American Heart Association volunteer expert, Joel Kaufman, M.D., MPH, is professor, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, Medicine, and Epidemiology and Editor, Environmental Health Perspectives at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Offering perspective on AHA Scientific Sessions 2020 Presentation P224 copyright American Heart Association 2020 "The benefits of green space are actually available to most people whether they live in an area with a lot of green space or not. And the reason for that, is that we think that green space likely acts through one of series of mechanisms like how does green space actually improve cardiovascular health? So one of the benefits is through the fact that more green space around likely encourages more physical activity, more walking, more outdoor activities, just being more active in general, which we know is extremely helpful in terms of preventing cardiovascular disease. So being active is actually something somebody can do anywhere, it just is a little bit easier when there's green space. And a little bit more attractive to do. A second way that we think it might act is through actually lowering air pollution levels, which is the trees and the green space can produce an environment whether it's just less air pollution, for example, and we know increasingly that air pollution is a risk. So people can also do things to limit their exposures to air pollution and recreate this effect. And then finally, there's likely to be just some mental health benefits and relaxation benefits and less stress associated with having green space near your home and having it be visible from your window, and a place where you can go and unwind. And those of our other ways that people can can achieve those same ends maybe not as easily as having a park, outside of the door but you know, other approaches to achieving that same kind of mental well being is also possible. Green space however, is that appealing, for lots of reasons. And there's good reasons to promote green space in communities and cardiovascular disease prevention is likely one of those reasons to do it."