Air pollution, cardiovascular disease, and urban greening: an ecological blueprint

Abstract

A number of studies and systematic reviews indicate that exposure to greenness reduces of all-cause, non accidental mortality, particularly from cardiopulmonary and cancer causes. There is also some evidence that green space residence may be associated with improved pregnancy and birth outcomes, and with better school performances in children. Furthermore, because at least one third of the premature deaths are globally attributable to exposure to air pollution due household agents, particularly in fragile populations living in low-income countries (i.e., children, older and deprived people, pregnant women), that houseplants are an effective and economic mean for cleaning indoor air and thus reducing volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and others. On the whole more prospective studies are needed to further elucidate the mechanisms linking air pollution, greenness and health outcomes, although the multiple and interacting mechanisms depicted in this article are all biologically plausible.