Abstract

This is a preliminary investigation on the environmental quality of the city of Pujilí, made from the collection of samples of particulate matter and vehicular traffic counts on six points of the city. The methodology is based on the provisions of the Unified Text of Secondary Environmental Legislation for measuring atmospheric particulate matter, and the use of count tables for vehicle registration. The results reflect the impact of vehicular traffic, the characteristics of the rolling road layer, soil erosion, and climate on air pollution and its impact on the health of the population.

Abstract

This dissertation proposes a heuristic theoretical framework for understanding dynamics that impact environmental health including social/built environmental settings, individual residents' behavioral patterns, location activity spaces (LAS), environmental quality, exposure, and health outcomes. I examined the relationships between factors included in the framework based on individuals' LASs, and represent a hypothetical geographic boundary in which an individual is expected to spend his/her time in daily life. In addition to the individual level exposure, I characterized built environmental quality for subsidized housing neighborhoods in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, which have not been the focus of previous affordable housing studies. In Chapter 2 and Chapter 4, I empirically demonstrated the framework for residents in neighborhoods near the Expo Right Rail Transit line and the Boyle Heights community in Los Angeles. With OLS regression analysis, I found that bigger LAS were associated with lower walkability, more non-residential land use, higher transit stop density, shorter length of residency, working out of home, and higher income. I examined the relationship between the probability of a census block group (BG) having at least one subsidized unit and associated BG built environmental qualities. Based on logistic regression models, I found that subsidized housing units tended to be located in BGs with better transit access, lower walkability, more mixed-use, and lower air pollution concentrations.

Abstract

Os impactos ambientais do transporte assumem diversas formas e têm efeitos locais, regionais e globais. A crescente dimensão do tema desperta interesse mundial, expresso em inúmeras propostas voltadas à moderação dos impactos em áreas urbanas e em rodovias, bem como à integração entre transporte e sustentabilidade. O referencial teórico mostra que a recomendação de ações para redução de impactos ambientais depende de conhecimento do cenário de intervenção e também da compatibilidade entre propostas, características da área e necessidades da população local, ao passo que a análise do estado-da-arte em cidades globais baliza possíveis metas a atingir. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos criar uma metodologia de avaliação de impactos ambientais e investigar a relação entre transporte, qualidade ambiental e qualidade de vida em alguns locais de São Paulo. Tendo como norte os conceitos de transporte sustentável e desenho ambiental, foi elaborado um modelo de diagnóstico de qualidade ambiental e qualidade de vida. Para tanto, duas pesquisas foram aplicadas: uma subjetiva, caracterizando a demanda por infra-estrutura urbana e a qualidade de vida da população; e a outra objetiva, cujos resultados permitiram avaliar os impactos ambientais. As pesquisas ocorreram em 3 Subprefeituras do Município de São Paulo, sendo que a avaliação dos resultados teve como base o uso de alguns indicadores de qualidade ambiental e uma calculadora de externalidades, especialmente desenvolvidos para o estudo. A metodologia mostrou ser viável para diagnosticar a qualidade de vida da população local, as características físicas pontuais e os impactos ambientais resultantes do tráfego local. O levantamento facilitou a sugestão de uma série de intervenções pontuais, constituindo um instrumento de avaliação flexível e replicável em outras localidades. The environmental impacts of transport take a myriad of forms and spread locally, regionally and globally. The growing dimension of the issue raises worldwide interest, translated into a series of proposals focused on the mitigation of such impacts in urban areas and motorways, as well as the integration between transport and sustainability. The theoretical framework has shown that the suggestion of mitigation measures requires knowledge about the target scenario, and also balance among proposals, features of the area and the local population?s needs, whereas the analysis of transport in global cities provide some state-of-the-art examples likely to be pursued. The main objectives were to create a methodology for the environmental impact assessment and to investigate the relationship among transport, environmental quality and quality of life at specific spots in the City of São Paulo. Taking into account the concepts of sustainable transport and environmental design, a model for the diagnosis of environmetal quality and quality of life was prepared. For this purpose, two different surveys were carried out: one concerning subjective aspects, featuring the demand for urban infrastructure and the population?s quality of life; and another concerning objective aspects, whose analysis enabled the assessment of environmental impacts. These surveys took place at three administrative regions in the City of São Paulo. The analysis relied on some environmental quality indicators and a simple calculator, especially devised for this project. The methodology has proved to be feasible for the appraisal of the local population?s quality of life, the physical characteristics of the sampled spots and the environmental impacts resulting from local traffic. The survey has facilitated the recommendation of a series of local interventions, making up a flexible and easily adaptable assessment tool.