Overcrowding, poverty, stress and crime also contribute to the degradation of the environmental health of city residents. Addictions drug abuse alcoholism Urban residents are confronted with special environmental challenges. Not only are they exposed to a host of hazards founds in cities, but ecosystems within and near cities are also threatened. For cities to remain viable and livable, city residents, planners and municipal governments need to recognize the close relationship between the urban environment and community health. This Workbook draws many examples from the District of Columbia, although it is applicable to most urban and other settings.
Cities are dynamic and evolving places, continuously changing and being redefined.
They bring together in close proximity business, government, and residents. For these and other reasons, it is a challenging task to evaluate and improve their environment. This Workbook is designed to assist citizen organizations change their communities. It focuses almost exclusively on the role that citizens can play in evaluating and improving their environment. It will teach community organizers, activists and leaders of community groups how to use and compile available information scientific, technical, and social to prioritize their community s health problems and develop strategies for solutions.