what are the different components of physical environment
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Social Report.
The Ministry of Social Development.
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The Social Report 2003
te pūrongo oranga tangata 2003
Introduction
People
Health
Knowledge and Skills
Paid Work
Economic Standard of Living
Civil and Political Rights
Cultural Identity
Physical Environment
Safety
Social Connectedness
Summary
Notes and References
Physical Environment
Desired Outcomes
The natural and built environment in which people live is clean, healthy, and beautiful. All people are able to access natural areas and public spaces.
Introduction
The physical environment includes land, air, water, plants and animals, buildings and other infrastructure, and all of the natural resources that provide our basic needs and opportunities for social and economic development.
A clean, healthy environment is important for people's physical and emotional wellbeing. At a fundamental level, factors such as clean air and good quality drinking water are vital for people's physical health. Other environmental factors such as noise pollution can cause both physical harm and psychological stress.
The cleanliness and beauty of the environment is also important for people's sense of wellbeing. For many people, access to an attractive physical environment contributes greatly to their contentedness with life. A healthy environment also provides recreational opportunities, allowing people to take part in activities they value. For New Zealanders, the 'clean, green' environment is also an integral part of national identity, and guardianship of the land and other aspects of the physical environment is seen as an important part of social wellbeing.53 This image is also vital for the health of New Zealand's economy, as it is a key factor both in attracting tourists and underpinning the nation's success as an exporter of primary products.
Harm to the environment can reduce quality of life not only for people living today but also for many years in the future. The concept of 'sustainability' is an important aspect of social wellbeing. It acknowledges that social and economic developments need to take place in ways that don't harm present and future wellbeing by damaging the natural environment, and don't harm future wellbeing by using natural resources in unsustainable ways.
Indicators
Two indicators are used in this chapter. Both measure important aspects of the environment that have a direct impact on individual wellbeing. The indicators are: air quality and drinking water quality.
These indicators provide an insight into both current and future wellbeing. They relate to the health, cleanliness and beauty of the environment. No direct measure of people's access to natural areas and public spaces is included due to a lack of adequate data.
Clean air and good quality drinking water are both necessities of life. Pollution in either air or water can have significant detrimental effects on people's health, as well as being detrimental to the beauty of the environment.
The first indicator measures the level of suspended particles less than 10 microns in diameter in the air at certain sites. Particles of this sort are a key pollutant emitted by motor vehicles, wood fires, and industrial emmissions. Prolonged exposure at moderate levels can lead to increased mortality,54 aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, hospital admissions and emergency department visits, school absences, lost work days and restricted activity days.
The second indicator measures the percentage of the population receiving drinking water that complies with the 1995 drinking water standards. Poor quality drinking water can create health risks from water-borne disease and contaminants. It is also likely to correlate with poor quality in other basic infrastructure such as sewerage and electricity supply.
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Air quality
Definition: PM10 is particle matter that is less than 10 microns in diameter. The government's recommended guideline or maximum threshold for PM10 is 20 micrograms per cubic meter (20 mcg/m3) averaged annually.
Relevance: Good air quality is an important component in maintaining our quality of life, the appeal of New Zealand as a tourist destination, and the health of people, plants and animals. PM10 is one of the main contaminants of concern in New Zealand as it affects so many people and has many health effects. Health effects associated with this contaminant include increased mortality,55 aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, hospital admissions and emergency department visits, school absences, lost work days and restricted activity days.
Current Level and Trends
Average annual PM10 levels in the air were above the recommended threshold in Christchurch for all years between 1995 and 2001. Hamilton also exceeded the recommended threshold in 1999 and 2000, but by a smaller amount. Christchurch had particularly poor results, with PM10