Environmental Health

While the layout adds to the character of Zagreb and makes for a very beautiful and functional capital city, it also has some very positive implications for the environment and thus the health of the people of the city. While there are still plenty of cars traveling down the city streets, the number pale in comparison to most big cities in the U.S. and one can spot far more SMART cars than S.U.V.’s parked along the side streets. Virtually all of the cars in Zagreb are very compact and surely more eco friendly than even compact cars in the U.S. This reduction in numbers of cars and their eco friendly nature surely help to reduce the amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted into the city air. In addition, the main transportation choice for navigating the streets of Zagreb is an electric tram system, or series or passenger rail cars that are powered via electricity. The city of Zagreb also lends itself quite nicely to walking and many locals and tourists alike reach their destinations on foot, the ultimate eco friendly transportation.

It doesn’t take any sophisticated equipment to detect the reduced levels combustion pollutants in the air of this city. In fact, one only needs to take a deep breath to realize that there is something very different from the air quality of most busy U.S. cities. As a student of public health, I immediately begin to think of how wonderful this is for the health of the people of Zagreb; decreased rates of asthma, lung cancer, other respiratory diseases oh my! But alas I quickly realize that around each new corner the noxious odor of cigarette smoke is penetrating my lungs, and my public health bubble has been burst.
- Ben