Latest news with #noisePollution
The Guardian
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US night-sky agency threatened by Trump administration funding cuts
The Trump administration appears poised to cut the US Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD), a little-known office that works to rein in noise and light pollution in national parks, a task that is seen as a vital environmental endeavor. Advocates say the division's work is quiet but important – many plants and animals rely on the darkness, and light pollution is contributing to firefly and other insect die-offs. The office led efforts to reduce light pollution at the Grand Canyon and snowmobile noise that drowned out sounds emanating from the Old Faithful geyser, among other initiatives. 'They're a small but mighty program,' said Kristen Brengel, vice-president of government affairs for the National Park Conservation Association, which advocates for the national park system. 'When you think about it, the national parks are a full sensory experience … and there are scientists behind the scenes who are making sure that you have that world-class experience,' Brengel added. The office is an example of what would be lost if the Trump administration is successful in implementing deep cuts to the US National Park Service, shifting its focus from enhancing and preserving parks to simply managing visitors. The agency's stewardship budget, which funds the NSNSD's office of about 10 employees, is facing a proposed reduction from about $375m to $185m, and advocates say the office is almost certainly threatened. The National Park Service's Fort Collins, Colorado, office, out of which the NSNSD operates, was initially targeted by Elon Musk's 'department of government efficiency' for closure. Court battles have tied up the Trump administration's reduction-in-force (RIF) proposals, for now putting its National Park Service plans on hold. 'Our concern is that this little-known division will be decimated amid the cuts because its work is underappreciated,' said Ruskin Hartley, CEO of DarkSky International, which shares data with the NSNSD and has a similar mission. The NSNSD and the National Park Service did not respond to requests for comment. The NSNSD was established in 2000 with an aim to 'protect, maintain, and restore acoustical and dark night sky environments' throughout the park system. In practice, that's meant a combination of improving lighting in public parks, preserving darkness for wildlife, performing research and promoting dark sky tourism, which is booming, Hartley said. Light pollution is increasing globally at about 10% annually, and around 60% of all known species are nocturnal and rely on the darkness, DarkSky estimates. Light pollution is particularly hard on migratory birds that rely on the moon and stars to navigate, and are drawn to bright light sources, and the light can also disrupt plants' photosynthesis process. The NSNSD in recent decades helped lead projects that aimed to improve lighting at many of the nation's 430 parks, seashores and sites. It retrofitted 5,000 lights in the Grand Canyon national park with lower-watt LEDs that reduced spillage into the sky, and which turned the area into a certified dark sky park. It also adjusted the lighting at the Mt Rushmore national park to reduce spillover, and improved lighting at the Gateway Arch in St Louis. The latter's lights are now turned off during periods of heavy bird traffic in migratory season. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion The NSNSD also aims to ensure people can see the stars. For its purposes and those of DarkSky International, the definition of a 'dark sky' is anywhere in which one can view the Milky Way, Hartley said. About 83% of the US population lives in an area where they cannot. 'You want to have lighting that protects and respects the natural darkness in those parks,' Hartley said. The NSNSD has also 'pioneered' ways to measure, assess, and track changes in natural darkness over time, and it publishes papers on night sky quality, Hartley said. The NSNSD's sounds department helped resolve a 2013 controversy over snowmobiles at Yellowstone. Dozens of extremely loud two-stroke snowmobiles that would gather daily at the Old Faithful geyser were drowning out its sounds, scaring bison and generally degrading the experience, Brengel said. Employees from the NSNSD measured the noise, determined the level at which natural sounds could be heard and wildlife would be less scared. It helped develop rules that required quieter four-stroke snowmobile engines, and limited their numbers to 10 at a time. The effort was seen as a happy compromise, Brengel said. 'They figure out ways to maximize natural sounds while still getting people out in the parks,' Brengel said. 'It's an innovative program that ensures the visitor experience stays intact.' The fight over reduction-in-force proposals in court is important to the NSNSD's survival, Brengel said, but her group is also alerting members of Congress to what the park service cuts would mean. Should the cuts go through, the park service would become a 'visitors' service agency', Brengel added, and would be unable to protect cultural and natural resources, as is statutorily mandated. 'We would sue,' Brengel said.
Irish Times
13-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Why scheduling quiet time every day is good for your health
Do you have somewhere quiet where you can go? Spending time every day away from noise is good for your health. After air pollution, road, rail and air traffic noise is the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Industry, construction, public works and neighbourhood noise all add to what it calls 'environmental noise'. Heart attack , stroke , reduced cognitive performance in children, severe annoyance and sleep disturbance can result from prolonged exposure to such noise, according to the WHO. It is estimated to cause 12,000 premature deaths, and to contribute to 48,000 new cases of heart disease in Europe every year, says the organisation. READ MORE Noise is a health problem for at least one in five EU citizens, according to the European Commission . Yikes. It's hard for urban dwellers to avoid noise, but they are not the only ones affected. In areas affected by noise, the proportion of people 'highly annoyed' by noise is greater in rural areas than noisy urban areas, according to the European Environment Agency . This suggests that unnatural sound, such as wind turbines, perhaps, is more annoying in the context of rural areas and perhaps masks other, more beneficial, natural sounds, according to the 2016 Quiet Areas in Europe report by the Agency. The Environmental Noise Directive is the main EU law for noise pollution. It requires countries to publish noise maps and action plans every five years. It isn't prescriptive about noise limits or mitigations, however. That's for member states to decide for themselves. Action will have to be ramped up if the number of people affected by transport noise is to be reduced by its target of 30 per cent by 2030, says the European Commission. [ Dublin Airport noise could cause heart issues for nearly 17,000 people living nearby Opens in new window ] One action is identifying and preserving areas where there is good environmental noise quality. This kind of tranquillity is often found where there is vegetation, low levels of man-made sounds and the dominance of natural sounds, according to the Quiet Areas report. The visual intrusion of man-made structures and buildings into an otherwise perceived natural landscape can also reduce the sense of tranquillity. Ireland ranked fourth in EU countries where people living in cities of more than 50,000 inhabitants had access to quiet areas within a one-hour drive, according to the report. Those living in Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg had the least access to quiet areas. It's important for all of us to get respite from noise pollution and the Environmental Noise Directive allows for the designation and protection of quiet areas. Limerick City and County Council has some areas in mind. Since 2020 Limerick has been inviting its citizens to use the free Hush City app to record information on areas in the city and county where they find peace and tranquillity. This information is then available to policymakers, and it shows others where they can find peace and quiet too. As part of Limerick's Noise Action Plan 2024-2028, the council will assess sound in parks and other green spaces in Adare, Newcastle West, Croom and Abbeyfeale, gathering supportive evidence to have them officially designated as Quiet Areas. [ 'Like living near a helicopter': Residents fed up at takeaway delivery drones buzzing over their homes Opens in new window ] Limerick was ranked 'excellent' by the Environmental Protection Agency for its 2023 noise action plan progress report. The city and county have been using low-noise road surfaces, introducing traffic calming to reduce speeds, conducting noise monitoring surveys and prioritising cycling and walking routes. Noise is about culture and respect among people too. In some areas of Germany, you wouldn't dream of mowing your grass or cutting hedges between 1pm and 3pm as it is typical for older generations to sleep at this time. If you haven't stopped work, you will likely get a gentle reminder from a neighbour to do so. It's a two-way street, where neighbours assure each other some quiet time every day. So whether it's your phone on speaker on public transport, your strimmer going on a Sunday morning, or your dog barking all day, spare a thought for those around you. Don't make noise, make peace.
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Noise Is The New Secondhand Smoke
Woman have tinnitus,noise whistling in her ears Summer is here, and so is the seasonal surge in sound, urban noise, social noise, and even the quiet missing from our homes and workplaces. But noise is not just a nuisance. Increasingly, it is a measurable health and business risk. This June series explores how we are rethinking noise not just through avoidance but through innovation. From ear protection to haptic sound and emerging wellness experiences, a new market is emerging. Call it the Noise Economy. It is louder, more disruptive, and more threatening to our health than we realize. Noise is everywhere in my world. As someone who has worn hearing aids for most of my life, I am acutely aware of sound and noise. It is the constant companion I did not invite. Background noise has quietly crept up in volume and impact in restaurants, airports, stores, on the street, and even in my home. And I am not alone. Spend time with younger cohorts today, and you will see that noise is becoming their normal, too. A generation raised on personal digital devices and open-office culture now moves through the day surrounded by an array of auditory factors—alerts, conversations, video conferences, background noise, and personal audio streams. Many attempt to tune out one layer of noise by adding another. The body still takes it in, and the mind still fatigues. Twenty years ago, noise looked different. If you worked in a corporate office, chances are you had walls, a door, or a cubicle providing acoustic separation. Many meetings took place face-to-face or over the phone, not on video. Background chatter was limited. When you left the office, your auditory environment changed again—perhaps the street was noisy, but your home was primarily a place of quiet. Life provided more moments of auditory relief. Today, that relief is harder to find. The way we carry sound has evolved alongside this rise in background noise. The original Sony Walkman, launched in 1979, gave people their first taste of portable music. It was a dedicated device used with intent. In 2001, Apple launched the iPod, making it possible to carry an entire music library in your pocket. Microsoft introduced the Zune in 2006, bringing its vision of portable digital music to market. Then came the iPhone and a wave of Android devices, collapsing music, communication, and constant connectivity into a single screen and pair of earbuds. Now, for many people, audio is an always-on layer of life. We are surrounded by noise and often add more of it ourselves. Today, we live in an always-on auditory environment. Devices chirp, alerts ping, and voices echo across open-plan spaces. In urban environments, construction noise is no longer confined to daytime hours. The piercing sirens of police, fire, and emergency vehicles add another layer of stress to our environments. Restaurants have long been noisy, and in many ways, they remain unchanged. Today, that experience is layered on top of an already noisy lifestyle. Many now intentionally amplify the buzz through background music, believing that more noise equals more energy and revenue. Yet for customers and staff alike, it often leads to the opposite: auditory fatigue and disengagement. At home, HVAC systems hum, and appliances chime. Even wellness spaces, meant to calm us, often rely on background music and brand-driven sound. But here is what is missing from the conversation. Noise is no longer just about how loud it is. It is about how much our brains must process to navigate modern life. The cognitive load of unmanaged sound is becoming one of our time's least discussed health and productivity challenges. Humans evolved in environments where sound signaled something important. Now, we live in a world of meaningless noise, forcing our brains to sort through an endless stream of irrelevant sound. Every notification that pulls your attention, every video meeting layered with background chatter, and every conversation forced through a wall of ambient noise. That constant filtering burns energy, creates stress, and weakens focus and clarity. Over time, it can trigger fatigue, anxiety, and even cardiovascular strain. The World Health Organization classifies noise pollution as Europe's second most significant environmental health threat after air pollution. In the United States, the CDC links chronic noise exposure to sleep disruption, hypertension, and impaired cognitive performance. For employers, this translates to rising workplace fatigue, decreased productivity, more frequent errors, and higher health-related costs. Yet, in most organizations, noise remains an unexamined variable. As leaders examine it, they will find that unmanaged noise carries real costs and clear opportunities for those who act first. For businesses, unmanaged noise is no longer just an operational annoyance. It risks customer experience, employee well-being, and brand value. Leaders who understand this are beginning to gain an edge, and those who ignore it risk falling behind. These impacts are not hypothetical. The data is mounting and tells a clear story that leaders can no longer afford to overlook. The data is clear. Noise is not just affecting personal well-being. It is shaping customer choices and workforce dynamics in measurable ways. Akoio partnered with Chute Gerdeman on the Auditory Experience Will Shape the Future of Retail report. It highlighted that many stores peaked above 80 dB, hindering shoppers, staff, and internal communications, even in luxury environments. Supporting that, Quiet Mark's 2023 UK National Noise Report found that 84 percent of respondents across home, workplace, and hospitality settings consider it essential to have quiet moments. Quiet Mark's 2022 United States study revealed that 68 percent of Americans factor workplace noise levels into their job decisions. In short, noise is not an abstract issue. It is influencing real business outcomes today. Every organization has an opportunity to rethink how it manages auditory health. For leaders ready to take action, these are the first questions to ask: The answers to these questions will shape well—being, brand loyalty, workforce resilience, and competitive advantage. So, where do we go from here? That is where the opportunity lies. We are witnessing the emergence of what I call the Noise Economy. It is an ecosystem of products and experiences that help people manage noise and improve auditory wellness. It spans categories such as: This is no longer a niche. Growth is fueled by aging populations and younger consumers prioritizing sensory health and mental well-being. Over the next few weeks, I will explore these categories in depth, highlighting innovators, opportunities, and what businesses need to know. If your company has not started managing noise as part of its workplace or customer experience strategy, now is the time. For the next generation of customers, employees, and communities, how companies manage sound may prove as critical as how they manage air and light. In upcoming articles, we can begin to understand how to counteract noise by mitigating it and using sound to support our auditory health.
Irish Times
09-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Spending time every day away from noise is good for your health
Do you have somewhere quiet where you can go? Spending time every day away from noise is good for your health. After air pollution, road, rail and air traffic noise is the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Industry, construction, public works and neighbourhood noise all add to what it calls 'environmental noise'. Heart attack , stroke , reduced cognitive performance in children, severe annoyance and sleep disturbance can result from prolonged exposure to such noise, according to the WHO. It is estimated to cause 12,000 premature deaths, and to contribute to 48,000 new cases of heart disease in Europe every year, says the organisation. READ MORE Noise is a health problem for at least one in five EU citizens, according to the European Commission . Yikes. It's hard for urban dwellers to avoid noise, but they are not the only ones affected. In areas affected by noise, the proportion of people 'highly annoyed' by noise is greater in rural areas than noisy urban areas, according to the European Environment Agency . This suggests that unnatural sound, such as wind turbines, perhaps, is more annoying in the context of rural areas and perhaps masks other, more beneficial, natural sounds, according to the 2016 Quiet Areas in Europe report by the Agency. The Environmental Noise Directive is the main EU law for noise pollution. It requires countries to publish noise maps and action plans every five years. It isn't prescriptive about noise limits or mitigations, however. That's for member states to decide for themselves. Action will have to be ramped up if the number of people affected by transport noise is to be reduced by its target of 30 per cent by 2030, says the European Commission. [ Dublin Airport noise could cause heart issues for nearly 17,000 people living nearby Opens in new window ] One action is identifying and preserving areas where there is good environmental noise quality. This kind of tranquillity is often found where there is vegetation, low levels of man-made sounds and the dominance of natural sounds, according to the Quiet Areas report. The visual intrusion of man-made structures and buildings into an otherwise perceived natural landscape can also reduce the sense of tranquillity. Ireland ranked fourth in EU countries where people living in cities of more than 50,000 inhabitants had access to quiet areas within a one-hour drive, according to the report. Those living in Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg had the least access to quiet areas. It's important for all of us to get respite from noise pollution and the Environmental Noise Directive allows for the designation and protection of quiet areas. Limerick City and County Council has some areas in mind. Since 2020 Limerick has been inviting its citizens to use the free Hush City app to record information on areas in the city and county where they find peace and tranquillity. This information is then available to policymakers, and it shows others where they can find peace and quiet too. As part of Limerick's Noise Action Plan 2024-2028, the council will assess sound in parks and other green spaces in Adare, Newcastle West, Croom and Abbeyfeale, gathering supportive evidence to have them officially designated as Quiet Areas. [ 'Like living near a helicopter': Residents fed up at takeaway delivery drones buzzing over their homes Opens in new window ] Limerick was ranked 'excellent' by the Environmental Protection Agency for its 2023 noise action plan progress report. The city and county have been using low-noise road surfaces, introducing traffic calming to reduce speeds, conducting noise monitoring surveys and prioritising cycling and walking routes. Noise is about culture and respect among people too. In some areas of Germany, you wouldn't dream of mowing your grass or cutting hedges between 1pm and 3pm as it is typical for older generations to sleep at this time. If you haven't stopped work, you will likely get a gentle reminder from a neighbour to do so. It's a two-way street, where neighbours assure each other some quiet time every day. So whether it's your phone on speaker on public transport, your strimmer going on a Sunday morning, or your dog barking all day, spare a thought for those around you. Don't make noise, make peace.
CTV News
07-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
La Fontaine Tunnel construction creating ‘constant' noise for nearby residents
Some residents living near the La Fontaine Tunnel are frustrated over the constant noise from ongoing construction. Marie-Lyne Grenier says the noise is a persistent disruption in her daily life. 'It's extremely frustrating,' she said. She explained that while she understands the necessity of the work, the continuous noise from the construction has reached an intolerable level. 'We know noise pollution impacts stress levels,' said Grenier. She is not alone in her frustration. Other residents in the neighborhood share similar concerns. Construction on the La Fontaine Tunnel began in 2020, with workers carrying out repairs to extend the tunnel's lifespan by another 40 years. Residents have noticed a recent increase in noise levels, especially at night, which has been affecting their sleep. 'You felt like there was a vacuum right behind your head over the entire night,' said Grenier. At least two residents have complained to Quebec's Transportation Ministry. They are calling for better communication from authorities regarding the construction and its impact. In response to the concerns, the Ministry told CTV News that the noise is caused by a temporary ventilation system put in place to provide workers with fresh air. 'An anti-noise wall was installed on the site on June 5 to reduce the noise caused by temporary ventilation in the area. The wall, made up of sound-absorbing containers and acoustic fabrics, will remain in place until the second tube is completed,' said Martin Girard, a spokesperson for the ministry. He also reassured residents that they will continue to monitor the situation and take further action if necessary. The circulation tubes will open in Fall 2026, and other works on the La Fontaine Tunnel are expected to last until 2027.
