Right now, South Bronx is one of the unhealthiest places in New York. It has high rates of asthma, diabetes and obesity, illnesses often related to poverty. We have known for a long time that your surroundings impact health, so that’s why it’s not good that currently, South Bronx is filled with factories, bodegas and highway overpasses. Trees and parks are hard to find. But that’s going to change, a massive new project is underway to create green corridors, waterfront parks, bike lanes and public art. The Haven Project plans to transform the area to increase air-quality and to stimulate a healthy lifestyle. Researchers from Columbia University will start to measure exactly how much new green spaces improve public health in this community, to see if this method could also be used in other cities.