration Omitted: Oak tree on a hill. The best health benefits come from living less than a kilometre (0.62miles) from a green space
There is more evidence that living near a 'green space' has health benefits.
Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says the impact is particularly noticeable in reducing rates of mental ill health.
The annual rates of 15 out of 24 major physical diseases were also significantly lower among those living closer to green spaces.
One environmental expert said the study confirmed that green spaces create 'oases' of improved health around them.
The researchers from the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam looked at the health records of 350,000 people registered with 195 family doctors across the Netherlands.
Only people who had been registered with their GP for longer than 12 months were included because the study assumed this was the minimum amount of time people would have to live in an environment before any effect of it would be noticeable.
Health impact
The percentages of green space within a one and three kilometre (0.62 and 1.86 miles) radius of their home were calculated using their postcode.
On average, green space accounted for 42% of the residential area within one kilometre (0.62 miles) radius and almost 61% within a three kilometre (1.86 miles) radius of people's homes.
DISEASES THAT BENEFIT MOST FROM GREEN SPACES
Coronary heart disease
Neck, shoulder, back, wrist and hand complaints
Depression and anxiety
Diabetes
Respiratory infections and asthma
Migraine and vertigo
Stomach bugs and urinary tract infections
Unexplained physical symptoms
And the annual rates for 24 diseases in 7 different categories were calculated.
The health benefits for most of the diseases were only seen when the greenery was within a one kilometre ( 0.62 miles ) radius of the home.
The exceptions to this were anxiety disorders, infectious diseases of the digestive system and medically unexplained physical symptoms which were seen to benefit even when the green spaces were within three kilometres of the home.
The biggest impact was on anxiety disorders and depression.
Anxiety disorders
The annual prevalence of anxiety disorders for those living in a residential area containing 10% of green space within a one kilometre (0.62 miles) radius of their home was 26 per 1000 whereas for those living in an area containing 90% of green space it was 18 per 1000.
For depression the rates were 32 per 1000 for the people in the more built up areas and 24 per 1000 for those in the greener areas.
The researchers also showed that this relation was strongest for children younger than 12.
They were 21% less likely to suffer from depression in the greener areas.
Two unexpected findings were that the greener spaces did not show benefits for high blood pressure and that the relation appeared stronger for people aged 46 to 65 than for the elderly.
The researchers think the green spaces help recovery from stress and offer greater opportunities for social contacts.
They say the free physical exercise and better air quality could also contribute.
Dr Jolanda Maas of the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, said: "It clearly shows that green spaces are not just a luxury but they relate directly to diseases and the way people feel in their living environments."
"Most of the diseases which are related to green spaces are diseases which are highly prevalent and costly to treat so policy makers need to realise that this is something they may be able to diminish with green spaces."
Professor Barbara Maher of the Lancaster Environment Centre said the study confirmed that green spaces create oases of improved health around them especially for children.
She said: "At least part of this 'oasis' effect probably reflects changes in air quality.
"Anything that reduces our exposure to the modern-day 'cocktail' of atmospheric pollutants has got to be a good thing."
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Monday, November 2, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
The Roads to a Smarter Planet
Another case for reducing the impact of cars can be found here and below.
In 2007, the world crossed an epochal threshold. For the first time in history, the majority of the human population lived in cities. And this urbanization is accelerating. By 2010, there will be 59 metropolitan areas with populations greater than five million – up 50% from 2001.
Many of those city dwellers will be driving cars, and the products they consume will be arriving in trucks. So if you think your day is plagued by gridlock now, what might the future hold?
Quite simply, our transportation infrastructure and management approaches can’t handle the world’s traffic. In the U.S. alone, 3.7 billion hours are lost every year to people sitting in traffic, and 2.3 billion gallons of fuel – enough to fill 58 supertankers – burn needlessly, at a cost to the economy of $78 billion per year.
This isn’t smart – but it can become so. The systemic nature of urban transportation is also the key to the solution. We need to stop focusing only on pieces of the problem: adding a new bridge, widening a road, putting up signs, establishing commuter lanes, encouraging carpooling or deploying traffic copters.
Instead, we need to look at relationships across the entire system and all the other systems that are touched by it: our supply chains, our environment, our companies…the way people and cities live and work. Traffic isn’t just a line of cars: it’s a web of connections. “Smart traffic” isn’t yet the norm, but it’s not some far-off vision of
tomorrow. In many places, IBM is helping to make it happen today.
In Stockholm, a dynamic toll system based on the flow of vehicles into and out of the city has reduced traffic by 20%, decreased wait time by 25% and cut emissions by 12%. In Singapore, controllers receive real-time data through sensors to model and predict traffic scenarios with 90% accuracy. And in Kyoto, city planners simulate large-scale traffic situations involving millions of vehicles to analyze urban impact.
All of this is possible because cities can infuse intelligence into their entire transportation system — streets, bridges, intersections, signs, signals and tolls — which can all be interconnected and made smarter. These new traffic systems can improve drivers’ commutes, give better information to city planners, increase the productivity of businesses and raise citizens’ quality of life. They can reduce
congestion, shrink fuel use and cut CO2 emissions.
Our rapidly urbanizing planet depends on getting people and things from here to there. In the 20th century, that meant freeways from state to state and nation to nation. In the 21st century, “smart” traffic systems can be the new milestone of progress.
Let’s build a smarter planet. Join us and see what others are thinking
at ibm.com/think
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In 2007, the world crossed an epochal threshold. For the first time in history, the majority of the human population lived in cities. And this urbanization is accelerating. By 2010, there will be 59 metropolitan areas with populations greater than five million – up 50% from 2001.
Many of those city dwellers will be driving cars, and the products they consume will be arriving in trucks. So if you think your day is plagued by gridlock now, what might the future hold?
Quite simply, our transportation infrastructure and management approaches can’t handle the world’s traffic. In the U.S. alone, 3.7 billion hours are lost every year to people sitting in traffic, and 2.3 billion gallons of fuel – enough to fill 58 supertankers – burn needlessly, at a cost to the economy of $78 billion per year.
This isn’t smart – but it can become so. The systemic nature of urban transportation is also the key to the solution. We need to stop focusing only on pieces of the problem: adding a new bridge, widening a road, putting up signs, establishing commuter lanes, encouraging carpooling or deploying traffic copters.
Instead, we need to look at relationships across the entire system and all the other systems that are touched by it: our supply chains, our environment, our companies…the way people and cities live and work. Traffic isn’t just a line of cars: it’s a web of connections. “Smart traffic” isn’t yet the norm, but it’s not some far-off vision of
tomorrow. In many places, IBM is helping to make it happen today.
In Stockholm, a dynamic toll system based on the flow of vehicles into and out of the city has reduced traffic by 20%, decreased wait time by 25% and cut emissions by 12%. In Singapore, controllers receive real-time data through sensors to model and predict traffic scenarios with 90% accuracy. And in Kyoto, city planners simulate large-scale traffic situations involving millions of vehicles to analyze urban impact.
All of this is possible because cities can infuse intelligence into their entire transportation system — streets, bridges, intersections, signs, signals and tolls — which can all be interconnected and made smarter. These new traffic systems can improve drivers’ commutes, give better information to city planners, increase the productivity of businesses and raise citizens’ quality of life. They can reduce
congestion, shrink fuel use and cut CO2 emissions.
Our rapidly urbanizing planet depends on getting people and things from here to there. In the 20th century, that meant freeways from state to state and nation to nation. In the 21st century, “smart” traffic systems can be the new milestone of progress.
Let’s build a smarter planet. Join us and see what others are thinking
at ibm.com/think
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Niagara Heritage Proposal to Remove the Robert Moses Parkway Meets and Exceeds the Niagara River Greenway Plan - Guiding Principals- 2007
NIAGARA RIVER GREENWAY PLAN 2007 (page 21)
C. Principles for the Niagara River Greenway
The principles for the Niagara River Greenway represent the general values that will guide greenway planning into the future. These basic principles have been presented and discussed in various venues,and have received broad general support on the part of the wide range of groups that have been actively involved in the development of the Greenway Plan.
The focus of these principles is to facilitate the implementation of the vision established for the Niagara River Greenway. They promote high-quality, ecologically sensitive and sustainable activities and development. All actions within the Niagara River Greenway should be evaluated against these principles, not only to assess their validity, but to help improve the quality of efforts that move forward.
CHAPTER 3: VISION AND PRINCIPLES
(page22) NIAGARA RIVER GREENWAY PLAN
The guiding principles for the development of the Niagara River Greenway are:
Excellence – Existing Greenway resources are globally significant and Greenway projects will meet world class standards.
Sustainability – The Greenway will be designed to promote ecological, economic and physical sustainability for long-term viability and effectiveness.
Accessibility – The Greenway will be designed to provide and increase physical and visual access to and from the waterfront and related resources for a full range of users(youth, seniors, persons with special needs).
Ecological Integrity – The Greenway will be focused on maintaining and improving the health, vitality and integrity of natural resources and wildlife habitats. Emphasis will be placed on restoring and retaining ecologically significant areas and natural landscapes,both in and over the water and upland.
Public Well-Being – The Greenway will be designed to achieve and promote physical and emotional wellness through the experience that it offers to the public. Availability of
both land- and water-based recreational facilities, and access to both active and passive recreational opportunities should be considered in the development of Greenway assets.
Connectivity – The Greenway will increase connectivity and access (trails, pathways,parks, water access), promote the continuity of open space and habitats, and provide for connections to related corridors and resources across the region,including connections across the international border with Canada.
Restoration – The Greenway will be designed to encourage the restoration of ecological resources, the appropriate reuse of brownfields, and the revitalization of existing urban centers along the corridor.
Authenticity – The Greenway will establish a clear sense of “place” and identity that reflects the traditional spirit and heritage of the area. Projects and activities should have a connection to the character, culture and/or history of their location.
Celebration – The Greenway will be designed to celebrate local history, diversity,cultural resources, and the natural and built environments, and will seek to share this diverse tradition with local residents and visitors to the region. Projects that support education, interpretation are encouraged, as are events and activities that help build social interaction and shared experiences.
Partnerships – The focus of the Greenway will revolve around cooperation and reciprocal compromise. Relationships and partnerships must be formed and strengthened to achieve coordination and integration of efforts throughout the Greenway.
Community Based – Greenway planning will reflect the preferences and plans of the local communities, while respecting other stated goals and the communal vision of the Niagara River Greenway.
The above principles present a guide to actions and development within the Niagara River Greenway over the long-term, so that the cumulative effect of projects is to move toward achieving the shared vision for the Niagara River Greenway. The principles are applicable to municipalities without waterfront lands as well as those fronting the River.
They promote access and connections, including trail linkages. They support high quality, ecologically-sound projects throughout the region. They are fundamental enough to remain relevant over changing circumstances, providing consistency with flexibility.
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C. Principles for the Niagara River Greenway
The principles for the Niagara River Greenway represent the general values that will guide greenway planning into the future. These basic principles have been presented and discussed in various venues,and have received broad general support on the part of the wide range of groups that have been actively involved in the development of the Greenway Plan.
The focus of these principles is to facilitate the implementation of the vision established for the Niagara River Greenway. They promote high-quality, ecologically sensitive and sustainable activities and development. All actions within the Niagara River Greenway should be evaluated against these principles, not only to assess their validity, but to help improve the quality of efforts that move forward.
CHAPTER 3: VISION AND PRINCIPLES
(page22) NIAGARA RIVER GREENWAY PLAN
The guiding principles for the development of the Niagara River Greenway are:
Excellence – Existing Greenway resources are globally significant and Greenway projects will meet world class standards.
Sustainability – The Greenway will be designed to promote ecological, economic and physical sustainability for long-term viability and effectiveness.
Accessibility – The Greenway will be designed to provide and increase physical and visual access to and from the waterfront and related resources for a full range of users(youth, seniors, persons with special needs).
Ecological Integrity – The Greenway will be focused on maintaining and improving the health, vitality and integrity of natural resources and wildlife habitats. Emphasis will be placed on restoring and retaining ecologically significant areas and natural landscapes,both in and over the water and upland.
Public Well-Being – The Greenway will be designed to achieve and promote physical and emotional wellness through the experience that it offers to the public. Availability of
both land- and water-based recreational facilities, and access to both active and passive recreational opportunities should be considered in the development of Greenway assets.
Connectivity – The Greenway will increase connectivity and access (trails, pathways,parks, water access), promote the continuity of open space and habitats, and provide for connections to related corridors and resources across the region,including connections across the international border with Canada.
Restoration – The Greenway will be designed to encourage the restoration of ecological resources, the appropriate reuse of brownfields, and the revitalization of existing urban centers along the corridor.
Authenticity – The Greenway will establish a clear sense of “place” and identity that reflects the traditional spirit and heritage of the area. Projects and activities should have a connection to the character, culture and/or history of their location.
Celebration – The Greenway will be designed to celebrate local history, diversity,cultural resources, and the natural and built environments, and will seek to share this diverse tradition with local residents and visitors to the region. Projects that support education, interpretation are encouraged, as are events and activities that help build social interaction and shared experiences.
Partnerships – The focus of the Greenway will revolve around cooperation and reciprocal compromise. Relationships and partnerships must be formed and strengthened to achieve coordination and integration of efforts throughout the Greenway.
Community Based – Greenway planning will reflect the preferences and plans of the local communities, while respecting other stated goals and the communal vision of the Niagara River Greenway.
The above principles present a guide to actions and development within the Niagara River Greenway over the long-term, so that the cumulative effect of projects is to move toward achieving the shared vision for the Niagara River Greenway. The principles are applicable to municipalities without waterfront lands as well as those fronting the River.
They promote access and connections, including trail linkages. They support high quality, ecologically-sound projects throughout the region. They are fundamental enough to remain relevant over changing circumstances, providing consistency with flexibility.
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