The article “Urban green space, public health and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’” by Jennifer Wolch, Jason Byrne, and Joshua Newell was highlighted inn Next City’s Science of Cities column. Click here to read the column.
From green roofs in Chicago to the High Line in Manhattan, U.S. cities have been making high-profile investments in green space — to widespread celebration. But could there be a downside to urban greening? A growing body of academic literature examines a paradox: Low-income communities tend to suffer from various kinds of environmental injustice, including shortage of green space. But when these concerns are addressed — the power plant closes, a park opens — the neighborhood becomes more desirable, often kickstarting a process of so-called “environmental gentrification.”View More