Public Health
Streetsblog Basics
Sponsors Sold on Health, Economic Benefits of Minneapolis Bike-Share
Don't count out Boston just yet, but it looks like Minneapolis may be the first American city out of the gate with a public bicycle system of 1,000 bikes or more. Last week, the non-profit Nice Ride Minnesota selected the Public Bike System Company (the same firm behind Montreal's Bixi) to install its system, which is slated to feature 1,000 bicycles at about 75 stations when the first phase wraps up later this year.
February 8, 2010
Study: Fewer Cars on the Street = Healthier Kids
Fewer cars means more walking and healthier kids. Image: jeweledlion via Flickr. Could reducing traffic near children’s homes help America combat its obesity epidemic? A new study conducted by UC Berkeley professor Michael Jerrett strongly suggests the answer is yes. Obesity rates are steadily increasing — more than one-fifth of New Yorkers are now obese, … Continued
February 5, 2010
NYC Agencies Team Up on Guidelines for an Active City
City officials, architects, planners, and public health advocates crammed into the Center for Architecture last night for the unveiling of New York City's Active Design Guidelines.
January 28, 2010
Vehicles Lead All Causes of Injury at Elmhurst Hospital Center
A new report says pedestrian injuries in some parts of Queens are at their highest levels in almost a decade.
January 22, 2010
With Congestion Pricing, Saving Time Trumps Reducing Pollution
A prime target of the early environmental movement was car tailpipes. And for good reason. Put a human in a garage with a running auto in the old days, and he or she would pass out within minutes and be dead in an hour. Run a few million vehicles daily in New York or Los Angeles, and the toxic air would kill thousands each year and sicken many more.
January 6, 2010
Confirmed: New Yorkers Reap Health Benefits From Walking and Biking
The NYC Department of Health announced the results of a citywide survey today [PDF] assessing the health benefits of regular walking and biking. Based on telephone interviews with more than 10,000 New Yorkers, the health department reveals that people who incorporate walking and biking into their daily routine are significantly more likely to report good physical and mental health than those who don't. The report concludes with recommendations to encourage walking and biking, including steps like building safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.
December 3, 2009
New Study Shows $56 Billion in Hidden Health Damage From Autos
Transportation's effects on public health are rarely discussed by policy-makers, but they remain very real -- and the National Research Council (NRC) put a number on them Monday, reporting that cars and trucks have about $56 billion in "hidden" health costs that are not reflected in the price of oil or electricity.
October 20, 2009
Walk21 Brings Together Top Urban-Minded Leaders
The Walk21 Conference starts tomorrow, and in addition to some amazing workshops, there's also a chance to meet and hear from leaders in the global push to make cities more livable.
October 6, 2009
This Week at Walk21: Urban Planning Meets Public Health
The Walk21 Conference is coming up in a few days, and there's no shortage of interesting sessions to attend. One of the great parts of the conference is that it tackles issues shared by all cities, and with participants coming in from around the world, it'll be a good chance to talk about what works, what doesn't, and combine that into urban planning strategies that can be exported worldwide.
October 5, 2009
Transportation Reform Is Health Reform
During the Washington budget debate earlier this year, a phrase widely attributed to White House budget director Peter Orszag was rolling off many a reporter's keyboard: "Health reform is entitlement reform."
July 17, 2009