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Healthy Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Communities

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Healthy Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Communities Healthy Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Communities What is Green Infrastructure? to the natural environment, reduces discharges associated with exposure to harmful substances pollutant loading, flooding, When rain falls on our roofs, and conditions, provides combined sewer overflow (CSO) streets, and parking lots, the water opportunity for recreation and events, and erosion. cannot soak into the ground as it physical activity, improves safety, should. If not managed well, it can Reducing these stormwater-related promotes community identity and a lead to flooding, sewer overflows, impacts also reduces a person’s sense of well-being, and provides and water pollution. Unlike exposure to water pollution and economic benefits at both the conventional gray infrastructure, flooding-related health hazards and community and household level. which uses pipes, storm drains, their associated health outcomes, and treatment facilities to manage These benefits are all known to such as waterborne illness, stormwater, green infrastructure directly or indirectly benefit public respiratory disease and asthma uses vegetation, soils, and other health. The degree to which the associated with mold and bacteria, natural landscape features to environmental, social, economic, vector-borne disease, stress, manage wet weather impacts, and public health benefits of green injury, and death. Trees, bushes, reduce and treat stormwater at its infrastructure are realized is and greenery have the ability to source, and create sustainable and dependent on a number of factors, absorb air pollutants and trap healthy communities. including the design, installation, airborne particulates on their and maintenance of the green leaves, reduce surface and air Green infrastructure can include infrastructure features. temperatures through shading and features such as rain gardens, evapotranspiration, and provide a bioswales, planter boxes and physical barrier to traffic and street planting strips, urban tree The City of Philadelphia Triple [5] noise pollution. Exposure to air canopies, natural areas (such as Bottom Line Assessment found pollutants and particulates can parks and wetlands), and that increased tree canopy can reduce exacerbate asthma conditions and permeable pavement, as well as ozone and particulate pollution cause respiratory disease, techniques to redirect, capture, enough to significantly reduce cardiovascular disease, stroke, and store rainwater for irrigation hospital admissions, lost work days, cancer, and even premature death. and other uses, such as and mortality. Extreme heat events can lead to downspout disconnection and the heat-related illnesses and fatalities, use of rain barrels and cisterns Environmental Impacts while noise pollution has been Green Infrastructure & Health By design, green infrastructure linked to hearing and cognitive installments typically impact the impairment, hypertension, stress, By weaving natural features into physical environment by and sleep disturbance. These are the built environment, green decreasing impervious surfaces all health impacts that are infrastructure can not only provide and creating natural habitat and especially detrimental for children, stormwater management, but also permeable surfaces. Open soil and the elderly, and those with pre­ a number of other environmental, permeable pavements increase existing health conditions. social, and economic benefits not stormwater infiltration and storage typically provided by gray Green infrastructure installments capacity; thereby, slowing and infrastructure [1-4]. Green also provide natural habitat for reducing stormwater runoff and infrastructure increases exposure birds and wildlife and increase U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1 Office of Research and Development greenspace, which has been linked Environmental Design is a crime businesses and homeowners, but to reduced anxiety and stress, and management strategy that utilizes can also increase the cost of living improved mental health, cognitive natural elements. in a community, which has the function, healing and recovery, and potential for negative impacts on overall health and well-being. A Health Impact Assessment [1] household economics and can conducted on a proposed green street even lead to displacement of Social Impacts project in Atlanta, Georgia led the residents, especially if the green Green infrastructure can also have City of Atlanta to extend the length infrastructure signals revitalization positive impacts on social of the green street to maximize the in the area. determinants of health, such as public health benefits. [1] EPA. 2015. Proctor Creek’s Boone recreation and physical activity, Boulevard Green Street Project Health Impact social capital, and crime. The Assessment (HIA). EPA/600/R-14/400. U.S. Economic Impacts Environmental Protection Agency, Office of natural habitat and greenspace Research and Development and Region 4, Green infrastructure costs less provided by green infrastructure Washington, D.C. than conventional gray creates places for recreation (e.g., [2] EPA. 2017. Green Infrastructure [Internet]. bird and wildlife viewing and infrastructure, provides green jobs Available at: https://www.epa.gov/green­ physical activity) and improves and reduces municipal water usage infrastructure, accessed August 2017. social capital. and cooling costs. [3] EPA. 2014. Enhancing Sustainable Communities with Green infrastructure: A Guide to Physical activity has been shown to At the household level, this can Help Communities Better Manage Stormwater reduce stress and the risk of result in increases in available while Achieving Other Environmental, Public obesity, cardiovascular disease, income for preventative healthcare, Health, Social and Economic Benefits. EPA/100/R­ healthy foods, and adequate 14/006. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and Washington, D.C. housing, all of which have proven certain kinds of cancer, and lead to [4] CNT. 2010. The Value of Green Infrastructure: improvements in mental health and health benefits contribute to overall A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, overall health and well-being. health and well-being. At the Environmental and Social Benefits. Center for Attractive, accessible greenspace community level, this can reduce Neighborhood Technology, Chicago, IL. can improve community identity unemployment and promote [5] Stratus Consulting Inc. 2009. A Triple and sense of place, improve economic growth. Bottom Line Assessment of Traditional and Green Infrastructure Options for Controlling aesthetics, and provide a place for Green infrastructure has also been CSO Events in Philadelphia’s Watersheds. gathering and social interaction. shown to increase nearby property Boulder, CO Improved social capital has been values, which can be of benefit to August 2017 linked to reduced stress and improvements in mental health and overall health and well-being. Greenspace and improved aesthetics also have the potential to reduce crime and violence in a community, although design and maintenance of the natural elements are critical to realizing those benefits and the reduced risk of crime- related injury and stress. Crime Prevention through Environmental, social, economic, and public health benefits of green infrastructure U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2 Office of Research and Development .
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