Urban Green Spaces: Public Health and Sustainability in the United States

Description

This book crosses disciplinary boundaries to investigate how the benefits of green spaces can be further incorporated in public health. In this regard, the book highlights how ecosystem services provided by green spaces affect multiple aspects of human health and well-being, offering a strategic way to conceptualize the topic. For centuries, scholars have observed the range of health benefits associated with exposure to nature. As people continue to move to urban areas, it is essential to include green spaces in cities to ensure sustained human health and well-being. Such insights can not only advance the science but also spark interdisciplinary research and help researchers creatively translate their findings into benefits for the public. The book explores this topic in the context of ‘big picture’ frameworks that enhance communication between the environmental, public health, and social sciences. Front Matter ....Pages i-vii Introduction (Viniece Jennings, Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon)....Pages 1-6 Friend or Foe? An Overview of the Services and Disservices from Urban Green Spaces (Viniece Jennings, Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon)....Pages 7-30 Cultural Ecosystem Services Meet Broader Frameworks in Public Health (Viniece Jennings, Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon)....Pages 31-46 Urban Green Space at the Nexus of Environmental Justice and Health Equity (Viniece Jennings, Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon)....Pages 47-69 Planning Urban Green Spaces in Their Communities: Intersectional Approaches for Health Equity and Sustainability (Viniece Jennings, Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon)....Pages 71-99 Concluding Thoughts (Viniece Jennings, Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon)....Pages 101-102