Photo credit: cottonbro studio
by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies
Many people consider Sunday a quiet day, but there are generally no laws to support this … until now! We learn in this article by Hannah Giacardi and Jon Austin that Germany has introduced laws to control noise pollution, which includes designating Sundays and public holidays as “quiet hours.”
While the overall noise laws call for quiet time between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays, Sundays and public holidays require quiet time the entire day. Residents are being advised to keep conversations in their gardens and balconies at low levels. This also applies to their music. Some people do loud renovation work on their homes on Sundays, but this will likely not happen anymore. What if someone wants to celebrate a birthday on Sunday? The writers suggest letting your neighbors know about your party or invite them. The new restrictions also dictate that all supermarkets are closed on Sundays, but one can still go to a gallery, restaurant or café.
So, what happens to those who do not abide by the “quiet rules”? The first step is a warning or penalty from one’s landlord or the local council. But if the infractions continue, it may bring about a visit from the police. Hopefully, there will be a follow-up to this article to learn whether indeed you can pass a rule that forces people to be quiet once a week.
