Living near vegetation appears to be linked to a longer life and better mental health—for women, at least.
A Harvard study that examined more than 108,000 women over nine years found a 12 percent lower mortality rate among those living in the greenest areas, compared to those in the least green areas.
Some of the risks that appeared to be reduced by living near nature included kidney disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. But it was lower levels of depression that accounted for a full 30 percent of the benefit of greenery.
One study author clarified to CNN that these results don't mean "that people need to move far out to the country in order to live a long life"—pointing out that 84 percent of women in the study live in urban areas. But he did encourage applying the findings to urban design and park planning. "Policymakers, planners and architects may have this tool to create more healthy and sustainable places," he said.
FULL STORY: Living near nature linked to longer lives, says study
Ten Key Ingredients of a Green and Healthy Community
Everyone has a different answer on what makes a great place, depending on how wonky you'd like to get. Kaid Benfield lists his top 10 ingredients for a healthy community.
The Trifecta: Urbanism, Architecture, and Nature
Susan Henderson shares some thoughts about the alignment of issues contributing to well-being in cities.
Protecting Birds From Window Glass
Glass windows kill billions of birds each year. Simple fixes can help.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Rethinking Wildfire Defense: How a Landscape Approach Can Protect Neighborhoods
Post-fire analysis of the Eaton Fire reveals that a landscape approach — including fire-resistant vegetation, home hardening, and strategic planning — can help reduce wildfire risk, challenging assumptions that trees and plants are primary fire hazards.
Scientists Studying Artificial Reefs as Flood Mitigation in Great Lakes
Artificial reefs could offer a ‘softer’ flood management and erosion solution that doesn’t disrupt the flow of sediment.
FEMA Resilience Program Cuts Grant Funding
The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program funded projects from flood prevention to power station upgrades.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland