Health and the Environment in the Southeastern United States Rebuilding Unity: Workshop Summary (2002) / Chapter Skim
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5 Human Health and the Built Environment
5 Human Health and the Built Environment
Pages 29-43
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From page 29... ...
Similarly, the population outside the central cities has grown faster than the population in the central cities, demonstrating a shift of population to suburban areas. From 1990 to 1998, the metropolitan population in the South grew by 5.3 percent inside the central cities and 18.4 percent outside the central cities (U.S.
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From page 30... ...
Many participants acknowledged that, particularly in light of expected population growth, the decisions made today, and the solutions devised and implemented in the coming decade, will have profound effects on our environment and the health of the human family generation after generation. TRANSPORTATION AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS A close relationship exists between transportation, the design of the built environment, and health, according to Ricardo Martinez, Safety Intelligence Systems.*
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From page 31... ...
These fatalities disproportionately affect members of minority groups. In Atlanta, for instance, annual pedestrian fatality rates from 1994 to 1998 were 9.74 per 100,000 for Hispanics, 3.85 per 100,000 for African Americans, and 1.64 per 100,000 for whites (Hanzlick et al., 1999~.
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From page 32... ...
Incorporating safety features, such as broad median strips and wide shoulders, into the design of state highways can potentially lessen injury rates. "Traffic-calming" design features, such as narrowing roadways to reduce automobiles speeds, may also decrease injuries.
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From page 33... ...
Among women, walking 10 blocks per day or more is associated with a 33 percent decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease (Sesso et al., 1999~. Many chronic diseases involve the cardiovascular system, and it is now understood at the cellular and molecular level why stimulating blood flow in vessels by walking contributes to the health of the cardiovascular system.
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From page 34... ...
rush hour. The second rush hour occurs in late afternoon, fueling the process, so that by the time school athletes are outside practicing, bicycle commuters are peddling home, and afternoon joggers are getting their exercise, the air is dangerous to breathe.
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From page 35... ...
HUMAN HEALTH AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 1 993 <10% 1 998 35 in, 10% to 15% >15% likely to have underlying diseases that increase their susceptibility (Wernett and Nieves, 1992~. There is compelling evidence that air pollution contributes to chronic lung disease and asthma, said Alexander.
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From page 36... ...
The Southface building, which serves as a model to reflect the organization's principles, was designed with four goals in mind, according to Dennis Creech, Southface Energy Institute: to promote health, to conserve energy, to improve water efficiency, and to demonstrate the use of low-impact environmental materials (Figure 5-3~. In the Southface building, moisture is controlled to avoid mold and dust mites that can cause health problems such as asthma and allergies.
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From page 37... ...
Caulking wall-to-floor joints and around window and door frames is inexpensive and can make a large difference in stemming energy losses (Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, 1999~. Another area of substantial heat loss is heating ducts.
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From page 38... ...
Reprinted with permission from Southface Energy Institute. heating bill is attributable to leaks in the ducts (Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, 1999)
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From page 39... ...
Installing carbon monoxide detectors in all homes that have attached garages would minimize the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. PARTNERSHIPS WITH ACADEMIA Fifty years ago, a research scientist's work typically involved investigating a specific topic in isolation in a university laboratory.
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From page 40... ...
An answer is to seek creative solutions, such as incentives, for reducing unhealthful impacts on the environment. All major players in the process government regulators, business and industry, environmental groups, and the research community appear to favor a holistic approach to improving environmental quality, but a key impediment is the lack of trust among these groups.
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From page 41... ...
As the Atlanta area grows by an anticipated 600,000 people in the next decade, continuing to achieve the American dream will mean greatly increasing sprawl and its ill effects. Allowing our society to grow in this manner places us in danger of creating an environment that we will want to "get through" as opposed to an environment that we will enjoy, said Lawrence Frank, Georgia Institute of Technology.
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From page 42... ...
Urban planners, engineers, and developers face community barriers, political barriers, and regulatory barriers, stated Kilgallon. Because political and regulatory barriers flow from the community, a useful course of action is to focus on community barriers.
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From page 43... ...
The goal of building healthier cities must be achieved through consensus because voters will not allow regulations to be forced upon them. Thus, the challenge is to show the public the deep connection between smart-growth concepts and a healthier, more productive, and more enjoyable way of living.
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