A New York study found that children who reside along tree-lined streets have lower rates of asthma. In this Columbia University research which is found in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, it was concluded that asthma rates in children who are four and five years old were reduced by 25 percent for every extra 343 trees per square kilometer. Although the study admits that the reason behind this is not certain, there can be some logical explanation. Trees help upgrade the quality of air. At the very least, they entice children to play outdoors, making their immune systems harnessed to fight infections.

Researchers from two universities in Scotland confirm that community greenery can fill in the gap between the rich and the poor in terms of health. Trees know no social and economic divide. It can be seen, though, that sickness can discriminate. The benefit that small community parks can bring to people who are ill is discernible. The peace, tranquility, and freshness of surroundings that trees bring can cut stress and entice exercise, thus protecting people from strokes and heart disease.

The inequality in health is apparently related to disparities in income that may, in turn, be translated to affordability of good nutrition, stress levels of lifestyle, and access to healthcare. The research found that living near greenery bridges the so-called ‘health gap’ as much as it does the social inequalities prevalent in the world today. It is a different matter altogether when people who have wealth and power decide to erase parks and green spaces to give way to business establishments that bring in more income for the wealthy and the powerful.

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Via BBC