Environmental quality

Environmental quality is considered by scientists and environmentalists as the properties and attributes of the environment, generalized or on a small scale, as they affect human beings and other organisms. It is a measure of the condition of an environment concerning the requirements of species and their needs or demands.

Environmental quality includes the natural and built environments, such as air, water purity or pollution, and the potential effects of such characteristics on physical and mental health.

Different scientists view the term differently. In general, there are two main meanings. The first is the idea of the physical characteristics and their stages in the environment. The other is how good or bad something compares to a standard. Environmental quality can be measured qualitatively or quantitatively. Generally, environmental quality is measured quantitatively.

The Environmental Quality Index (EQI) quantitatively measures and displays an overview of the area's environmental quality by looking at the water, land, air, built, and sociodemographic features. Established in 2000–2005, researchers and environmentalists use the EQI to find ways in which environmental quality affects the population's health. Economists also utilize the EQI to find information. The EQI provides a snapshot of the relationship between the environment's quality and the population's health by measuring environmental features. The EQI helps find potential areas of concern like water scarcity, famine, drought, or natural disasters.

Multiple countries measure environmental quality. The United States and the United Kingdom are just a couple.