Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?

Many people think that the city is too polluted, then moving back to the countryside will be a safer solution. But is that the case?

Faced with the serious pollution situation in big cities, many people have thought that it is better to live in the mountains or in the countryside. They are both fresh, close to nature, and free of dust, noise, and accidents.

However, in reality, that seems not to be the case.

It is easy to see that the pollution of smoke, dust and noise in the city is the main cause of diseases such as asthma, allergies, depression… But in return, emergency services and health care here are timely. Time and best quality.

Through the survey, social researchers also found: Urban residents in big cities are less obese, have fewer suicides and fewer deaths from accidents. In particular, the treatment of the elderly is extremely good. Most elderly people live happy, healthy and long lives.

Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?
The safest environment is a clean city + close to nature.

The reality of pollution in big cities like New Delhi (India), Seoul (Korea), Bangkok (Thailand)… makes us forget that not all cities in the world are unsafe. Visit the cleanest cities, such as Wellington (New Zealand), Kobe (Japan), even New York (USA) … you will find them “most worth living”.

Many people keep saying that they go to the countryside to stay or take care of their old age for ” healthy body”. Indeed, in the “country” there are not many cars, dust and noise. However, purity also depends on the region.

Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?
Cities have many “types” of pollution, but provide the best working and health conditions.

Take for example India. Statistics show that the country is heavily polluted with air, which is estimated to take away about 1.5 million residents every year. But did you know, up to 1.1 million people who died were residents of the countryside, not the city?

The reason is that rural people are most exposed to “smoke burning copper” , wood or cow dung. According to 2015 statistics, up to 75% of people who die from air pollution in India are in the countryside.

Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?
Although the countryside is quiet, the pollution of fertilizers and pesticides is not light

The earth is large (510,100,000 km2), but there are not too many places where humans can live. After all, we only have 4 basic options: Street, countryside, mountains, and sea.

Compared to the city with various types of pollution, or the countryside can be full of pesticides, fertilizer pollution… the mountains seem safer.

The advantage of the mountains is that there are many green trees. Of all environmental conditions, many trees are still the cleanest. Plants are very good at absorbing emissions, cooling, and even reducing noise pollution.

Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?
The most “stable” mountainous areas are in the altitude of 1,500-2,500m above sea level, but forest fires are also very annoying.

But unfortunately, the forest also sometimes burns. In today’s era of global warming, there is a potential for forest fires everywhere. Every fire produces toxic fumes. Depending on the size of the fire, the amount of smoke will dissipate quickly or linger for months.

And yet, the smoke is still free to move. Even though the location of the fire is Indonesia, neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand… are still affected. It has been found that haze from South America and southern Africa is present in both the Southern Hemisphere.

Most pollutants are heavier than air. The higher you go, the lighter the pollution will be. But please don’t rush to the conclusion, just go up and live! The higher the altitude, the more solar radiation. The harmful effects of ultraviolet rays can, in many ways, be more serious than ordinary pollution.

To avoid ultraviolet rays, you should choose to build a house at a moderate altitude, about 1,500 – 2,500m above sea level.

Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?
Above 2,500m above sea level is “dead to the Sun”.

The best color for human mental health is blue. The more we are “bathed” in the green space, the less stressed and insecure we become.

The earth has half of its surface azure sea. There is no “green space” bigger than the sea, and of course living near the sea is the best. In addition, locations near water such as lakes, rivers, streams … in the green also have the same “mental stability” effect.

Rural or urban: Where is the freshest and most livable place?
The sea reduces stress, but is also easily swallowed by waves.

Unfortunately, the sea also has two sides – fierce and calm. Every time a storm or tsunami, it directly takes people’s lives. Even the “calm” tides that steadily rise and fall are fraught with danger.

Human health depends on many factors. Except for environmental conditions, there are also financial, psychological, genetic… If every fresh air is “necessary and sufficient”, we just have to move to pristine forests or coasts.

In fact, people tend to flood into the city , regardless of whether it is the cleanest or the most polluted city. Only a very small amount goes “in the opposite direction”, from the city to the suburbs, to the countryside, to the mountains or to the sea.

The reason is simple: The city has everything a person needs. From public transport to opportunities to get rich, medical conditions, education, welfare… all are the most “convenient”. Rich people think about enjoyment. The poor cannot escape the anxiety of survival. Even if we know that there is a trade-off with the risk of health deterioration, most of us still have to choose the city because of the “piece of rice”.

If you keep “claiming” to indicate the most ideal living environment, then it is a clean city + close to nature (forest or sea). For example Sydney (Australia) or Helsinki (Finland) for example.