Google
 

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Green lungs save lives

"This study offers valuable evidence that green space does more than 'pretty up' the neighbourhood - it appears to have real effects on health inequality, of a kind that politicians and health authorities should take seriously."


Dr Terry Hartig, Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Sweden, in The Lancet.

"The study confirms what we have been saying for many years - parks are important for health and everyone should have access to high quality, beautiful and vibrant green spaces. "Unfortunately, despite the benefits green spaces bring to communities, our research has shown a decline in park services that has spread across more than 30 years. Despite increase recognition of their role in areas such as improved health, far too many parks teams find their revenue budgets are still under continuous threat."


David Tibbatts, from GreenSpace, a charity which promotes parks in urban areas, in the Lancet.

"Urban and roadside trees may be an under-used resource both in terms of acting as natural 'pollution monitors' and actively screening people, especially, children and the already ill, from the damaging health effects of particle pollution,"


Professor Barbara Maher, Lancaster Environment Centre.

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7714950.stm

No comments: