 |
Traffic and Health
The Danish EPA has issued a folder on traffic patterns in Denmark, and their influence on health as well as on the environment. The way we choose to transport ourselves has an impact on both aspects. Some of the obvious problems are traffic accidents, pollution and noise – and children are especially vulnerable.
Our choice of means of transport, however, also affects our quality of life in other ways. When, for instance, we take our car and not our bicycle, we deliberately disregard the health- related benefits gained from the exercise of cycling. If we choose the car every time we need to be transported, the risk of overweight and circulatory diseases increases.
Developments are, however, moving in the right direction. In Denmark, for the last three decades we have been working to reduce the negative influence of traffic on health and the environment. During this period the number of traffic accidents has been reduced by 60 per cent, and many of the harmful contaminants in car exhaust gases have been reduced or totally removed. Focus has also been on health-related impacts, and campaigns have been launched to promote more healthy transport habits.
Further information: Danish EPA, Industry & Transport, Lars Olsen Hasselager, loh@mst.dk: +45 3266 0100
Read the publication, Roads to Healthier Traffic, on the Danish EPA website: http://www.mst.dk/udgiv/publications/2004/87-7614-289-2/html/default_eng.htm
Other relevant websites:
National Environmental Research Institute: http://www.dmu.dk/ forside_en.asp
National Board of Health: http://www.sst.dk/ default.aspx?lang=en
Ministry of Transport: http://www.trm.dk/sw523.asp
Danish Cyclists Federation: http://www.dcf.dk/index10.htm
International Society of Doctors for the Environment: http://www.isde.org/
Back to the newsletter.
|
 |
Back
to the newsletter.
Newsletters
Search |
