On May 30, 2007, at 6:34 PM, wrote:
> Today, on my job site (I work construction-solo) I backed up my
> work van at a newly built house way out in the country near where I
> live. I had been listening to the radio on the drive out, when shut
> off the truck and stepped outside, no one was there except me and
> this house plopped in the middle of the woods. I was stopped dead
> in my tracks at the "silence" and natural sounds. There were birds
> all over, huge bees buzzing around, and some wind. I stood there
> and took in the rare moment for about 30 seconds, until I heard a
> chainsaw buzz for a second or two way off in the distance that
> broke me out of the moment. Then I thought how true it was that it
> was next to impossible to have natural noises.
>
> Just thought I'd share...
I'm emailing the text to myself to read in peace - going to the site
URL it looked good, picture of the mountains and all, but as I
settled in to read an obnoxious moving picture ad popped in! Just as
distracting as the chainsaw was to you... I know they let the
internet be free at the cost of having advertising, but for me it was
like your quiet moment spoiled... the ads aren't even appropriate to
the content!
Shhh! 10 Ways to Quiet Noisy National Parks
By Dave Mosher, LiveScience Staff Writer
posted: 29 May 2007 10:10 am ET
Chirping birds and wind rustling in the trees are among the few
sounds that penetrate the peerless silence of national park
wilderness. That is, of course, until a 747 jumbo jet roars overhead,
a stereo blasts from a nearby car or a snowmobile engine revs in the
distance.
As the U.S. population grows and more noisy technologies are
developed, managing noise pollution becomes an increasing headache
for park officials and visitors. But next month, at the Acoustical
Society of America=92s national meeting in Salt Lake City, researchers
will discuss 10 ways to put a lid on the unwanted racket in national
parks such as Bryce, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Yosemite
and Yellowstone.
Les Blomberg, an acoustician at the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse,
told LiveScience that America=92s soundscape changed dramatically
during the 20th century=97and parks still haven=92t adjusted. =93It=92s the=
noisiest century in the history of the world,=94 Blomberg said,
explaining that the soaring popularity of the car engine isn=92t solely =
to blame. =93Air traffic increases every year, and more people are
buying jet skis and snow mobiles.=94
But noise pollution goes beyond annoyance. Unnatural noise, Blomberg
explained, can actually disrupt ecosystems and threaten animals'
lives. =93It interrupts frogs singing in sync,=94 he said. =93When they =
sing out of sync, they=92re pretty much saying =91eat me, eat me, here I =
am.=92=94
To help parks manage their soundscapes, Blomberg thinks the following
10 approaches will help:
- Think of noise as audible trash. =93We don=92t see noise because we=92re =
such a visually-oriented society,=94 Blomberg said. =93Because we try to =
ignore it, we can=92t hear how much trash we=92re throwing into the
environment.=94
- Muffle motorcycles. Motorcycles are supposed to be no louder than
80 decibels=97about as loud as a major road from 30 feet away=97but
owners often swap out for a =93manlier=94 muffler than can be more than =
twice as loud. =93We need to make sure motorcycles rolling into parks
meet government standards,=94 he said. How?
- Train the =93noise police.=94 Karen Trevino, manager of the National
Park Service=92s Natural Sounds program (which is not connected with
Blomberg=92s organization), explained that park officials could easily
bust noisy violators. =93Limiting park access is a heavy decision, but
Yellowstone rangers will turn you away if your snowmobile is too
loud,=94 she said. Training all park officials to use noise meters and
enforce noise laws could go a long way in quieting parks, she said.
- Quiet campgrounds. =93Amtrak has a quiet car, so why don=92t we have
quiet campsites?=94 Blomberg said. =93I=92ll bet people will always pick =
the quiet campground if they=92ve got a choice.=94 And if everyone wants =
a quiet campsite, he hopes, parks would be pressured to better manage
their soundscapes.
- Limit =93thrillcraft.=94 Blomberg doesn=92t propose blocking snowmobiles =
from parks, but he does think limiting their numbers will go along
way in limiting noise. =93A snowcoach can carry 12 people,=94 he
explained, =93while a regular snowmobile holds only one or two people.=94
- Quieter road surfaces. Not all roads are created equal=97slick
asphalt roads are relatively quiet compared to grooved concrete slabs
can sound like a freight train when car tires speed by.
- Hose down watercraft noise. =93The noise level we permit on the water =
is as loud as two semi trucks,=94 Blomberg said. What=92s worse, he
explained, is that water is a better reflector of sound, like a sheet
of glass. =93Our watercraft noise standards currently in place need to
be reevaluated.=94
- Cut noisy landscaping. =93Manufacturers make lawnmowers a fourth as
loud as standard models, and they=92re not much more expensive,=94
Blomberg said. By purchasing quieter equipment over the years, parks
could cut out a lot of noise, he said.
- Bigger, better buffers. =93Parks need to reclaim their airspace,=94
Blomberg said, =93and not just the air overhead=97we need buffer space
outside of a park to limit noisy aircraft.=94 But the problem, he
explained, is that aircraft noise has been a =93hot-button issue=94 for =
decades and noise-limiting laws have been slow to move through the
courts.
- Clearly audible =3D clearly prohibited. =93In some cities, if a car
stereo is =91clearly audible=92 within 50 feet, it=92s in violation,=94 =
Blomberg said. =93If a law like that is good enough for New Jersey,
it=92s good enough for parks.=94
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