The got the answer they wanted by using faulty metrics. Of those three only air quality directly effects the quality of life. Capability to travel effects quality of life; public transportation is a single means to that end but there are other ways to achieve it. Again, recycling is a means, but the end is that discarded materials go away and not negatively the locations people live.
Good point.
Yet, I still wish to point out that even though the Scandinavian work force is very Socialist, most Scandinavians laborers have high work ethics and are much better educated than workers of other many other nations.