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Date: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:58 pm ((PDT))
Perhaps Gordon Hempton has some ideas ideas on this subject that would be u=
seful.
But I don't think that governments are much interested in the 'aesthetics' =
of soundscapes, much less interested in improving them.
They are much more interested in keeping political turmoil to a minimum (or=
not), holding on to their power over people and raking in money from their=
cronies.
The 'feeds' mentioned below would have to be monitored with calibrated equi=
pment and judged by competent experts in order for there to be any validity=
for enforcement.
Bernie Krause and many others have been toiling for many years to do the sc=
ientific work so that soundscape preservation can be taken seriously.
You need scientific evidence to make and enforce laws and then monitor the =
conditions to make improvements.
But this is a slow process.
IMHO, the only true force for improving the fate of these soundscapes is ed=
ucating all people so that they want to make a difference.
This is a very difficult thing to do. How do you raise the general consciou=
sness of the world to want to higher quality soundscapes?
Most adults have many things that are higher on their list of priorities, b=
ut perhaps children are the key.=C2=A0
They love to learn new things (generally) and the idea of quality soundscap=
es could be rolled into their curricula, or appended as extra-curricular ac=
tivities.
I have been active in a number of soundwalks in the Dunes National Lakeshor=
e over the last few years and it is the children that seem the most captiva=
ted by the sounds and the environment. Children are receptive to environmen=
tal education, but you need to do this on a grand scale. How do we do this?
I do personally believe that for adults to embrace any concept of quality n=
atural soundscapes, they must first embrace the concepts of quietude/peacef=
ulness and the beauty of nature itself, without machines.
Mixing in a good dose of ecological preservation would help, but if one doe=
sn't have a proper mindfulness, then this will not be so effective.
Note that Gordon Hempton's approach is much in line with this. His idea is =
that active listeners will be motivated to help preserve natural silence, t=
he key ingredient to improving these soundscapes.
For example, when I am trying to record in the Dunes National Lakeshore eas=
t of where I live, there can be many motorcycles less than one half mile of=
my rig.
One of the roads there goes right through the Great Marsh. Do we move the r=
oads or restrict the type of motor vehicle traffic?
I don't think that is feasible, in general.
But if the owner of that loud Harley thought to himself "I might be disturb=
ing people in that natural place, so I will route my path two miles south",=
we are getting somewhere.
But I don't see that happening soon. Please forgive my pessimism.
---------------------------
Soundscape maps are a useful tool for expanding the awareness of natural pl=
aces on the earth, but they are just one aspect of a much larger requiremen=
t for solving this dilemma.
Talk to all of the people that you know to expand their consciousness of na=
ture and share your recordings with them.
Send out emails, post to Facebook or Tweet out the info to engage people to=
go to Hempton's and Krause's websites for listening and learning about nat=
ure and sound.
Organize public concerts of soundscapes and have a Q&A session afterwards t=
o address the environmental impact of anthrophony in these soundscapes.
I have done this with other colleagues at the Douglas Environmental Educati=
on center in the Dunes National Lakeshore several times.
People are very impressed and engaged when surrounded by 4 channels of natu=
re sounds culled from our field recordings.
While this 'concert' is not just one environment, but many soundscapes over=
laid as a phonographic collage, it gets the point across.
All of these activities need to be done frequently with many people in orde=
r for this message to 'stick' in their minds.
>>Governing our personal actions to preserve natural soundscapes must becom=
e as common a reflex action as recycling our trash.<<
There, I've said it.
Getting all world governments to act on will be most difficult.
But as the saying goes, think globally, act locally.
Peace!
Greg O'Drobinak
From: "Peter Shute [naturerecordists]" <naturerecordists=
@yahoogroups.com>
To: "" <>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 2:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] An interactive Google map of LIVE Wild Sou=
ndscape feeds all over the world - so that our governments are held account=
able to monitoring as well as IMPROVING our Soundscapes.
=C2=A0
But how would a live feed hold the government accountable for improving wha=
t we can hear on it?
Peter Shute
Sent from my iPad
On 10 Jun 2014, at 2:27 pm, "<bobjoebonobob=
> [naturerecordists]" <<mailto:=
>> wrote:
What we need is an interactive Google map of LIVE Wild Soundscape feeds all=
over the world - so that our governments are held accountable to monitorin=
g as well as IMPROVING our soundscapes. This is what we must accomplish. Th=
ere, I finally said it... in the simplest possible way.
Curtis Mullin
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