Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.9, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Quiet Communities | The Quiet Coalition Working together for a quieter world ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://quietcoalition.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Office noise is a major deterrent for employees](https://quietcoalition.org/office-noise-is-a-major-deterrent-for-employees/) - Photo credit: Christina Morillo by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Facilities Management Journal website, published out of the United Kingdom, reports that noise is a major deterrent for those returning to in-office work after working from home for a few years during and after the COVID pandemic. A survey of 2,000 business - [Noisy cicadas are coming](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-cicadas-are-coming/) - Photo credit: Egor Kamelev by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition USA Today among other news outlets reported that noisy cicadas are coming to 13 states soon. Cicadas are insects with an interesting survival strategy. They hibernate for several years, then all hatch at the same time over a several day period — billions and - [The Noisy Planet website retired](https://quietcoalition.org/the-noisy-planet-website-retired/) - Photo credit: Trinity Kubassek by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The website for Noisy Planet, a national public education campaign focused on preventing noise-induced hearing loss in children, retired as of May 1, 2025. The text and illustrations on the website were appropriate for schoolchildren aged 8 to 12. Readers are advised to bookmark the - [Taking a short break](https://quietcoalition.org/taking-a-short-break-2/) - Photo credit: AS Photography as Pexels We are taking a break this week. See you on Monday, May 5. - [Traffic noise induces "road rage" in birds](https://quietcoalition.org/traffic-noise-induces-road-rage-in-birds/) - Photo credit: melikeobscura by Halimat Olunlade, Social Media Manager Noise impacts all forms of life, even in the world's most remote areas. The Galapagos Islands, which once inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, are now helping us understand the effects of noisy human activity on the natural world. A new study recently covered in BBC - [International Noise Awareness Day](https://quietcoalition.org/international-noise-awareness-day/) - Photo credit: Guduru Ajay bhargav by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In 1996, Nancy Nadler at New York City’s nonprofit Center for Hearing and Communication, working with The Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft and others, created and introduced International Noise Awareness Day. Next week on April 30 is the 30th celebration of INAD. INAD is - [Environmental noise affects the brain](https://quietcoalition.org/environmental-noise-affects-the-brain/) - Photo credit: Krizjohn Rosales by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise is unwanted and/or harmful sound. It has been known for some years that noise has adverse auditory and non-auditory health effects. These non-auditory adverse effects have been best studied for transportation noise. Environmental noise pollution is recognized as a health problem in Europe - [Is it OK to shush people in public?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-it-ok-to-shush-people-in-public/) - Photo credit: Clément Proust by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times’ student-oriented publication on The Learning Network, offered by The Times to teachers and students, asks, “Is it OK to shush people who are noisy in public?" The subhead states: “A writer claims that we have a civic duty to - [It's Earth Day](https://quietcoalition.org/its-earth-day/) - Photo credit: Bri Schneiter by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition April 22 is Earth Day. I didn’t know there was an actual Earth Day organization, or that there was a theme for each Earth Day. This year’s theme is: “Our Power, Our Planet," calling for everyone to unite around renewable energy to triple - [Tapping one's fingers in a noisy room?](https://quietcoalition.org/tapping-ones-fingers-in-a-noisy-room/) - Photo credit: Edoardo Tommasini by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Science Alert website reported on research suggesting that tapping one’s fingers in a steady rhythm could help one better understand speech in a noisy environment. In the respected scientific publication, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers from France reported that rhythmic - [New Jersey residents fight jet noise](https://quietcoalition.org/new-jersey-residents-fight-jet-noise/) - Photo credit: NAUSHIL | SKYHAWK. ASIA by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Pascack Press reported that residents of the small township of Washington, New Jersey continue to speak out against “the persistent jet noise that plagues the Pascack Valley." The Teterboro Aircraft Noise Abatement and Advisory Committee met earlier this week. Township resident - [Paris said 'au revoir' to cars. Air pollution was reduced](https://quietcoalition.org/paris-said-au-revoir-to-cars-air-pollution-was-reduced/) - Photo credit: Elina Sazonova by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I recently wrote about Paris closing more than 500 streets to vehicular traffic in order to reduce transportation noise. The Washington Post just reported that a beneficial side effect of street closures is reduced air pollution, as measured by nitrogen dioxide concentrations and - [Aqueduct Racetrack cancels races because of noise risk](https://quietcoalition.org/aqueduct-racetrack-cancels-races-because-of-noise-risk/) - Photo credit: Ajfidelity, licensed under the Public Domain by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition On Sunday, March 30, the New York Racing Association cancelled eight scheduled races at Aqueduct Racetrack because noise from a nearby event had the potential to create unsafe conditions for the horses and riders. Aqueduct and the Resorts World - [NPR gets it dead wrong about the sounds of March Madness](https://quietcoalition.org/npr-gets-it-dead-wrong-about-the-sounds-of-march-madness/) - Photo credit: Bk Aguilar by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I’m a big fan of NPR, listening to "Morning Edition" or "All Things Considered" when I'm in the car and those programs are on. I missed this report about March Madness noise for babies, but my brother mentioned it to me so I - [Paris goes pedestrian](https://quietcoalition.org/paris-goes-pedestrian/) - Photo credit: Kadir Avşar by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As I've written many times on this blog, I am a big fan of NPR. I heard this wonderful report about Paris going pedestrian the other day while running an errand in my hybrid electric vehicle. Reporter Rebecca Rosman explained that Parisians voted - [Risk of air pollution is greater than previously thought](https://quietcoalition.org/risk-of-air-pollution-is-greater-than-previously-thought/) - Photo credit: Marcin Jozwiak by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A new study published online ahead of print in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Environmental Health Perspectives reports that new research shows that the cumulative risk of adverse health effects from industrial air pollution is greater than previously thought. The results - [Intensive care units are too noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/intensive-care-units-are-too-noisy/) - Photo credit: Anna Shvets by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Scientific Reports, a publication within the UK-based science journal Nature, put out an article about sound in the intensive care unit. I wasn’t surprised to learn that the ICU the researchers studied, at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, was too noisy. Anyone who has - [Tell me about noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/tell-me-about-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: James Cheney by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Florida Museum is currently closed for renovation, but it posted content online from the Thompson Earth Systems Institute at the University of Florida about noise pollution. The Institute states that it is advancing communication and education about Earth systems science in a - [Noisy nuisance](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-nuisance/) - Photo credit: Nik from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A letter to the editor in a recent edition of the Vineyard Gazette on Martha’s Vineyard includes a compelling description of the annoyance caused by noisy gas-powered leaf blowers and the hazards they pose for people and the environment. Martha’s Vineyard resident - [Pop! Pop! Pop!](https://quietcoalition.org/pop-pop-pop/) - Photo credit: John Beagle, licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Kathleen Romito, MD, member, Quiet Communities Scientific Advisory Council If you live near a pickleball court, you’ll know exactly what that sound described in the title of this post is, and you’re probably tired of hearing it. With over 50,000 pickleball courts nationwide, players everywhere are - [Why are we expected to be quiet in an art gallery?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-are-we-expected-to-be-quiet-in-an-art-gallery/) - Photo credit: Riccardo by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Guardian has a feature in which a question is posed and the public replies. The paper describes it as, “The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ question on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts." The Guardian phrased - [Offshore wind farm construction makes lobsters' hearts skip a beat](https://quietcoalition.org/offshore-wind-farm-construction-makes-lobsters-hearts-skip-a-beat/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Halimat Olunlade, Social Media Manager, Quiet Communities News outlet Vermont Public published an article last fall that sheds light on another sonic issue impacting marine wildlife: pile driving. Pile driving involves driving long steel posts into the seabed, and is a necessary step in building offshore wind farms. This process introduces - [New York townships sue FAA over airport noise](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-townships-sue-faa-over-airport-noise/) - Photo credit: Asad Photo Maldives by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition and Abigail Harrison, Editor, Quiet Communities Two townships in New York State have filed a joint lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration alleging that over a million residents are subject to “deafening” engine noise and air pollution from low-flying aircraft at JFK - [Loud restaurants may endanger hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-restaurants-may-endanger-hearing/) - Photo credit: Kyle Lui by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNET reports that loud restaurants may endanger the hearing of patrons and workers alike. This is not new information. Restaurant noise has been an issue for years. Research presented at the Acoustical Society of America meeting in New Orleans in 2017 documented dangerously high - [These communities pulled the plug on pickleball](https://quietcoalition.org/these-communities-pulled-the-plug-on-pickleball/) - Photo credit: City of Greenville, North Carolina, licensed under PDM 1.0 by Kathleen Romito, MD, member, Quiet Communities Scientific Advisory Council My dad always told us kids, "If you make a mistake, just fess up and move on." Recently, two communities finally pulled the plug on pickleball courts that were located too close to homes - [Noise pollution threatens endangered whales](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-threatens-endangered-whales/) - Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by Abigail Harrison, Editor, Quiet Communities The proliferation of oil and gas drilling in the Gulf Of Mexico will threaten an endangered whale species, an environmental group argued in the United States Court of Appeals. The legal dispute is over the number of the leases the Department of - [Cate Blanchett hates leaf blowers](https://quietcoalition.org/cate-blanchett-hates-leaf-blowers/) - Photo credit: Vlad Vasnetsov by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Architectural Digest reports on Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett’s decades-long fight against leaf blowers. Although the fight is against all leaf blowers, I suspect that gas-powered leaf blowers are the real source of her ire. The short article is humorous but contains a lot of - [FCC seeks public comment on law governing noise](https://quietcoalition.org/fcc-seeks-public-comment-on-law-governing-noise/) - Photo credit: Lisa from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Federal Communication Commission announced that it is seeking public input on coming updates to rules related to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act. It has been over 10 years since the FCC last took action in this area. It seeks - [Our noisy world is damaging our health](https://quietcoalition.org/our-noisy-world-is-damaging-our-health/) - Photo credit: Josh Sorenson by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The BBC recently ran an article by health reporter James Gallagher covering the myriad ways in which excessive noise can damage our well-being. Gallagher was the reporter on the BBC News World Service documentary, "LOUD: Is noise an invisible killer?" The answer to the question - [Noise exposure, hearing loss and cognitive impairment](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-exposure-hearing-loss-and-cognitive-impairment/) - Photo credit: lil artsy by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The February 2025 issue of Frontiers in Public Health has an article by Chinese researchers reporting a correlation between noise exposure, occupational hearing loss and cognitive impairment. The Frontiers family of publications is an open-access peer-reviewed group of journals, but it is not - [The quiet power of a car-free neighborhood](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-power-of-a-car-free-neighborhood/) - Photo credit: Julia Boateng by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Bloomberg reporter David Zipper recently wrote about the quiet power of car-free neighborhoods, based on a recent experience he had in the German city of Leipzig. Zipper found himself there with time to kill, so he left his hotel to meander through the historic - [Electric construction equipment promises quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/electric-construction-equipment-promises-quiet/) - Photo credit: SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Last summer I hiked in Norway with my brothers. The trip ended in the northern city of Trondheim, where on my morning walk I saw electric heavy construction equipment. I had also seen electric ferries across some fjords, and while waiting for my - [New York City horn complaints down](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-horn-complaints-down/) - Photo credit: Nout Gons by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition With the headline "Honking Complaints Plunge 69% Inside Congestion Pricing Zone," The City website in New York reports on an unintended side benefit of a government intervention meant to decrease traffic and travel times in lower Manhattan. After years of discussion, New York - [What's that racket?](https://quietcoalition.org/whats-that-racket/) - Photo credit: Vecislavas Popa by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition One might think I’m writing about pickleball noise based on the title of this blog post, but I’m not. I’m writing about apartment noise complaints in New York City. As I have noted before, a very high percentage of New Yorkers live in - [Preventing hearing loss in children](https://quietcoalition.org/preventing-hearing-loss-in-children/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Stanford Medicine Children’s Health blog, Healthier, Happy Lives, recently discussed preventing hearing loss in children on the occasion of World Hearing Day. World Hearing Day is on March 3 and is sponsored by the World Health Organization. The blog post includes tips for - [Georgia city sets universal sound limits](https://quietcoalition.org/georgia-city-sets-universal-sound-limits/) - Photo credit: Kelly by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Atlanta News First website reports that the Decatur City Commission set universal noise levels for the city. Decatur is a small suburb of Atlanta, located about six miles from the state capital, with only 25,000 inhabitants. The new sound levels are 65 decibels - [Plan to attend the next UECNA webinar](https://quietcoalition.org/plan-to-attend-the-next-uecna-webinar/) - Photo credit: 周 康 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The European Union Against Aircraft Nuisance announced its next webinar on March 25 at 6 p.m. Central European Time. That’s noon in New York and 9 a.m. in Los Angeles. The speaker is Thomas Münzel from Mainz, Germany. Münzel is a pioneer in - [Travel has never been this loud](https://quietcoalition.org/travel-has-never-been-this-loud/) - Photo credit: nappy by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Dallas Morning News recently ran an article by Christopher Elliott about travel noise. Elliott notes that travel is noisy, both in airplanes but also when staying in hotels or walking along city streets. This article included mention of Earth.fm, an organization that lists - [Sound advice from an expert on hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/sound-advice-from-an-expert-on-hearing/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In a New York Times article titled "35 Health Tips Experts Swear By," Dr. Frank Lin, Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, gave this tip: “I make small efforts to protect my hearing, like covering my ears - [A disturbing, maddening yet strangely hopeful read](https://quietcoalition.org/a-disturbing-maddening-yet-strangely-hopeful-read/) - Photo credit: Kaique Rocha by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition This Bloomberg article titled: "A Loud Warning from the Past about Living with Cars" covers a lot of ground, and leaves much to think about. Bloomberg contributor and vehicle expert David Zipper talks with author Matthew Jordan about Jordan’s book, "Danger Sound Klaxon!: - [This gene therapy restored hearing in 11 of 12 children](https://quietcoalition.org/this-gene-therapy-restored-hearing-in-11-of-12-children/) - Photo credit: Lukas by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Fierce Biotech website reported that the biotech company Regeneron has a new gene therapy that restored hearing in 11 of 12 children born with a rare congenital genetic form of deafness. The children had a defect in the otoferlin gene, which provides instructions - [Using AI for noise reduction in call centers](https://quietcoalition.org/using-ai-for-noise-reduction-in-call-centers/) - Photo credit: Tima Miroshnichenko by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Call centers can be loud with employees talking to customers, HVAC noise and the hum of fluorescent lights. The Destination CRM website reports that noise-canceling systems using artificial intelligence (AI) can help reduce noise in call centers. High ambient noise levels decrease productivity - [Researchers study how the brain cuts through noise](https://quietcoalition.org/researchers-study-how-the-brain-cuts-through-noise/) - Photo credit: fauxels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A report from Spectrum News 1 in Rochester, New York discusses how researchers at the University of Rochester* are studying how the brain cuts through noise to understand conversation. Edmund Lalor, an associate professor of neuroscience and biomedical engineering, will study how humans process - [Are noise-canceling headphones to blame?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-noise-canceling-headphones-to-blame/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Are noise-cancelling headphones to blame for young people’s hearing problems? That’s the headline of a recent BBC article. The BBC reports that five audiology departments have reported an increase in referrals for young people with hearing difficulties, only to find that their audiograms are - [Do you crave quiet?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-you-crave-quiet/) - Photo credit: Quiet Communities Staff by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Every day, people are affected by harmful noise from leaf blowers, vehicles with noisy mufflers, aircraft and data centers located too close to residential neighborhoods. The list goes to include retail stores, bars, restaurants, coffee houses, gyms and yoga and Pilates studios. - [Japanese cities fight noise from U.S. military jets](https://quietcoalition.org/japanese-cities-fight-noise-from-u-s-military-jets/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The U.S. Military does not just impose noise from its military jets on American towns, as many of our blog posts have noted. For years, the U.S. Military has also imposed this noise on - [March 3 is World Hearing Day](https://quietcoalition.org/march-3-is-world-hearing-day-2/) - Photo credit: Francesco Ungaro by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The World Health Organization celebrates World Hearing Day on March 3. The numeral "3" sort of looks like an ear, which is why this day was selected. This year’s World Hearing Day theme is: "Changing mindsets: empowering yourself to make ear and hearing care a - [Metro North's Quiet Car is no more](https://quietcoalition.org/metro-norths-quiet-car-is-no-more/) - Photo credit: Andre Moura by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I have been writing on the impacts of transit noise on passengers and nearby residents for many years. I also served as a consultant to the New York City Transit Authority on noise - [Does pickleball noise constitute an 'auditory assault'?](https://quietcoalition.org/does-pickleball-noise-constitute-an-auditory-assault/) - Photo credit: TheVillagesFL licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition “Does pickleball noise constitute an ‘auditory assault’? These Boise homeowners say yes.” That’s the headline of an article in the Idaho Statesman that covers a tort claim filed by two Boise residents. One of them is Kathleen Romito, a - [Will NYC see congestion pricing?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-nyc-see-congestion-pricing/) - Photo credit: jimmy teoh by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This week, the Columbia Climate School published an article titled: “How Congestion Pricing Will Benefit New York City." In this article, author Jeremy Hinsdale reports that after years of discussion concerning congestion - [Are bone conduction headphones safer for your ears?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-bone-conduction-headphones-safer-for-your-ears/) - Photo credit: Christina Morillo by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Are bone conduction headphones safer for your ears? That’s a question that a reader named Bill asked The Naked Scientists website. The answer is simple: “No.” Bone conduction headphones convey sound waves to the inner ear through the bones of the skull, instead - [What are the best earplugs?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-are-the-best-earplugs/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I often write: “If it sounds loud, it’s too loud and your auditory health* is at risk. Turn down the volume, leave the noisy environment or use hearing protection.” Hearing protection includes earplugs and earmuffs, but earplugs are smaller and easier to carry - [Researchers aim to reduce noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/researchers-aim-to-reduce-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Dương Nhân by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When you read an article that states that an interdisciplinary group of researchers have received a sizable grant to study the impacts of noise, your eyes may open as wide as mine - [A call for noise enforcement in Malta](https://quietcoalition.org/a-call-for-noise-enforcement-in-malta/) - Photo credit: Kristina Paukshtite by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The European Parliament Petition Group in the European Parliament reports that member Peter Agius is petitioning for enforcement of European Union noise requirements on the island of Malta. Agius complained that Maltese authorities aren’t enforcing noise requirements during evening and nighttime hours. These - [Do we actually hear silence?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-we-actually-hear-silence/) - Photo credit: Matthias Zomer by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Do we actually hear silence? That’s the title of a Scientific American article by Shayla Love. Love reports that researchers at Johns Hopkins University did an experiment to study if this is true. It was also reported in the respected National Academy of - [Have we reached the tipping point for pickleball noise?](https://quietcoalition.org/have-we-reached-the-tipping-point-for-pickleball-noise/) - Photo credit: Mason Tuttle by Kathleen Romito, MD, member, Quiet Communities Scientific Advisory Council CBS comedy "The Neighborhood" got some laughs by highlighting pickleball noise during a recent episode. The storyline features neighbors sharing their dismay about pickleball noise invading their homes. The scene, which was actually pretty funny, caused those of us advocating for - [450 million Europeans at risk from noise and air pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/450-million-europeans-at-risk-from-noise-and-air-pollution/) - Photo credit: Zezen Zaenal Mutaqin by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The European Vox news site reports that according to the European Court of Auditors, 450 million people are at risk from noise and air pollution in European cities. European Union standards for both noise and air pollution will be tightened in the coming years. - [Filmmaker takes on noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/filmmaker-takes-on-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: William Alexander by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That fact that adverse noise impacts are receiving more attention is evidenced by the numerous articles, media interviews and podcasts that have been released over the last few years. Many of them - [Skateboarders and sound](https://quietcoalition.org/skateboarders-and-sound/) - Photo credit: Allan Mas by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition An interesting story in Science Daily reports that sound is a primary issue in the lives of skateboarders. Who knew? The story is based on research done at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, published in the journal Sport in Society. - [Super Bowl Sundays are really noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/super-bowl-sundays-are-really-noisy/) - Photo credit: Jimberg13, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Super Bowl Sunday is really noisy no matter where the event occurs, according to a report on the 9TO5Mac website. The report is based on research done on data collected by the Apple Hearing Study. Researchers from the University - [It's Tinnitus Awareness Week](https://quietcoalition.org/its-tinnitus-awareness-week/) - Photo credit: Magda Ehlers by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Beth Griffin at the American Tinnitus Association let us know that this week is Tinnitus Awareness Week. The ATA arranged a series of recorded lectures to run all week, and a schedule is available online. There is a live lecture on Sunday, Feb. - [Noise is a problem on Spain's Costa del Sol](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-is-a-problem-on-spains-costa-del-sol/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The EuroWeekly site reports that noise is a problem on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Reporter Adam Woodward writes that noise from vehicle exhausts and other sources is a problem in Benalmadena’s Arroyo de la Miel district. The other noise sources include a Christmas fair - [UK lawmaker introduces fireworks noise bill](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-lawmaker-introduces-fireworks-noise-bill/) - Photo credit: Frank Cone by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies During the summer in New York City, many neighborhoods have complained about the impact of loud fireworks. While New Yorkers look forward to the Fourth of July fireworks displays, they do not - [London Underground noise still a problem](https://quietcoalition.org/london-underground-noise-still-a-problem/) - Photo credit: Josh Withers by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from a London law firm is titled: "Commuting on the Tube could be a cause of noise-induced hearing loss." That is absolutely true. London’s wonderful Underground subway system, operated by Transport for London, is a marvel. Especially with the opening of - [Pickleball noise: will limiting play hours help?](https://quietcoalition.org/pickleball-noise-will-limiting-play-hours-help/) - Photo credit: Frank Schrader by Kathleen Romito, MD, member, Quiet Communities Scientific Advisory Council The City of Carmel-By-The-Sea, California recently launched a three-month trial to address pickleball noise complaints by limiting play to three days a week instead of seven. But will this change provide relief? As pickleball grows in popularity, noise concerns are on - [What is the best noise for sleep?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-the-best-noise-for-sleep/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We can close our eyes and fall asleep on a sunny beach after lunch, but we cannot close our ears. Hearing evolved eons ago to help animals either find food or avoid being eaten, and we can hear even when sleeping. Sensitive hearing when - [Kansas city creating quieter railroad crossings](https://quietcoalition.org/kansas-city-creating-quieter-railroad-crossings/) - Photo credit: Krivec Ales by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As someone who gets many calls regarding noise problems, I've heard from many people around the country about how much the noise from trains at railroad crossings has disturbed them. So it - [Can firearm silencers prevent hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/can-firearm-silencers-prevent-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Tima Miroshnichenko by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A 2020 study from the National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders found that having fired 1,000 rounds or more was associated with hearing loss in American adults. This means the use of silencers can help hunters and target shooters preserve their - [Petition to the EPA to Implement the Noise Control Act](https://quietcoalition.org/petition-to-the-epa-to-implement-the-noise-control-act/) - Following enactment of the Noise Control Act of 1972 and the Quiet Communities Act of 1978, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established an Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) to promulgate noise emission standards, require product labeling, facilitate the development of low noise products, coordinate Federal noise reduction programs, assist State and local noise - [People want noise violation enforcement](https://quietcoalition.org/people-want-noise-violation-enforcement/) - Photo credit: tousif khan by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This recent article in the United Kingdom's Citti Magazine revealed that 69% of the UK public wants support measures to enforce noise violations on roads, according to a survey. The over 2,000 - [I've reached 100!](https://quietcoalition.org/ive-reached-100/) - Photo credit: Lukas by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I’ve reached 100. No, not in years, but according to Google, my first peer-reviewed noise publication — an editorial published in 2017 — has been cited in other peer-reviewed articles 100 times. That’s a lot of citations. Not as many as my favorite noise article, - [EU auditors raise concerns over noise in European cities](https://quietcoalition.org/eu-auditors-raise-concerns-over-noise-in-european-cities/) - Photo credit: Eugenia Sol by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies A report by the European Court of Auditors states that noise impacts have largely been ignored by the member states of the European Union. Furthermore, by not properly monitoring noise, one cannot - [Can hearing loss be funny?](https://quietcoalition.org/can-hearing-loss-be-funny/) - Photo credit: Monica Silvestre by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I only listen to the radio when I’m in my car, and unless we’re heading to a Dodgers game, my choices are NPR on public radio station KCRW or the Los Angeles area’s classical music station, KUSC. My wife and I support both. - [Noise pollution in the Arctic](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-in-the-arctic/) - Photo credit: Jean-Christophe André by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I've noticed more news articles that speak to the harmful effects that human-made noises have on other species. This article by K. R. Callaway notes that cruise ship noise is harming arctic wildlife. - [The Golden Rule](https://quietcoalition.org/the-golden-rule-2/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our colleague, pioneering noise researcher Dr. Arline Bronzaft, wrote a wonderful essay in the newsletter of the Holy Trinity Church, located in the Inwood and Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. The publication is part of the church’s education ministry. Arline wrote that understanding - [Why do I hear but not understand?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-do-i-hear-but-not-understand/) - Photo credit: SHVETS production by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "Why do I hear but not understand?" That is the title of one of the references in a recent article in Scientific Reports, published by the Nature publishing group in the United Kingdom. The article’s title is: "Impaired noise adaptation contributes to speech intelligibility - [Hearing loss in children and teens](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-in-children-and-teens/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition WISH-TV in Indianapolis, Indiana recently ran a story about hearing loss in children. As audiologist Brian Fligor notes, noise exposure from activities children and teens often engage in, including using personal listening devices, playing the drums, shooting guns or using fireworks can endanger - [Noise tops 311 complaint list, again](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-tops-311-complaint-list-again/) - Photo credit: Jerome Dominici by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Both New York City residents and visitors will not be surprised to read in this article that the number one complaint to the city’s 311 line is noise. While Josh Ocampo’s article - [Hearing health literacy among musicians](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-health-literacy-among-musicians/) - Photo credit: Quốc Bảo by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Nature (UK) publication Scientific Reports published a paper based on research done in Germany that surveyed about 400 amateur musicians and 400 professional musicians. A number of studies cited in the paper confirm the obvious: musicians playing all types of music are - [Congress acknowledges noise from space launches](https://quietcoalition.org/congress-acknowledges-noise-from-space-launches/) - Photo credit: SpaceX by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Congress has acknowledged the adverse impacts of noise on human health by passing legislation that recognizes the “disruptive and dangerous disturbances” communities will face unless the noise generated by space launches is curbed. - [An animal model for detecting hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/an-animal-model-for-detecting-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Polina Tankilevitch by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Science Direct website reported on an article that covers a possible early detection tool for age-related hearing loss. In a special issue on bioinformatics and computational biology, researchers from Spain report that changes in auditory brainstem responses correlate with presbycusis and could be - [UECNA continues to cover noise issues](https://quietcoalition.org/uecna-continues-to-cover-noise-issues/) - Photo credit: SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies John Stewart is the president of the European Union Against Aircraft Noise (UECNA). He has been a strong advocate for a healthier, quieter environment — including lessening aircraft noise and air pollution - [Diabetes prevalence in the U.S. increased](https://quietcoalition.org/diabetes-prevalence-in-the-u-s-increased/) - Photo credit: Nataliya Vaitkevich by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this past fall that the prevalence of diabetes in adults in the United States increased from about 8% to almost 16% from 2000 to 2020. That means that almost 1 in 6 American adults have - [One billion young people at risk of hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/one-billion-young-people-at-risk-of-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Afta Putta Gunawan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Cincinnati television station WKRC reports that a "new" study published in BMJ Global Health shows that more than one billion young people are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss from unsafe listening habits. It must have been a slow news day — - [North Korea blaring sound across the border](https://quietcoalition.org/north-korea-blaring-sound-across-the-border/) - Photo credit: Lukas Kindl by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In the past, the South Korean village of Dangsan was considered a quiet, rural area. But not today. Just over a month ago, the New York Times ran a story that covered - [Unapologetically seeking quiet, together and alone](https://quietcoalition.org/unapologetically-seeking-quiet-together-and-alone/) - Photo credit: nicollazzi xiong by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition A persistent myth about noise is that only affluent people value quiet, and want to ruin the fun for everyone else. When I saw the title in National Geographic, "How silence became the newest luxury lifestyle," I thought the article would explore that topic. - [Noise-induced hearing loss affects job performance](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-induced-hearing-loss-affects-job-performance/) - Photo credit: energepic.com by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to a recent report in BMJ Psychology, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) affects job performance and work-related quality of life. The study showed that NIHL was negatively associated with individual job performance and work-related quality of life, and positively associated with workplace aggression. The - [Noisy toys are still a problem](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-toys-are-still-a-problem/) - Photo credit: Vika Glitter by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition With approaching holiday celebrations — Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and others around the world — it’s again time to write about noisy toys. This report from TV station KTSP in Minneapolis reminds us that noisy toys can damage children’s hearing. That’s absolutely true. Unfortunately, the - [Are certain headphones safer for your ears?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-certain-headphones-safer-for-your-ears/) - Photo credit: Ivan Samkov by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of this Buzzfeed article states that certain headphones are safer for your ears. That’s probably true. Headphones with volume limits, noise-canceling and over-the-ear features may be safer for auditory health than headphones without those features, but they are by no means - [New York City's search for quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-citys-search-for-quiet/) - Photo credit: Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Scienceline published an article by reporter Dawn Attride titled, "The city’s search for quiet: in a bustling city like New York, how does noise affect us?" Scienceline is a student-run online magazine published by New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting - [Plane passenger disturbed by loud noise](https://quietcoalition.org/plane-passenger-disturbed-by-loud-noise/) - Photo credit: Berkalp Turper by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Most of our posts about aircraft noise focuses on how aircraft noise disturbs residents living near airports. This post also deals with airplane noise, but in this case, it is the noise - [Happy holidays](https://quietcoalition.org/wishing-you-a-quiet-and-peaceful-holiday/) - Photo credit: Irina Iriser We are taking a break until the New Year. From all of us at Quiet Communities, we hope you have a a quiet and peaceful holiday. See you January 2nd! - [American Airlines fined $50 million for treatment of disabled passengers](https://quietcoalition.org/american-airlines-fined-50-million-for-treatment-of-disabled-passengers/) - Photo credit: Kelly by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Reuters and other media outlets reported this fall that the U.S. Department of Transportation fined American Airlines $50 million for its treatment of disabled passengers. This mistreatment led to injuries and lost or damaged wheelchairs. The fine was 25 times greater than any previous fine - [The quietest neighbors of all](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quietest-neighbors-of-all/) - Photo credit: Pavel Danilyuk by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When talking with people looking for apartments to rent or homes to buy, you often hear that they would like to find a place located in a quiet neighborhood. Thus, you can readily - [New tech helps colorblind people see fall colors](https://quietcoalition.org/new-tech-helps-colorblind-people-see-fall-colors/) - Photo credit: David Bartus by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times reported that new technology installed in Virginia State Parks helps colorblind people see fall leaf colors. The park released viewfinders built by SeeCoast Manufacturing that are fitted with special lenses from EnChroma that help those with red-green vision deficiencies - [Dining out too noisy. Try earbuds?](https://quietcoalition.org/dining-out-too-noisy-try-earbuds/) - Photo credit: Elina Sazonova by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition My title for this post reverses the punctuation in The New York Times title: "Dining out too noisy? Try earbuds." The article, written by former Times restaurant critic Pete Wells, suggests using earbuds to deal with restaurant noise. In his Apple AirPods Pro 2 - [The search for quiet is ongoing](https://quietcoalition.org/the-search-for-quiet-is-ongoing/) - Photo credit: Alex Does Pictures by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In her article “The city’s search for quiet,” Dawn Attride writes that New York City is the loudest city in the United States. This means that millions of residents are exposed - [Las Vegas Sphere reduces noise for neighbors](https://quietcoalition.org/las-vegas-sphere-reduces-noise-for-neighbors/) - Photo credit: Harold Litwiler from Orcutt/Istanbul, USA, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Las Vegas Sphere has agreed to reduce its exterior sound volume to appease neighbors living in a nearby high-rise building. The Sphere recently added external speakers to accompany - [How to soundproof an apartment](https://quietcoalition.org/how-to-soundproof-an-apartment/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition New York Magazine published an article this fall about how to soundproof an apartment. Noise from neighboring apartments can be a problem anywhere, but it is especially a problem in New York, where almost a quarter of residents live in apartments. In West Virginia, - [Dr. Daniel Fink on noise](https://quietcoalition.org/dr-daniel-fink-on-noise/) - Photo credit: fauxels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I spoke to HealthWatch USA on Oct. 16 about the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's recommended exposure limit (REL), specifically that it needs to be revised down. Kevin Kavanaugh, the founder and board chair of HealthWatch, was kind enough to record and - [The din of helicopters in Staten Island](https://quietcoalition.org/the-din-of-helicopters-in-staten-island/) - Photo credit: Sasha Kim by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In this article from Staten Island Advance, we learn that Staten Island residents are being subjected to persistent noise from low-flying helicopters. This includes noise from sightseeing helicopters out of a heliport - [The Golden Rule](https://quietcoalition.org/the-golden-rule/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our noise colleague, pioneering noise researcher Arline Bronzaft, PhD, wrote a wonderful essay in the newsletter of the Holy Trinity Church, located in the Inwood/Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. The publication is part of the church’s education ministry. Dr. Bronzaft wrote that - [Have a peaceful Thanksgiving](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-peaceful-thanksgiving-3/) - Photo credit: Pixabay We are taking a break this week. We hope you have a quiet and restful Thanksgiving. See you next week! - [CNN rates electric leaf blowers](https://quietcoalition.org/cnn-rates-electric-leaf-blowers/) - Photo credit: Rodolfo Gaion by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Quiet Communities, Inc., the parent organization of The Quiet Coalition, was started 10 years ago by citizens concerned about the impacts of gas-powered leaf blower noise disrupting a quiet, peaceful community in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Since then, QCI’s founder and president Jamie Banks has - [Of mice and men: hearing loss secrets hidden in mouse DNA?](https://quietcoalition.org/of-mice-and-men-hearing-loss-secrets-hidden-in-mouse-dna/) - Photo credit: Alexas Fotos by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to the NAU Review, published by Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, the answer to hearing loss may lie in mouse DNA. The Review reports that the director of NAU’s Cell and Molecular Pathology Lab, O’neil Guthrie, found that DNA in a certain - [European noise laws keep Sundays quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/european-noise-laws-keep-sundays-quiet/) - 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 - [Hearing loss and cognition in France](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-and-cognition-in-france/) - Photo credit: NIC LAW by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition JAMA Network Open, the JAMA Network’s open access online journal, carried a report from France about hearing loss, hearing aids and cognition. The research was based on the CONSTANCES study, with over 60,000 participants between the ages of 45 and 69. The study - [Baby red panda dies of noise stress](https://quietcoalition.org/draft/) - Photo credit: Ivan Cujic by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In New York City, around the Fourth of July, many residents complain about illegal fireworks in their neighborhoods, despite existing laws that deem these fireworks illegal. The residents in these communities would readily - [Noise exposure associated with hearing loss in women](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-exposure-associated-with-hearing-loss-in-women/) - Photo credit: Mikael Blomkvist by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Research from China, published in the open-access BMC Public Health, found that occupational noise exposure was associated with hearing loss and hypertension in female workers. We usually don’t cover occupational noise issues because workers have recommended exposure limits from federal agencies, mandated hearing - [Is it bad to listen to music all the time?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-it-bad-to-listen-to-music-all-the-time/) - Photo credit: Charlotte May by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Is it bad to listen to music all the time? That is the question that Hussein, a teenager from Iraq asked the Curious Kids site, and reported on the U.S. edition of The Conversation. The article, unsigned but apparently written by audiologist Jillian - [A 'silent revolution' coming to California ports](https://quietcoalition.org/a-silent-revolution-coming-to-california-ports/) - Photo credit: Klaus by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Earlier this year, I wrote about the electrification of construction vehicles, ferries and tarmac vehicles in Norway. I didn’t think similar environmental progress would be made in the United States for years, but I was wrong. The fall issue of Sierra magazine, published by - [A Comic Con for all](https://quietcoalition.org/a-comic-con-for-all/) - Photo credit: khairul nizam by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I was delighted to read that the Gillen Brewer School, a private school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, hosted a "sensory-friendly" Neurodiversity Comic Com on Nov. 9. Gillen Brewer serves - [Bitcoin and AI endanger the environment](https://quietcoalition.org/bitcoin-and-ai-endanger-the-environment/) - Photo credit: Tara Winstead by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Data processing centers for bitcoin mines and artificial intelligence (AI) endanger both health and the environment. There has been a wealth of reporting about noise from bitcoin mines and computer data centers in recent years. Most recently we covered issues surrounding the closure - [Canada's ocean noise plan falls short of expectations](https://quietcoalition.org/canadas-ocean-noise-plan-falls-short-of-expectations/) - Photo credit: Jeremy Bishop by Halimat Olunlade, Social Media Manager Some might assume that noise pollution only affects humans, but a hidden crisis is unfolding beneath the waves. Manmade noise beneath the ocean’s surface creates what experts call an “acoustic smog,” which severely impacts marine life along North America’s Pacific coast. This underwater noise pollution penetrates - [Singer Vanessa Carlton files noise-related lawsuit](https://quietcoalition.org/singer-vanessa-carlton-files-noise-related-lawsuit/) - Photo credit: Life Of Pix by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Like so any residents in the United States who have purchased homes in areas that they believed would be restful, musician Vanessa Carlton and her husband John McCauley have learned that - [Texas neighbors suing nearby crypto mine](https://quietcoalition.org/texas-neighbors-suing-nearby-crypto-mine/) - Photo credit: Worldspectrum by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Here is yet another article that turns our attention to the noise generated by bitcoin mining facilities. In this case, a group of residents living in Hood County, Texas, are being subjected to - [Hearing aid use increases in elderly, but remains low](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-aid-use-increases-in-elderly-but-remains-low/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition An article in JAMA Open Network from a research group at Johns Hopkins University reports that hearing aid use among the elderly has increased, but remains low. The data were collected as part of the National Health & Aging Study, a longitudinal study of - [A warning about infant sound machines](https://quietcoalition.org/a-warning-about-infant-sound-machines/) - Photo credit: John Finkelstein by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The U.K. publication Daily Mail reports that infant sound machines may be dangerous for babies’ neurological development. Parents used these machines to produce white noise to help babies fall asleep and not be awakened by noise. A mid-market tabloid, the Daily Mail has - [Birds suffer from noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/birds-suffer-from-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Just as the interest in the adverse effects of noise on humans has grown, so too has the interest in the effects on other species — evidenced in part by this blog's extensive coverage - [A sleepless Louisiana community battles noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/a-sleepless-louisiana-community-battles-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Tom Jackson by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Louisiana Illuminator published an article by reporter Lue Palmer about noise pollution from gravel trucks along a road in a formerly quiet neighborhood in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. The Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit news organization covering legislative and administrative activities in - [Hearing — the social sense](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-the-social-sense/) - Photo credit: ELEVATE by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As National Protect Your Hearing Month comes to a close, Katie Franklin, hard of hearing services coordinator for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, reminds us that noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented. Of the five senses — vision, hearing, smell, - [Resident forced from home by loud music venue](https://quietcoalition.org/resident-forced-from-home-by-loud-music-venue/) - Photo credit: Onur Satıcı by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Our readers know that this blog covers the impact of loud music venues on nearby communities, including in Colorado and New York. In La Vista, Nebraska, city officials knew that there would - [Enforcement can reduce loud noise](https://quietcoalition.org/enforcement-can-reduce-loud-noise/) - Photo credit: Josh Sorenson by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Jersey Journal reports that enforcement efforts can reduce loud noise. The title of reporter David Menzie’s article is, "Enforcement Efforts Can Reduce Loud Noise, Psychologist Says." And who is that psychologist? The Quiet Coalition’s and Quiet Communities, Inc.’s pioneering noise expert, CUNY - [Tech company introducing electric helicopter](https://quietcoalition.org/tech-company-introducing-electric-helicopter/) - Photo credit: Karl Solano by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Nearly a year ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that Manhattan’s Downtown Heliport will soon house electric helicopters, marketed as quieter than conventional ones. Ramsey Khalifeh informs us in this - [Noise pollution in Washington D.C.](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-in-washington-d-c/) - Photo credit: Eduardo Romero by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Greater Greater Washington published a blog post by Pete Rodrigue last month about noise pollution. According to the website, Greater's mission is “to inform, engage, and influence the public and policy-makers to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice in land use, housing, and transportation - [PA lawmaker goes after noisy mufflers](https://quietcoalition.org/pa-lawmaker-goes-after-noisy-mufflers/) - Photo credit: jae p by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Pennsylvania residents should be pleased that a Philadelphia state legislator introduced a bill that will penalize motorists who drive with modified mufflers and exhaust systems, as well as repair shops that make - [Restaurants organize dining soundscapes](https://quietcoalition.org/restaurants-organize-dining-soundscapes/) - Photo credit: Lisa Fotios by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times published an article last month titled: "Why Your Favorite Restaurant Sounds Like That." Writer Alyson Krueger discusses how restaurant owners and managers curate the music played in their restaurants to set a theme or enhance the mood. For example, - [Upcoming webinar](https://quietcoalition.org/upcoming-webinar/) - Photo credit: Ingrid Buday, Founder NMNT by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition has been notified that No Noise Toronto will be hosting a webinar on Oct. 21 about noise cameras. For those who don’t know what a noise camera is, it is like a speed camera, but for noise. Instead - [QC recognized with community innovator award](https://quietcoalition.org/qc-recognized-with-community-innovator-award/) - Photo credit: Matthias Cooper by Quiet Communities editorial staff Quiet Communities joins nine other entities as a Phase 2 winner of the Department of Health and Humans Services’ (HHS) $1 million Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge. HHS created this national challenge to address environmental and climate change health issues. Applicants were required to describe approaches - [Norwegians celebrate end of noisy bitcoin mine](https://quietcoalition.org/norwegians-celebrate-end-of-noisy-bitcoin-mine/) - Photo credit: Roger Brown by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition DL News reports that residents of Stokmarknes in northern Norway are glad that a noisy bitcoin mine closed. The facility had loud air cooling systems, making noise that local residents described as a "sawmill operating 24/7.” The closure was a result of the bitcoin - [Airport neighbors report restless nights of sleep](https://quietcoalition.org/airport-neighbors-report-restless-nights-of-sleep/) - Photo credit: Stas Knop by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Readers of our posts already know that there are studies that link aircraft noise to loss of sleep, but I believe this study discussed in Science Daily will be of particular interest. - [Apple's new AirPods Pro 2 will double as a hearing aid](https://quietcoalition.org/apples-new-airpods-pro-2-will-double-as-a-hearing-aid/) - Photo credit: Artem Podrez by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN reports that Apple’s new Airpods Pro 2 will double as a hearing aid. The Food and Drug Administration has approved software that will allow the new generation of Airpods to be used as over-the-counter hearing aids, although that feature is not yet - [National Protect Your Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/national-protect-your-hearing-month/) - Photo credit: Afta Putta Gunawan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition October is National Protect Your Hearing Month. As I have written before, I’m ambivalent about special months or days, whether for health topics or even such favorites as Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. If it’s good to protect your hearing, you should - ['Noisy, hungry data centers'](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-hungry-data-centers/) - Photo credit: Field Engineer by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Sean Patrick Cooper’s New York Times opinion article is titled: “Data Centers Make Terrible Neighbors.” This headline should be no surprise to our readers. This line from the article sums it up - [Finally, sound advice about protecting your ears!](https://quietcoalition.org/finally-sound-advice-about-protecting-your-ears/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition There is a lot of bad hearing health advice in the media and online. In blog posts, I have chided those citing the industrial-strength National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health 85 A-weighted* decibels (dBA) occupational noise exposure limit as safe for the - [A new "silent" wind turbine](https://quietcoalition.org/a-new-silent-wind-turbine/) - Photo credit: Tom Swinnen by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies My introduction to noisy windmills, yes, windmills, not wind turbines, came over 40 years ago when I was asked to serve as an expert witness on windmill noise impacts in a case - [Education as an integral part of noise regulatory enforcement
](https://quietcoalition.org/education-as-an-integral-part-of-noise-regulatory-enforcement
/) - Image courtesy of the City of Red Deer by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Earlier this month, Arline Bronzaft wrote about Operation Quiet-Down, a program introduced by New London Police to address increasing noise complaints that followed the easing of the pandemic lockdown. With this program, police use the enforcement process as a - [Madrid halts concerts after noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/madrid-halts-concerts-after-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: Shelagh Murphy by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Reports in The Guardian (United Kingdom) and other news outlets describe how concert noise at Madrid’s renovated Santiago Bernabeu stadium spurred the stadium’s neighbors to action. The stadium is only licensed for sports events, but to help pay for recent costly renovations, up - [We're sick of noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/were-sick-of-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Sergei Starostin by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of Stan Cox’s article on the Naked Capitalism website is: "We’re getting sick of noise pollution," but I might prefer: "We’re getting sick from noise pollution." Or, maybe both titles. Cox writes about the psychological and physiological effects of noise on - [Vermont city trying to protect residents from F-35s](https://quietcoalition.org/vermont-city-trying-to-protect-residents-from-f-35s/) - Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Madelyn Brown, U.S. Department of Defense by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Residents in Chittenden County, Vermont, have been complaining for years about the noise intrusions of F-35 fighter jets used by the Vermont Air National Guard. These - [Recent article suggests headphones can be safe. That's wrong.](https://quietcoalition.org/recent-article-suggests-headphones-can-be-safe-thats-wrong/) - Photo credit: Nicholas Githiri by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The full headline in Griffin Wayne’s recent HuffPost article is: "Certain headphones are safer for your ears. Doctors share the best ones for adults and kids." The headline is probably accurate. Headphones with a tighter seal around the pinna (that’s the technical term - [Seas too loud for orcas](https://quietcoalition.org/seas-too-loud-for-orcas/) - Photo credit: ArtHouse Studio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies We learn in this article by James Urton that the sounds from both large and small ships are creating a noisy underwater environment for orcas. Urton informs us of research conducted by - [Think about honking if you ❤️ conceptual art](https://quietcoalition.org/think-about-honking-if-you-❤️-conceptual-art/) - Photo credit: Joey Lu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Think about honking if you ❤️ conceptual art. That’s the bumper sticker I saw in a parking lot recently. Judging from the 2014 date and mention of the Walker Art Center, I think it’s referring to a modern art exhibit in Minneapolis ten years - [What is quiet travel?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-quiet-travel/) - Photo credit: Leah Newhouse by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Writer Natalie Gale discusses quiet travel on The Good Trade, a Los Angeles-based independent lifestyle publication providing readers with editorials on sustainability, slow living and self-care. I had never heard of the concept of quiet travel until I read this article. Gale writes, - [Woman acts out over loud yard equipment](https://quietcoalition.org/woman-acts-out-over-loud-yard-equipment/) - Photo credit: Gustavo Fring by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In 1989, Carmine Santa Maria and I published a paper in the John Jay College newspaper titled: “Noise annoys but it also masks crime and incites violence.” In this article, we note that - [Insight into penguins' sensitivity to noise](https://quietcoalition.org/insight-into-penguins-sensitivity-to-noise/) - Photo credit: en:User:Cburnett, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "Listen up: new insights into little penguins’ sensitivity to noise." That’s the title of a report on the Science Daily website, but I think the title is misleading. The research wasn’t done on penguins that are tinier than usual, - [Voluntary ship slowdown protects killer whales](https://quietcoalition.org/voluntary-ship-slowdown-protects-killer-whales/) - Photo credit: Red Brick by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Underwater noise makes it difficult for killer whales to hunt and communicate, which endangers their lives. In response, an organization called Quiet Sound was formed to reduce the acoustic impact on whales. - [Connecticut orders recycling plant to cut noise](https://quietcoalition.org/connecticut-orders-recycling-plant-to-cut-noise/) - Photo credit: Alex Fu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Caitlin Burchill, writing for NBC CT, reports that the state has ordered Reworld (formerly known as Covanta) to reduce noise levels at its waste recycling facility in Bristol, Connecticut. The Bristol-Burlington Health District ordered Reworld to reduce its noise levels to meet state - [Teaching drivers (and cars) to honk judiciously](https://quietcoalition.org/teaching-drivers-and-cars-to-honk-judiciously/) - Photo credit: S. von Hoerst by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In late July, residents of two San Francisco apartments began losing sleep as the sounds of horn honking from a fleet of autonomous vehicles filled the parking lot their buildings face. Waymo, a driverless ride-hailing service, had rented the parking lot for - [Environmental risks escalate cardiovascular disease](https://quietcoalition.org/environmental-risks-escalate-cardiovascular-disease/) - Photo credit: Nancy Bourque by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "Environmental risks escalate cardiovascular disease burden, experts warn." That’s the headline of an article from the American Journal of Managed Care by reporter Maggie Shaw. Shaw reported on a joint session of the European Society of Cardiology and the World Heart Federation at this - [Forest Hills concerts ongoing, despite lawsuit](https://quietcoalition.org/forest-hills-concerts-ongoing-despite-lawsuit/) - Forest Hills, New York. Photo credit: Complicated from ATHENS, GEORGIA, USA, licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Concertgoers are eagerly awaiting the Sept. 28-29 All Things Go music festival at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New - [Urban noise pollution harms our hearts](https://quietcoalition.org/urban-noise-pollution-harms-our-hearts/) - Photo credit: Kaique Rocha by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The News Medical Life Sciences website reports on two studies presented at the current meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. The studies show that urban noise pollution was associated with adverse heart health outcomes. A study from Bremen, Germany found that younger patients - [Climate change changes nature's soundscapes](https://quietcoalition.org/climate-change-changes-natures-soundscapes/) - Photo credit: Min An by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Guardian (UK) has a sad, poignant article by reporter Phoebe Weston about how climate change is shifting the soundscape of nature. Weston writes about soundscape recordist Bernie Krause, who has been recording sounds in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park north of San Francisco for - [Car enthusiast sues over noise ticket](https://quietcoalition.org/car-enthusiast-sues-over-noise-ticket/) - Photo credit: Helena Lopes by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Yet another driver is disputing a ticket generated by a noise camera in New York City. As with the ticketing of a Porsche 911 with a stock engine, the car enthusiast is arguing that his car having a stock engine – meaning it was - [Last chance for QC member event!](https://quietcoalition.org/last-chance-for-qc-member-event/) - Photo credit: Tricia Glass by Quiet Communities staff Not a QC member? Join Quiet Communities to access this exclusive QC close-up event: "Electric Landcare: A Gateway to Greener, Quieter Communities." It will take place on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 4-5 p.m. EST. The intimate virtual conversation will feature Dan Mabe, president of the American Green - [Attenborough's world of sound](https://quietcoalition.org/attenboroughs-world-of-sound/) - Photo credit: Johannes Plenio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies We live in a world where we too often have to fend off unpleasant, intrusive and unwanted sound. For this reason, it's nice to have the opportunity to tune in to the - [Loud music can damage your hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-music-can-damage-your-hearing/) - Photo credit: JÉSHOOTS by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "Loud music can damage your hearing. Just ask WYSO host Rev Cool." That’s the title of a report from public radio station WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Reporter Peter Day writes about one of the station’s radio hosts, Jason Carter a.k.a. Rev Cool, who - [Amazon delivery drones a scourge of Texas town](https://quietcoalition.org/amazon-delivery-drones-a-scourge-of-texas-town/) - Photo credit: JESHOOTS.com by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The complete headline of this New York Post article is: "Amazon’s delivery drones become scourge of Texas town: It sounds like a giant hive of bees.” The article reports on Amazon’s use of delivery drones in the college town of College Station, Texas, home - [Coloradans file noise complaints over music venue](https://quietcoalition.org/coloradans-file-noise-complaints-over-music-venue/) - Photo credit: George Webster by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The new outdoor Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs has not been welcomed by nearby residents, according to recent reporting in the Denver Gazette. They claim that this new theater has “inundated” them - [Upcoming UECNA webinar on noise](https://quietcoalition.org/upcoming-uecna-webinar-on-noise/) - Photo credit: fauxels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our friends at the European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances, or UECNA, announced a webinar about the effects of ultrafine particles and low frequency noise on humans. The speaker will be Dr. Ourania Konstanti, a cell biology specialist at the University of Athens. Ultrafine particles - [The federal government values prevention in (some) health care](https://quietcoalition.org/the-federal-government-values-prevention-in-some-health-care/) - Photo credit: sl wong by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Reuters reported last month that the Federal Food and Drug Administration is seeking to lower sodium levels in processed food. This effort is based on recent research showing that cutting salt intake by as little as one teaspoon a day is as effective - [Summer Break](https://quietcoalition.org/summer-break-4/) - Photo credit: G. M. Briggs We are taking a short break to enjoy the end of the summer. See you on Tuesday, September 3. - [Archer Aviation reveals LA vertiport sites](https://quietcoalition.org/archer-aviation-reveals-la-vertiport-sites/) - Photo credit: Roberto Nickson by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The AIN Media Group website reported that Archer Aviation has announced planned vertiport sites in Los Angeles. Archer plans to launch an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) network in LA in 2025, in time for the 2027 Superbowl and then the Olympics - [New Jersey Girl Scouts focus on noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/new-jersey-girl-scouts-focus-on-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Longxiang Qian by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The author of this article, Lori Comstock, informs us that people living in North Jersey have easy access to air travel, which is a positive thing. But she adds that the jets - [Why NASCAR drivers put earplugs in their mouths](https://quietcoalition.org/why-nascar-drivers-put-earplugs-in-their-mouths/) - Photo credit: Alfred GF by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition To rephrase the headline of a recent article on the SportsRush website: Why do NASCAR drivers put their earplugs in their mouths before their ears? The answer is simple. It's to lubricate the earplugs and make them easier to insert into their ears. - [Major east coast cities struggle with noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/major-east-coast-cities-struggle-with-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Markus Spiske by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Writer Ricardo Kaulessar starts his article in northjersey.com by reporting on how a student soccer game had to be stopped every few minutes because of overhead aircraft noise. The students living in - [How one air taxi became quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/how-one-air-taxi-became-quiet/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Engineering.com website reports on how one air taxi manufacturer worked to make its battery-powered electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) quiet. The Joby Aviation S4 “hexacopter” can carry four people for 150 miles at speeds up to 200 mph. It’s still waiting - [Will a car-free olympics be good for Los Angeles?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-a-car-free-olympics-be-good-for-los-angeles/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As reported by ABC-7 and then The New York Times, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has promised a car-free Olympics in 2028. Will this be good for Los Angeles? Is this even possible? I grew up in Newark, New Jersey taking the bus, but - [Corporate denial of aircraft noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/corporate-denial-of-aircraft-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Azim Islam by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Our blog readers are familiar with my comments that individuals living with aircraft noise say that authorities charged with addressing this noise often ignore their cries. Thus, I was pleased to read - [Road traffic noise linked to hypertension](https://quietcoalition.org/road-traffic-noise-linked-to-hypertension/) - Photo credit: Hà Quốc Lập by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Apologies in advance for a digression into medical terminology, but it’s important for understanding the implications of this blog post’s title, which comes from a paper from Susan Hansell’s research group in London. Hansell's best known paper may be the one correlating - [Urban soundscapes](https://quietcoalition.org/urban-soundscapes/) - Photo credit: Adrien Olichon by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Readers of our blog might be familiar with the term "soundscape." But we learn in this article, published by Resilience.org, a program of the nonprofit Post Carbon Institute, that the term might - [Evidence-based public policies lead to better health outcomes](https://quietcoalition.org/rational-evidence-based-public-policies-lead-to-better-health-outcomes/) - Photo credit: George Morina by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I have long thought that rational evidence-based public policies affecting human behavior lead to better health outcomes, although sometimes the evidence that these policies work is hard to find. The two best examples of public policies dramatically reducing morbidity and mortality in the - [Don't forget earplugs at concerts](https://quietcoalition.org/dont-forget-earplugs-at-concerts/) - Photo credit: Wendy Wei by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I hope that all the music-lovers who attended Lollapalooza last week brought their earplugs. Otolaryngologist Dr. Sreek Cherukuri's offered this advice in the suburban Chicago publication, the Daily Herald. Cherukuri suffered hearing loss in his left ear when he was a DJ. Lollapalooza is - [Noise newsletter covers wind farms, road soundproofing](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-newsletter-covers-wind-farms-road-soundproofing/) - Photo credit: Tom Swinnen by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The Bottom Rung Summer 2024 Newsletter is now online. This newsletter is published four times a year and is edited by John Stewart of the UK Noise Association. John has long been - [New Yorkers trained to identify illegal noise levels](https://quietcoalition.org/new-yorkers-trained-to-identify-illegal-noise-levels/) - Photo credit: Josh Sorenson by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When I speak to people in cities across the United States about their local noise by-laws, their major concerns center on enforcement. Essentially, many people complain that by-laws are not enforced, either being - [Daily harmful noise exposure affects thousands](https://quietcoalition.org/daily-harmful-noise-exposure-affects-thousands/) - Photo credit: Juan Pablo Serrano by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to the RNZ website, published by Radio New Zealand, daily harmful noise exposure affects thousands. But I think they’re wrong, and the actual number is likely millions, tens of millions and even billions of people around the world. Maybe, as my grandchildren - [Car-free neighborhoods transform the space](https://quietcoalition.org/car-free-neighborhoods-transform-the-space/) - Photo credit: Javier Gonzalez by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Taking a stroll through the city center of Leipzig, David Zipper tells us in this Bloomberg article how delighted he was to enjoy the surrounding sites while experiencing little car traffic and - [Dementia isn't inevitable. Neither is hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/dementia-isnt-inevitable-neither-is-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Min An by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A recent report on the Medscape website is headlined: "Almost 50% of Global Dementia Cases May Be Preventable." Reporter Megan Brooks ably summarizes the latest report from the U.K.’s Lancet Commission* on dementia prevention, intervention and care. It was released in conjunction with - [Researchers uncover brain's role in hearing and learning](https://quietcoalition.org/researchers-uncover-brains-role-in-hearing-and-learning/) - Photo credit: Lukas by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Hearing Review recently reported on research done at the University of Maryland showing that a region of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex plays an important role in hearing and learning. The research article is behind a paywall but here’s a link to - [Colorado city sues FAA over airport](https://quietcoalition.org/colorado-city-sues-faa-over-airport/) - Photo credit: Deactived Account by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Environmental issues and the desire to build affordable housing on airport land resulted in Boulder, Colorado attorneys filing a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration to close the city's airport and take - [Low emissions zone reduces London air pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/low-emissions-zone-reduces-london-air-pollution/) - Photo credit: Dominika Gregušová by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Guardian and other media outlets recently reported that London’s efforts to reduce air pollution by establishing an Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) were successful. Here is the Greater London Authority’s report. Vehicles not meeting strict European standards for cleaner exhaust emissions must - [German government eyes expanded roadway](https://quietcoalition.org/german-government-eyes-expanded-roadway/) - Photo credit: Ingo Joseph by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While the German government is committed to making the country climate-neutral by 2045, we learn in this phys.org article that it also plans to create Germany’s biggest motorway. This would involve widening - [Study documents warehouse pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/study-documents-warehouse-pollution/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Science Daily recently reported on research done at George Washington University’s Milken School of Public Health. Using data from the European Space Agency, the researchers found that the road traffic-related air pollutant nitrogen dioxide was found at increased levels near large warehouses. Correlating the - [Dutch court blocks flight cuts at Schiphol](https://quietcoalition.org/dutch-court-blocks-flight-cuts-at-schiphol/) - Photo credit: Daniel Kist by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I have previously informed our readers that Amsterdam’s government was planning to reduce flights at Schiphol Airport by the end of 2025. But in this article by Charles Alcock, we learn that - [Rural Texas community says crypto-mining harms health](https://quietcoalition.org/rural-texas-community-says-crypto-mining-harms-health/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Many people move to rural areas to escape noise, only to discover that noise soon finds them. Texas resident Tom Weeks did not expect to live near a crypto-mining facility, located near - [Sound barriers can reduce traffic noise](https://quietcoalition.org/sound-barriers-can-reduce-traffic-noise/) - Photo credit: Kaique Rocha by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Hearing Review recently reported on research about improving sound barriers to reduce traffic noise pollution. The article reported on original research done in China and published open access in the International Journal of Mechanical Systems Dynamics. I’m a bit skeptical of research published - [Workplaces are still too loud](https://quietcoalition.org/workplaces-are-still-too-loud/) - Photo credit: Kindel Media by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Craig Hale’s article in techradar is titled: “Feeling unproductive at work.” In it, Hale informs us that workers are complaining about noisy offices, which may adversely impact their mental and physical health. - [Why are restaurants so loud?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-are-restaurants-so-loud/) - Photo credit: Burak The Weekender by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In a recent podcast, Gastropod asks a question we’ve wondered about, too. Why are restaurants so loud? Gastropod is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network, and is supported in part by the Alfred Sloan Foundation. Podcast hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola - [Electric tarmac equipment in Norway](https://quietcoalition.org/electric-tarmac-equipment-in-norway/) - Photo credit: Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This blog post is one of several about noise in Norway, based on my recent travels there. Norway, and I think more broadly Scandinavian countries, are ahead of the United States in environmental action. None of the hotels we stayed in had small - [Quieter urban mass transit is possible](https://quietcoalition.org/quieter-urban-mass-transit-is-possible/) - Photo credit: Elena Saharova by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s blogs have covered subway noise in New York City and London’s Tube, both of which have been studied scientifically. Today, I want to report that quieter urban mass transit is possible. On a recent trip to Scandinavia, I had the - [New York City subways aren't getting quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-subways-arent-getting-quieter/) - Photo credit: Roy Reyna by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies According to Ole Siever’s article in amNY, “New York’s subways are loud, and they’re not getting any quieter.” To come to this conclusion, Siever’s colleagues measured the noise peaks of arriving and departing - [Clean and quiet electric ferries in Norway](https://quietcoalition.org/clean-and-quiet-electric-ferries-in-norway/) - Photo credit: Burak The Weekender by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition During my recent travels in Norway, I was able to cross a fjord on an electric ferry boat. Who knew? I certainly wasn’t aware of this technology. Norway is a small country in terms of both size and population. Glaciation shaped much - [A clean, green, serene construction machine?](https://quietcoalition.org/a-clean-green-serene-construction-machine/) - Photo credit: Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On my last day of a recent hiking trip in Norway, I took a walk in the old city of Trondheim before heading to the airport. There’s a stature of Leif Erickson on the fjord, to commemorate his trip to North America in - ['We know what to do. We lack the will to do it'](https://quietcoalition.org/we-know-what-to-do-we-lack-the-will-to-do-it/) - Photo credit: Joey Lu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A recent BBC report states that traffic noise pollution harms children’s health and development. Traffic noise includes aviation noise, railroad noise and road traffic noise. Traffic noise is the major component of noise pollution in the United States and Europe. The report starts - [Neighbors: limit use of noisy garden equipment](https://quietcoalition.org/neighbors-limit-use-of-noisy-garden-equipment/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In this Homes and Gardens article, writer Alex David informs readers that garden power equipment can be noisy and this noise can upset neighbors. He goes on to say that noise can be - [Bronzaft featured on national podcast](https://quietcoalition.org/bronzaft-featured-on-national-podcast/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s and Quiet Communities’ Arline Bronzaft was recently a featured guest on the American Psychological Association podcast. I read the transcript of the podcast but you can listen to the recording if that’s your preferred mode of knowledge acquisition. Arline’s PhD is - [Noise pollution isn't just annoying, it's harmful!](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-isnt-just-annoying-its-harmful/) - Photo credit: Peter Dutton licensed under CC By 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise pollution isn’t just annoying, it’s harmful. That’s the headline on a commentary in the Orlando Sentinel by David Vaina, PhD. We couldn’t agree more. Noise isn’t just a nuisance, it’s harmful to people, animals, birds, fish, and - [Belltown hellcat finally brought to justice](https://quietcoalition.org/belltown-hellcat-finally-brought-to-justice/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We have previously written about the Belltown Hellcat, a car noisily raced through Seattle’s streets. Now, it’s in the news again. Television station KIRO 7 and other media outlets report that the car’s owner and driver, Miles Hudson, was ordered to pay a fine - [Providence attempts to crack down on noise](https://quietcoalition.org/providence-attempts-to-crack-down-on-noise/) - Photo credit: Aashish Rai by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Brett Smiley, the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, wants to crack down on noise. His efforts have drawn media attention in The New York Times and the local paper, the Providence Journal. Noise problems in Providence include motorcycle and auto noise, leaf blowers - [Automakers contribute to conflicts over loud exhausts  ](https://quietcoalition.org/automakers-contribute-to-conflicts-over-loud-exhausts/) - Photo credit: Torsten Dettlaff by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In recent weeks, a New York Times feature and ongoing coverage in Seattle’s KOMO News told the story of a Seattle resident who drives a Dodge Charger Hellcat through the city’s streets late at night, speeding, waking residents with the car’s illegally-modified exhaust, and - [Making every hair appointment a sound experience](https://quietcoalition.org/making-every-hair-appointment-a-sound-experience/) - Photo credit: Dmitry Zvolskiy by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition At the May 2024 meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Ottawa, Canada, held in conjunction with the Canadian Acoustical Association, a paper was presented about reducing noise levels in a hair salon. Media relations staff at the American Institute of Physics, - [BIRDHUGGER PODCAST INTERVIEWS QUIET COMMUNITIES’ ARLINE BRONZAFT](https://quietcoalition.org/birdhugger-podcast-interviews-quiet-communities-arline-bronzaft/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Former Boston Herald Sunday Magazine gardening columnist Catherine Greenleaf moved to Vermont some years ago, became interested in birds and now records the Birdhugger podcast twice a month. She recently interviewed Quiet Communities’ and The Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft about the importance of quiet - [New Jersey crime bill targets loud mufflers](https://quietcoalition.org/new-jersey-crime-bill-targets-loud-mufflers/) - Photo credit: jay pizzle by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This Shore News Network article explains that loud muffler and exhaust system modifications could be more harshly penalized in New Jersey under a new crime bill. Yes, higher noise levels that result - [CAN COCHLEAR SYNAPTOPATHY BE PREVENTED BY A DRUG?](https://quietcoalition.org/can-cochlear-synaptopathy-be-prevented-by-a-drug/) - Photo credit: Julie Viken by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Cochlear synaptopathy is damage to the nerve connections between the basic sensory organs of hearing, the cochlear hair cells, and the auditory nerve. Cochlear synaptopathy is thought to be the cause of hidden hearing loss, so-called because patients complain of being unable to - [Hearing aids might slow cognitive decline, research shows](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-aids-might-slow-cognitive-decline-research-shows/) - Photo credit: Diva Plavalaguna by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to a report in The Hearing Review, hearing aids slow cognitive decline in adults with mild cognitive impairment. The report is based on a presentation by UCLA researchers at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. Undergraduate - [Earbuds vs. Headphones: no right answer](https://quietcoalition.org/earbuds-vs-headphones-no-right-answer/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Healthy, published by Readers Digest, recently put out an article titled “Earbuds vs. headphones: Ear doctors reveal which is better for you.” The article discusses things like bacteria in the ear, earwax buildup, and yes, hearing loss. I think the only answer to this - [Times Square Margaritaville facing noise fines](https://quietcoalition.org/times-square-margaritaville-facing-noise-fines/) - Photo credit: Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When people think of noise in New York City, they often mention Times Square as a crowded, noisy area. Yes, with throngs of locals and visitors coming to this area - [My quixotic quest for quiet continues](https://quietcoalition.org/my-quixotic-quest-for-quiet-continues/) - Photo credit: Bri Schneiter by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I developed tinnitus and hyperacusis after a one-time exposure to loud noise at a New Year’s Eve party at the end of 2017 and became a noise activist in December of 2014, trying to make the world a quieter place. My first attempt - [25-year study shows that pollution affects mental health](https://quietcoalition.org/25-year-study-shows-that-pollution-affects-mental-health/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies How would air and noise pollution impact individuals who are exposed prenatally and during early childhood? What would the impact be on individuals exposed to high levels of noise during early childhood and - [Our genes may reveal more about speech-in-noise difficulty](https://quietcoalition.org/our-genes-may-reveal-more-about-speech-in-noise-difficulty/) - Photo credit: Osvaldo Coelho Jr. by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The scientific journal Nature recently published a genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on the UK Biobank, showing a polygenic architecture of speech-in-noise deficits in individuals with self-reported normal hearing. Speech-in-noise difficulty is the difficulty many people in mid-life have following one conversation - [Summer Break](https://quietcoalition.org/summer-break-3/) - Photo credit: We are taking a summer break this week. We hope you have a quiet and peaceful July 4th holiday. - ['The din at dinner'](https://quietcoalition.org/the-din-at-dinner/) - Photo credit: Ibrahim Boran by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In a recent issue of the Boulder Weekly, restaurant critic John Lehndorff asks, “Are restaurants too loud?” Of course, you know the answer as well as I do. Yes, they are. Lehndorff describes his experience with sudden unilateral hearing loss last year, and how this - [Airplane noise is bad for your health](https://quietcoalition.org/airplane-noise-is-bad-for-your-health/) - Photo credit: Johannes Plenio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In my opinion, the title of this article, “Airplane Noise May Be Bad for Your Health” should have read “Aircraft Noise Is Bad for Your Health,” in light of the strong research - [Washington Post covers noise, again](https://quietcoalition.org/washington-post-covers-noise-again/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Washington Post published a wonderful interactive online article with restaurant sound levels. This is the Post’s second article about restaurant noise that I know about, although there may have been others. The article may be behind the newspaper's paywall. The article was written - [Scotland police officers look to legal claim for hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/scotland-police-officers-look-to-legal-claim-for-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Glasgow Times in Scotland reported that police officers in Edinburgh are prepared to launch legal claims after developing hearing loss and tinnitus from fireworks on Bonfire Night. I googled Bonfire Night and learned that it’s also known as Guy Fawkes Night. This celebrates - [A new sound-absorbing fabric](https://quietcoalition.org/a-new-sound-absorbing-fabric/) - Photo credit: Digital Buggu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently reported on a new fabric developed by scientists both at MIT and elsewhere that can suppress sound. Here is a link to the scientific article describing the new fabric's properties. The article points out that noise is - [Taylor Swift concert draws noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/taylor-swift-concert-draws-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: Josh Sorenson by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium recently received a multi-million dollar update that included a new roof. This is meant to allow for large music events, and brand the stadium as a major entertainment - [Hidden hearing loss linked to tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/hidden-hearing-loss-linked-to-tinnitus/) - Photo credit: Annushka Ahuja by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A report from MSN discusses recent research from Harvard University and the affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary that links hidden hearing loss to tinnitus. Here is the actual scientific report. Hidden hearing loss manifests as difficulty understanding speech in a noisy situation - [Dutch government addresses aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/dutch-government-addresses-aircraft-noise/) - Photo credit: JJ Jordan by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It appears that there are several proposals to reduce airplane flights in Amsterdam. Alexander Mitchell writes in Simple Flying that in March, a court order asked for fewer nighttime flights at Schiphol - [Living near a busy road can take years off your life](https://quietcoalition.org/living-near-a-busy-road-can-take-years-off-your-life/) - Photo credit: Steven Arenas by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of this post comes from a recent article in the U.S. edition of the U.K. The Sun tabloid newspaper. Despite the sensationalist language, the Sun basically gets it right. It appears to be relying on information summarized in a 10-year-old article - ['Absurd' arguments for loud motorcycles](https://quietcoalition.org/absurd-arguments-for-loud-motorcycles/) - Photo credit: Djordje Petrovic by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Now that the weather is warmer, John Ducker reminds us in this recent Times Colonist article that we will be hearing more noisy motorcycles. However, he adds that to the motorcycle rider, the - [Caution: your noise may be hazardous to your health](https://quietcoalition.org/caution-your-noise-may-be-hazardous-to-your-health/) - Photo credit: Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition While I was cleaning my house recently, I came across these three no-smoking buttons from the early 1970s. I was a militant no-smoking advocate, and I wore the button on the right on my doctor’s coat for many years. I have previously written - [Happy Memorial Day](https://quietcoalition.org/happy-memorial-day/) - Photo credit: Brett Sayles We hope you have a quiet and peaceful holiday. - [Traffic impacts growth of baby birds](https://quietcoalition.org/traffic-impacts-growth-of-baby-birds/) - Photo credit: 42 North by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The fact that traffic noise is harmful to humans has been discussed at length in this blog, but this post will inform readers that the harsh sounds of traffic also have long-term negative - [Hopkins students design noise-canceling dental device](https://quietcoalition.org/hopkins-students-design-noise-canceling-dental-device/) - Photo credit: Anna Shvets by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Hub, the online news site of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, reported that engineering students developed a prototype of a noise-canceling device for patients having dental work done. The idea for the device came from a Florida dentist, Jordan Rigsby, who had - [Action speaks louder than words](https://quietcoalition.org/action-speaks-louder-than-words/) - Photo credit: Alex Pham by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies “Action speaks louder than words” is a phrase that has been used for many years. However, it is not one that can be used to describe the recently passed FAA Reauthorization Bill - [The dangers of earbud and headphone use](https://quietcoalition.org/the-dangers-of-earbud-and-headphone-use/) - Photo credit: Ono Kosuki by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Earlier this month, the Mayo Clinic Health System addressed the dangers of earbud and headphone use by young people. My only quibble with the article is that it states that “any sound at or above 85 dB [decibels] is more likely to damage your - [Hear here!](https://quietcoalition.org/hear-here/) - Photo credit: Rachel Claire by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Hear here! I know a good line when I steal one, but I always give credit. I took this line from The University of Alabama’s Hear Here Alabama Project, which I recently found online. Here’s the link to the project's May 15 post - [House passes historic FAA legislation](https://quietcoalition.org/house-passes-historic-faa-legislation/) - Photo credit: Marina Hinic by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When the U.S. Senate passed the Federal Aviation Authority Reauthorization Bill last week, we learned that Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz (D) included a provision that would address air tour noise in Hawaii, - [New York City noise cameras are catching, and fining, loud drivers](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-noise-cameras-are-catching-and-fining-loud-drivers/) - Photo credit: Helena Lopes by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on the Road & Track website, published earlier this month, discusses the effectiveness of New York City’s pilot noise camera program in catching cars with loud exhausts. The program, called the Stop Spreading the Noise Act, is operated jointly by the city’s - [Cicada noise prompts a call to the police](https://quietcoalition.org/cicada-noise-prompts-a-call-to-the-police/) - Photo credit: Egor Kamelev by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The headline of this article in Deseret News is: “Concerned citizens call South Carolina police over noisy…” Now let me add the last word: “cicadas.” Yes, complaint calls were made about loud - [What is the safe noise exposure level to prevent hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-the-safe-noise-exposure-level-to-prevent-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Mark Dalton by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition What is the safe noise exposure level to prevent noise-induced hearing loss? That’s the title of my latest article, published on April 18. I argue that this safe noise exposure level may be as low as 55 A-weighted decibels* (dBA) for a single noise - [Quiet Communities wins community innovator grant](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-communities-wins-community-innovator-grant/) - Photo credit: Luis Quintero by Quiet Communities staff Quiet Communities is one of 12 winners of the Phase 1 Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. QC will receive $25,000 to design and plan a "Quiet Empowerment Toolkit" to help economically disadvantaged communities address noise issues. The - ["Noise tax" proposed for NYC helicopter flights](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-tax-proposed-for-nyc-helicopter-flights/) - Photo credit: Fernando Gonzalez by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While New York City Council considers a bill to restrict non-essential flights in the city, state bills are being introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gonzalez and Rep. Bobby Carroll to impose a $400 “noise - [NPR covers a new tinnitus treatment](https://quietcoalition.org/npr-covers-a-new-tinnitus-treatment/) - Photo credit: Paweł L. by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition National Public Radio recently reported on a new tinnitus treatment that involves listening to sounds while having the tongue electrically stimulated. This treatment is supposed to reduce tinnitus symptoms by rewiring brain circuits. It is currently the only FDA-approved treatment for this condition. Tinnitus - [Growing ocean noise is impacting whales](https://quietcoalition.org/growing-ocean-noise-is-impacting-whales/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The title of this article from the University of Melbourne is: “How Whales Struggle to Navigate in a Sea of Noise Pollution." However the focus of the piece is on a research project - [How are a solar eclipse and a loud party alike?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-are-a-solar-eclipse-and-a-loud-party-alike/) - Photo credit: Yvon Gallant by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition My wife and I spent the Sunday morning before the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse with our oldest grandchildren, who are in preschool and kindergarten. I asked them, “Do you know about the eclipse?” The younger grandchild promptly declared, “Yes. The moon goes - [Starbucks is designing quieter stores](https://quietcoalition.org/starbucks-is-designing-quieter-stores/) - Photo credit: Suzy Hazelwood by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When you read posts about restaurants on this blog, the focus is generally on diners who complain about noisy restaurants — places where they can't converse with others at their tables. These - [Restaurants for and by the deaf](https://quietcoalition.org/restaurants-for-and-by-the-deaf/) - Photo credit: Lawrence Suzara by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Two recent news stories about restaurants in Osaka, Japan,* and close to home in Los Angeles, California, caught my eye. In Osaka, a new cafe, Shojo, opened that is an entirely silent space; no speech is allowed. The 16-seat cafe wants customers to - [Compound AC102 shows promise in restoring hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/compound-ac102-shows-promise-in-restoring-hearing/) - Photo credit: Chokniti Khongchum by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A report in The Hearing Review discusses research done in Germany demonstrating that a new compound may reverse noise-induced hearing loss. The small-molecule compound was developed to treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a relatively rare condition in which patients suddenly develop hearing loss - [The moment a baby hears for the first time](https://quietcoalition.org/the-moment-a-baby-hears-for-the-first-time/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies How painful it must have been for the parents of Albie Collins to have learned that their child had moderate hearing loss in both of his ears. Yet, how joyful it must have - [Rock concert-goers: insert ear plugs!](https://quietcoalition.org/rock-concert-goers-insert-ear-plugs/) - Photo credit: Edoardo Tommasini by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A Tik-Tok famous general practitioner in Singapore is advising concertgoers to wear earplugs and use sunscreen. I don’t follow social media at all, but I’m glad to know that there’s useful medical advice being given to those who do. I would caution that - [Arline Bronzaft on International Noise Awareness Day (INAD)](https://quietcoalition.org/arline-bronzaft-on-international-noise-awareness-day-inad/) - Photo credit: GEORGE DESIPRIS by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft, professor emerita at City University of New York, wrote about the history of International Noise Awareness Day (INAD) on the occasion of its 29th celebration. Congratulations to Arline and to Nancy Nadler at the Center for Hearing and Communication in - [Planned announcements are making airports less noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/planned-announcements-are-making-airports-less-noisy/) - Photo credit: Brücke-Osteuropa, licensed under CC 1.0 DEED by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies So good to read that the Frankfurt Airport has shown an interest in a “silent airport” policy. Apparently, the airport operator learned that passengers prefer a quieter airport - [Air pollution is bad for your brain](https://quietcoalition.org/air-pollution-is-bad-for-your-brain/) - Photo credit: Muneeb Babar by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As an JAMA subscriber, I get an email almost every morning titled "AMA Morning Rounds." I don’t think I would have found this open-access article if I didn’t get Morning Rounds, but I’m glad I did. The newsletter mentioned a Washington Post article - [Today is Earth Day](https://quietcoalition.org/today-is-earth-day/) - Photo credit: Scott Webb by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Today is Earth Day. This year’s theme, "Planet vs. Plastics," isn’t particularly relevant to noise but the idea of protecting the environment by working towards a quieter world is an ecologically sound one, too (Pun intended!) That’s the mission of The Quiet Coalition - [Discordant horn sounds can affect driver safety](https://quietcoalition.org/discordant-horn-sounds-can-affect-driver-safety/) - Photo credit: Mike Bird by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In a recent News Tribune "Rules of the Road" column, a reader asked if using a horn to signify that a car is locked is considered misuse of vehicle safety equipment. The reader described their tendency to ignore horn honking because of the - [Are you noise sensitive?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-you-noise-sensitive/) - Photo credit: Elevate Digital by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition “Are you noise sensitive? Here’s how to tell.” That’s a good question, and the title of an article in WIRED magazine. Writer Amy Paturel starts her article with a sound (pun intended!) comment: “Every person has a different idea of what makes a - [Kansas Supreme Court rules in favor of loud protestor](https://quietcoalition.org/kansas-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-loud-protestor/) - Photo credit: Amine M'siouri by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As someone who has participated in marches and demonstrations across New York City, especially years ago as a college professor, I can well understand the demonstrations that occurred following the murder of - [Electric vehicle sales are increasing in the U.S.](https://quietcoalition.org/electric-vehicle-sales-are-increasing-in-the-u-s/) - Photo credit: Rathaphon Nanthapreecha by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Electric vehicle sales are increasing in the United States. In 2023, 1.2 million EVs sold in the U.S. Amazingly, in California, EVs accounted for 25% of all new vehicle sales last year. EVs are good for both the ear and the air. All vehicles - [UK noise association issues noise manifesto](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-noise-association-issues-noise-manifesto/) - Photo credit: Dominika Gregušová by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The UK Noise Association, whose slogan is: “Campaigning for action against noise,” has published a lengthy manifesto about noise. “In a series of short papers we lay out what can be done to tackle noise. Our focus is on solutions. Generally noise is - [Testify to ban nonessential helicopter flights in NY/NJ](https://quietcoalition.org/testify-to-ban-nonessential-helicopter-flights-in-ny-nj/) - Photo credit: Valery Anatolievich by Abby Harrison, Editor, Quiet Communities New York City Council will hold a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16 on bills to ban nonessential helicopter traffic at NYC-run heliports, as well as other helicopter-issue bills and resolutions. Each year, 30,000 tourist helicopters fly from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and - [Highlights from the 2024 aviation symposium](https://quietcoalition.org/highlights-from-the-2024-aviation-symposium/) - Photo credit: Guryan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Last month, I spoke about aviation noise at the University of California, Davis Aviation Noise & Emissions symposium in Palm Springs, California. I was only able to attend one day of the symposium, but all presentations and videos from the lectures are now available - [Can we protect kids using headphones?](https://quietcoalition.org/can-we-protect-kids-using-headphones/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "How best to protect kids wearing headphones from noise-induced hearing loss." That’s the title of this report from ABC News* in Australia. The story discusses ways to minimize the risk of auditory damage when children use headphones. The advice is all good, including citing - [Dutch court rules that airport must reduce noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/dutch-court-rules-that-airport-must-reduce-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Amin, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It's no surprise to read in the first paragraph of this AP article that the Dutch government has long favored commercial airlines' interests over the well-being of - [NASA wants to know if air taxis will annoy you](https://quietcoalition.org/nasa-wants-to-know-if-air-taxis-will-annoy-you/) - A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft over Japan. Photo credit: Marine Corps Cpl. Kyle Chan, U.S. Department of Defense. by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "NASA Wants to Know if Air Taxis Will Annoy You," is the title of this article in FLYING magazine. According to writer John Gallagher, NASA plans to - [Noise reduction is a key to wellness](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-reduction-is-a-key-to-wellness/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise reduction is a key to wellness. That is not only true, it’s also the title of an article in the magazine Kitchen & Bath Design News. Writer Jamie Gold discusses the importance of sound, or really of quiet, in home design. Quiet Communities’ - [Japanese taxpayers foot American military's noise bill](https://quietcoalition.org/japanese-taxpayers-foot-american-militarys-noise-bill/) - Photo credit: Somchai Kongkamsri by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies How much has it cost the Japanese government to host American troops at five United States military bases? Well, hosting these bases has brought a great deal of noise into the lives of - [More hearing aids: the right solution?](https://quietcoalition.org/more-hearing-aids-the-right-solution/) - Photo credit: Christina Morillo by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The World Health Organization’s Ear and Hearing Care Programme announced its new publication, Hearing Aid Service Delivery Approaches for Low- and Middle-Income Settings. As WHO has reported, only a minority of people worldwide who could benefit from hearing aids have been able to - [D.C. bill aims at helicopter noise complaint data](https://quietcoalition.org/d-c-bill-aims-to-share-helicopter-noise-complaint-data/) - Photo credit: Chait Goli by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies District of Columbia (D.C.) Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton said that she hears daily from D.C. residents that helicopter noise disrupts their lives. In this press release, she said that noise is harmful - [Noise-canceling technology may be harming our ears](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-canceling-technology-may-be-harming-our-ears/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from the New Zealand radio station RNZ reports on why noise-canceling technology may be doing more harm than good for our ears. That information comes from David McAlpine, academic director at Australia’s Macquarie University Hearing in Sydney. McAlpine explains that noise-canceling technology, - [The sound of gunfire near school? Just another day in Cranston](https://quietcoalition.org/the-sound-of-gunfire-near-schools-just-another-day-in-cranston/) - Photo credit: Element5 Digital by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies For most American students, the prospect of hearing gun shots rings through the hallways or around athletic fields is a modern terror. But in Cranston, Rhode Island, middle and high school students have - [Reducing the 'roar' of aviation noise: better, but not enough](https://quietcoalition.org/reducing-the-roar-of-aviation-noise-better-but-not-enough/) - Photo credit: Oleksandr P by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In this Airways Magazine article, author Fabrizio Spicuglia informs us that aircraft noise has been reduced by at least 75% in the last 50 years. He does not, however, provide a source - [No mention of noise in National Public Health Week](https://quietcoalition.org/no-mention-of-noise-in-national-public-health-week/) - Photo credit: Genaro Servín by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This coming Monday marks the start National Public Health Week, April 1-7, 2024. I checked the schedule of events, but didn’t see anything about noise. It is important for public health experts, and for our elected officials, to understand that noise has adverse - [Buffalo man caught in legal battle with police — over a shout](https://quietcoalition.org/buffalo-man-caught-in-legal-battle-with-police-over-a-shout/) - Photo credit: Samson Katt by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In 2016, lawyer and Buffalo resident Tony Rupp shouted at a car in downtown Buffalo that had its lights off and was “bearing down on two women crossing the street.” But what - [Colorado bill seeks to reduce impacts from aviation](https://quietcoalition.org/colorado-bill-seeks-to-reduce-impacts-from-aviation/) - Photo credit: Stas Knop by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies To the many groups across the country combating the impacts of aircraft noise and pollution, the title “Coloradans are on edge about noise and pollution. Lawmakers want to help” must be heartening. State - [Device usage prompts hearing concerns in Malaysia](https://quietcoalition.org/device-usage-prompts-hearing-concerns-in-malaysia/) - Photo credit: Thilipen Rave Kumar by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Sun, sharing news out of Malaysia, reports that children and young adults' increased use of personal listening devices is raising concerns about the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physician Priatharisiny Velayutham correctly notes that in the - [A new 'quiet category' for pickleball products](https://quietcoalition.org/a-new-quiet-category-for-pickleball-products/) - Photo credit: ALTEREDSNAPS by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the newly popular sport, just announced the launch of its "quiet category" for pickleball equipment. The new category will promote products that are 50% or less of the current acoustic footprint of modern pickleball equipment. It will - [NYPD announces new indoor shooting range](https://quietcoalition.org/nypd-announces-new-indoor-shooting-range/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies New Yorkers deal with noise every day, whether it's from traffic, construction or airplanes. Over the years, this noise has taken a toll on their mental and physical health. Scientific and medical - [Quiet Communities celebrates 10 years](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-communities-celebrates-10-years/) - Photo credit: Tom Flint by Tricia Glass, Executive Director Over 80 supporters and friends gathered on March 9 at the historic Bemis Hall in Lincoln, Massachusetts, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Quiet Communities, the nonprofit founded by President Jamie Banks. During a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A, Banks thanked the many people who - [A coming epidemic of hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/a-coming-epidemic-of-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Moose Photos by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health asked a nation-wide sample of parents with children ages 5-12 about their children's earbud and headphone use. Parents reported that 53% of children ages 5-8 and 79% of children ages 9-12 used earbuds - [Why we must lower the occupational noise exposure limit](https://quietcoalition.org/why-we-must-lower-the-occupational-noise-exposure-limit/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Kat Sezter, editorial associate at the Acoustical Society of America, asked that we help publicize the ASA’s latest podcast, and I’m glad to do that. I’m especially glad because it’s my first time on a podcast, based on an article I wrote after speaking - [Flights contribute to noisiest cities in America rankings](https://quietcoalition.org/flights-contribute-to-noisiest-cities-in-america-rankings/) - Photo credit: Chait Goli by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Ranking first on any list usually leads to boasting. Even making the "top ten" in a list brings joy, but I doubt that the first ten names on a list of the - [Is restaurant music becoming too loud?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-restaurant-music-becoming-too-loud/) - Photo credit: ELEVATE by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Is music in restaurants becoming too loud? No, it’s not becoming too loud. Music in restaurants has been too loud for years! But award-winning food writer Clare Finney has a wonderful essay in the online magazine Delicious, titled: "Head-banging tunes or stony silence ... is - [Road noise reduction solutions coming out of Europe](https://quietcoalition.org/road-noise-reduction-solutions-coming-out-of-europe/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This article from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency is focused on projects that aim to reduce road noise “for a quieter Europe." However, the noise reduction solutions in the article - ['Cancelling noise'](https://quietcoalition.org/canceling-noise/) - Photo credit: Pok Rie by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "Cancelling Noise" is the title of a wonderful essay in Canada’s The Globe and Mail. In the essay, Author Michael Harris describes the deleterious effects of noise pollution on humans and animals. Noise has both auditory and non-auditory health effects, and Harris notes that - [Mysterious noise in Florida may be linked to local fish](https://quietcoalition.org/mysterious-noise-in-florida-may-be-linked-to-local-fish/) - Photo credit: Oleksandr P by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Since 2022, residents in a South Tampa neighborhood have been hearing deep bass sounds. But for years, they could not locate the source. The sound was described as a low hum, and - [The Starbucks of the future will be quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/the-starbucks-of-the-future-will-be-quieter/) - Photo credit: Dom J by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN reports that the corporate giant Starbucks announced the "Starbucks of the future" with a first store in Washington, D.C. According to reporters Jordan Valinsky and Eva Rothenberg, Starbucks opened its first cafe designed to give customers with disabilities a "more accessible" experience. - [Music in the LA Metro could be harming employees](https://quietcoalition.org/music-in-the-la-metro-could-be-harming-employees/) - Photo credit: Kaique Rocha by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As a researcher on the adverse effects of elevated train noise on children’s learning, I tend to pay attention to articles focused on mass transit and sound. However, I did not expect - [New research sheds light on noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/new-research-sheds-light-on-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: sl wong by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The MedicalXpress website reports that researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered the biological mechanism of how noise causes hearing loss, opening up the possibility for prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The research team, led by Thanos Tzounopoulos, showed that noise - [We need prevention, not more research](https://quietcoalition.org/we-need-prevention-not-more-research/) - Photo credit: Startup Stock Photos by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our friend Yishane Lee, editor of Hearing Health Magazine and communications director at the Hearing Health Foundation, shared her fascinating report about the recent Association for Research in Otolaryngology meeting in Anaheim, California in early February. ARO is the world’s largest organization of - [Humans are impacting migrating animal species](https://quietcoalition.org/humans-are-impacting-migrating-animal-species/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Human beings have endangered their own health and well-being by exacerbating climate change and surrounding themselves with air and noise pollutants. However, according to a new report by the United Nations, cited in - [World Hearing Day is March 3](https://quietcoalition.org/world-hearing-day-is-march-3/) - Photo credit: Simon Migaj by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On Sunday, March 3, communities around the globe will celebrate World Hearing Day 2024. The theme, decided by the World Health Organization, is: Changing mindsets: Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all. The agency states that the annual event will: Counter - [Why are my ears ringing?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-are-my-ears-ringing/) - Photo credit: Tembela Bohle by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Fox News reporter Melissa Rudy wrote an excellent piece on tinnitus. However, I have a few minor quibbles with what she wrote, and what audiologist Donald Troast said. But the main thrust of the article — tinnitus is caused by exposure to loud - [Aircraft noise disturbs Arizona residents](https://quietcoalition.org/aircraft-noise-disturbs-arizona-residents/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies We have directed our readers to a large number of studies that link aircraft noise to adverse health impacts. These studies have included the testimonies of individuals who live with aircraft noise daily, - [Occupational noise and arthritis](https://quietcoalition.org/occupational-noise-and-arthritis/) - Photo credit: Yury Kim by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Is occupational noise exposure associated with arthritis? A new report in BMC Public Health suggests that it might be. The authors used data collected by the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey to correlate occupational noise exposure with both osteoarthritis — or - [Aviation industry opposes FAA noise rule](https://quietcoalition.org/aviation-industry-opposes-faa-noise-rule/) - Photo credit: Lennard Schubert by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Quiet Coalition blog readers, and those who are members of anti-aircraft noise groups will likely be taken aback by the following title: “Opposition emerges against FAA’s proposed noise standard requirement for light - [Tim Gallati and the Quiet Links Library](https://quietcoalition.org/tim-gallati-and-the-quiet-links-library/) - Photo credit: Tim Gallati. Gallati, photographed by Gordon Hempton, during a six-week backpacking trip for One Square Inch of Silence. by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Jamie Banks, founder of Quiet Communities, Inc., spoke at a webinar sponsored by Physicians for Social Responsibility in late January. The title, "Noise: A Public Health Problem," - [Homeowner struggles with noisy oil well site behind his home](https://quietcoalition.org/homeowner-struggles-with-noisy-oil-well-site-behind-his-home/) - Photo credit: David Brown by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Before buying a house in a new neighborhood in northwest Oklahoma City, homebuyer Larry Vargas noticed an empty field behind the house. When he asked the realtor if there were plans to - [Making life in NYC less noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/making-life-in-nyc-less-noisy/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Gothamist has an excellent article about noise in New York City, quoting our noise colleague Arline Bronzaft. As reporter Catalina Gonella writes, “just because the city never sleeps doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.” Gonella makes the point that noise isn’t just a nuisance, - [The troubles of life near a Bitcoin mine](https://quietcoalition.org/the-troubles-of-life-near-a-bitcoin-mine/) - Photo credit: Ivan Babydov by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This New York Times article on the noise emitted by computers mining Bitcoin opens with a security guard armed with an AR-15-style assault rifle. The guard makes sure his gun was loaded - [Fatigue, Aggravation and Anger: the state of aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/fatigue-aggravation-and-anger-the-state-of-aircraft-noise/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When I wrote the article “Aircraft Noise: The Ailment and the Treatment” in 2001, I suggested that residents who are overwhelmed by aircraft noise describe their suffering with the acronym "FAA": Fatigue, Aggravation - [Rural residents have worse hearing than urban counterparts](https://quietcoalition.org/rural-residents-have-worse-hearing-than-urban-counterparts/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A new report in The Lancet: Regional Health Americas found that in the United States, rural residents had worse hearing than urban residents. The goal of the research was to create estimates of hearing loss at the state and county levels. The study was - [Sound advice for lovers on Valentine's Day!](https://quietcoalition.org/sound-advice-for-lovers-on-valentines-day/) - Photo credit: Polina Tankilevitch by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The first line of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night" is: “If music be the food of love, play on.” That may be true, but we recommend that lovers find a quiet restaurant to have a Valentine’s Day meal, one where they can hear their partner's - [How can we deal with city sounds?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-can-we-deal-with-city-sounds/) - Photo credit: Deane Bayas by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This article posted by nonprofit Strong Towns begins by stating that one's view on urban sounds — positive or negative — is entirely subjective. Writer Emma Durand-Wood states that for her, noise - [March 3 is World Hearing Day](https://quietcoalition.org/march-3-is-world-hearing-day/) - Photo credit: Sahil prajapati by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition March 3 is World Hearing Day, established by the World Health Organization in 2007 to draw attention to hearing and the care of people with auditory difficulties. Each year, WHO establishes a theme for this special day. This year’s theme is: “Changing mindsets: - [New gene therapy helps child hear](https://quietcoalition.org/new-gene-therapy-helps-child-hear/) - Photo credit: Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Science Alert website and multiple other news sources are reporting that an 11 year old boy born with congenital deafness is now able to hear, thanks to new gene therapy. The boy's deafness was caused by a defective gene for - [Conservation groups sue Air Force to protect wilderness](https://quietcoalition.org/conservations-groups-sue-air-force-to-protect-wilderness/) - Photo credit: NASA/NASA Image and Video Library by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Military.com reports that conservation groups in Oregon, Nevada and Idaho are suing the U.S. Air Force to ban low-altitude F-15 flights over the Owyhee Wilderness Area. The conservation groups argue that the Air Force's decision to "intensify" F-15 trainings in - [An excellent review of noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/an-excellent-review-of-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Denniz Futalan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most common type of hearing loss in the United States. NIHL affects about 25% of American adults age 20-69, most without significant occupational noise exposure, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NIHL is also the only - [Flying airplanes lower may help climate change](https://quietcoalition.org/flying-airplanes-lower-may-help-climate-change/) - Photo credit: Ömer Aydın by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A recent report from CBS News discusses research showing that airplanes can reduce contrails* by flying lower. Some research indicates that contrails, the white plumes following high-flying jets, may account for as much as 35% of the aviation industry’s climate impact. Flying a - [Measuring noise at the bedroom window](https://quietcoalition.org/measuring-noise-at-the-bedroom-window/) - Photo credit: Scott Webb by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition At the recent webinar, Sounding the Alarm on Noise - NYC meets TO, all attendees agreed that the hour passed much too quickly. Hosted by No More Noise Toronto founder Ingrid Buday, the Jan. 4 webinar highlighted efforts to strengthen noise reporting bylaws - [Elon Musk thinks flying cars are dumb](https://quietcoalition.org/elon-musk-thinks-flying-cars-are-dumb/) - Cult classic film "Back to the Future" features a flying, time-traveling car. Photo credit: Rebecca Roth/NASA Image and Video Library by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The SupercarBlondie automotive entertainment website reports that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, thinks flying cars are a dumb idea. But he's not the only big name - [Contrail studies need to look at noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/contrail-studies-need-to-look-at-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Anton Kudryashov by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While some people are familiar with the cloudy white lines that follow planes, I don’t know if everyone knows the name of these ephemeral slashes across the sky. They are called condensation - [More on the new tinnitus treatment](https://quietcoalition.org/more-on-the-new-tinnitus-treatment/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Tinnitus, commonly called ringing in the ears, is technically the perception of sound when there is no external sound stimulus. Tinnitus can be perceived as a high-pitched whistling sound, but also as clicks or other noises. It can be quite annoying to have constant - [Op-ed spurs noise pollution debate](https://quietcoalition.org/op-ed-spurs-noise-pollution-debate/) - Photo credit: Daniel Frank by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Our blog readers might not be surprised by this Jersey City Times op-ed that speaks to the lack of enforcement of noise bylaws. In this op-ed, Jersey City resident Michael De Gruccio - [Snoring loudly can be life-threatening](https://quietcoalition.org/snoring-loudly-can-be-life-threatening/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition often associated with obesity. Sleep apnea comes with life-threatening cardiac and respiratory health effects, including increased mortality. It can also be life-threatening if you snore so loudly that it bothers your neighbor. One - [How quiet is NASA's new supersonic jet?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-quiet-is-nasas-new-supersonic-jet/) - The X-59 team working on the aircraft’s wiring around the engine inlet prior to the engine being installed. Photo credit: Garry Tice/NASA by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN recently reported on NASA’s new X-59 supersonic jet. Reporter Jacopo Prisco noted that very few people have ever heard a sonic boom, except for - [Reduced hours for NYC's tourist helicopter tours](https://quietcoalition.org/reduced-hours-for-nycs-tourist-helicopter-tours/) - Photo credit: Chait Goli by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Stop the Chop NY/NJ, a nonprofit working to ban all nonessential helicopter flights over New York City, the New York metropolitan area and New Jersey, has reported an exciting victory at the - [Quiet Communities featured in Hearing Health Magazine](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-communities-featured-in-hearing-health-magazine/) - Photo credit: Bayu jefri by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition and its parent organization Quiet Communities, Inc. are in the current issue of Hearing Health Magazine, published by the Hearing Health Foundation. On page 14, Quiet Communities Executive Director Tricia Glass discusses QCI’s current activities. On pages 20 and 21, - [The sound of injustice](https://quietcoalition.org/the-sound-of-injustice/) - Photo credit: Lucas Pezeta by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Acoustic ecologists at Colorado State University published a study in which they found that there is greater urban noise in redlined or marginalized communities. This article on EurekaAlert lets readers know that - [Arline Bronzaft's vision for a sociable city](https://quietcoalition.org/arline-bronzafts-vision-for-a-sociable-city/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I just listened to a wonderful Sociable City interview on urban noise with my colleague and friend Arline Bronzaft. Arline's interview is titled: "Bringing Logical Solutions to Sound Conflicts in Nightlife." Sociable City is maintained by the Responsible Hospitality Institute, a nonprofit organization that helps communities - [Short-term renters in Los Angeles disturb locals](https://quietcoalition.org/short-term-renters-in-los-angeles-disturb-locals/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As the number short-term rentals has increased in Los Angeles County, residents in a number of unincorporated areas of Los Angeles have grown, and these transient visitors are not always great - [Upcoming noise symposium in California](https://quietcoalition.org/upcoming-noise-symposium-in-california/) - Photo credit: Arlen, licensed under CC BY 2.0 DEED by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The final program has been announced for the annual UC Davis Aviation Noise & Emissions Symposium. In 2024, the symposium will take place in Palm Springs, California from March 4-6. According to the website, the event is dedicated - [Dementia risk linked to speech-in-noise difficulty](https://quietcoalition.org/dementia-risk-linked-to-speech-in-noise-difficulty/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Science Alert website recently reported on research published in 2021 the shows a correlation between speech-in-noise difficulty and risk for developing dementia. Speech-in-noise difficulty is a common problem in middle-aged to older people. They can understand speech just fine in a quiet room, - [Martin Luther King Jr. Day](https://quietcoalition.org/martin-luther-king-jr-day/) - Photo credit: Wilson Rodriguez Hope you can spend the day in quiet contemplation. - [Hearing aids reduce mortality](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-aids-reduce-mortality/) - Photo credit: PxHere, licensed under CC0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A recent study in The Lancet shows that people with hearing loss who used hearing aids had dramatically reduced mortality. This research is now getting a wealth of media attention. National news agencies like NPR covered it, as did CNN. For - [The rich tapestry of earthly sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/the-rich-tapestry-of-earthly-sounds/) - Photo credit: Luis del Río by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Science journalist Dan Falk published a nice review of Caspar Henderson’s new book, "A Book of Noises: Notes on the Auraculous," in the nonprofit digital magazine, UNDARK. I couldn’t find the word "auraculous" in any online dictionaries, but eventually found it on - [If you're bothered by pickleball noise...](https://quietcoalition.org/if-youre-bothered-by-pickleball-noise/) - Photo credit: Lindsey Flynn by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition There are a lot of noise problems in the world, like noise at sports events and rock concerts, transportation noise from vehicles, trains and aircraft, occupational noise exposure and now, pickleball noise. I am fortunate to live far away from my city’s pickleball - [New Orleans neighborhood confronts highway's toxic legacy](https://quietcoalition.org/new-orleans-neighborhood-confronts-highways-toxic-legacy/) - Photo credit: Kendall Hoopes by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition NPR Shots, the news organization's landing page for health stories, recently reported that the New Orleans Treme neighborhood is confronting what reporter Drew Hawkins calls a "racist legacy" of a toxic stretch of highway that runs through the neighborhood. The I-10 Claiborne Expressway - [Noise disrupts sleep, and that’s bad for health](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-disrupts-sleep-and-thats-bad-for-health/) - Photo credit: Ivan Oboleninov by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In a recently-published editorial, Mathias Basner, one of the world’s leading experts on the effects of noise on sleep, discusses how noise disrupting sleep leads to long-term health consequences. As Basner notes, it has long been known that environmental noise exposure is associated - [How blind people process the sound of movement](https://quietcoalition.org/how-blind-people-process-the-sound-of-movement/) - Photo credit: Yan Krukau by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This fascinating report on The Conversation website by two researchers at the University of Washington discusses their recent research that studies how blind people process the sound of movement. Professor Ione Fine and research scientist Woon Ju Park became curious about this question - [Noisy holiday toys are no gift to a child's hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-holiday-toys-are-no-gift-to-a-childs-hearing/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition US News and World Report correctly informs readers that noisy holiday toys are no gift to a child’s hearing. Reporter Dennis Thompson covers a news release from the American Academy of Audiology in which the Academy's president Bopanna Ballachanda warns parents to check - [Shipping noise interrupts whales' communication](https://quietcoalition.org/shipping-noise-interrupts-whales-communication/) - Photo credit: Artem Podrez by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Over 40 years ago, I conducted two studies that examined the impacts of train noise on children’s reading scores when they attended school near elevated train tracks. That research revealed that train - [New York Times offers teaching tools for noise lesson](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-times-offers-teaching-tools-for-noise-lesson/) - Photo credit: Agung Pandit Wiguna by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times offers teachers free lesson planning information on its site, The Learning Network. The site offers resources, strategies and ideas for teaching. On Dec. 11, reporter Jeremy Engle wrote a lesson plan titled, "Noise Could Take Years Off Your - [New York City approves bills meant to decrease noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-approves-bills-meant-to-decrease-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Alex Azabache by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The New York City Council has introduced four new policies, under the Stop the Noise Act, to address the city’s growing number of noise complaints. Noise complaints to 311, the city's non-emergency - [Happy New Year](https://quietcoalition.org/happy-new-year/) - Photo credit: Mikhail Nilov Quiet Communities wishes you a quiet and peaceful new year. - [Quiet Coalition's Arline Bronzaft interviewed for the New York Times](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-coalitions-arline-bronzaft-interviewed-for-the-new-york-times/) - Photo credit: Susan Santoro by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft was mentioned in a recent article in The New York Times about noise and noise cameras in New York City. The story appeared in both the Metropolitan and national editions of the newspaper, in both print as well - [Bay Area legislators seek action from the FAA](https://quietcoalition.org/bay-area-legislators-seek-action-from-the-faa/) - Photo credit: Tae Fuller by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This article by San Francisco Chronicle reporter Jordan Parker informs us that five congressional representatives from California have introduced bills that will require the Federal Aviation Administration to be more responsive to - [Tinnitus could be the brain's way of coping with nerve damage](https://quietcoalition.org/tinnitus-could-be-the-brains-way-of-coping-with-nerve-damage/) - Photo credit: Buro Millennial by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from Science Alert discusses research that auditory damage is linked to tinnitus. Reporter Jess Cockerill writes that tinnitus could be the brain’s way of coping with nerve damage by keeping auditory processing circuits busy to compensate for a loss or absence - [Welsh government passes air and noise pollution bill](https://quietcoalition.org/welsh-government-passes-air-and-noise-pollution-bill/) - Photo credit: Lisa Fotios by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The number of studies that link noise to adverse health effects have been increasing the past few years. Concurrently, cities and towns around the world have recognized the link between noise and - [Happy Holiday](https://quietcoalition.org/wishing-you-a-peaceful-holiday/) - Photo credit: Mikhail Nilov Quiet Communities wishes you a quiet and peaceful holiday. - [Loud noise is damaging our ears](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-noise-is-damaging-our-ears/) - Photo credit: Afta Putta Gunawan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from an Oklahoma television station emphasizes that excessive noise exposure that causes hearing loss and tinnitus is a serious problem in that state. But it’s actually a problem in every state, and around the world. The World Health Organization estimates - [Loss of auditory fibers discovered in individuals with tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/loss-of-auditory-fibers-discovered-in-individuals-with-tinnitus/) - Photo credit: Hasan Albari by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Eureka Reports, the online news publication of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science, reported that researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary discovered a loss of auditory fibers in individuals with tinnitus. Here is another link to the article in Scientific - [Australian police fine noisy motorists](https://quietcoalition.org/australian-police-fine-noisy-motorists/) - Photo credit: Levent Simsek by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Authorities in Victoria, Australia, are concerned about the impact of noise on our well-being. To this end, they have set up a program, HADES-2023, to identify excessively loud vehicles. Once identified, the - ["Eerie hum" from Virginia data centers keeps locals up at night](https://quietcoalition.org/eerie-hum-from-virginia-data-centers-keeps-locals-up-at-night/) - Photo credit: Robert Scoble, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Loudon County, Virginia can now boast that it has 175 data centers that bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue. However, they also bring - [Urban noise pollution harms people and wildlife](https://quietcoalition.org/urban-noise-pollution-harms-people-and-wildlife/) - Photo credit: Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies New research from Colorado State University links urban noise pollution to the historical practice of racial discrimination. CSU researchers learned that neighborhoods that receive lower grades for investments in their homes - [Estrogen may help protect against hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/estrogen-may-help-protect-against-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Fox by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Research out of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania shows that estrogen may help protect against hearing loss. Here’s a link to the research article for those who want to read it. It has long been known that women have better hearing than men. Historically - [Research shows that oceans will be five times louder in 2100](https://quietcoalition.org/research-shows-that-oceans-will-be-five-times-louder-in-2100/) - Photo credit: Jeremy Bishop by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Here is another study that not only highlights how noisy the oceans are now but also predicts that they will be far louder by the year 2100. This study was headed up by - [Mass shooting in Maine affects deaf community](https://quietcoalition.org/mass-shooting-in-maine-affects-deaf-community/) - The downtown area of Lewiston, Maine. Photo credit: Kenneth C. Zirkel, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine on Oct. 25 left 18 people dead, and had a disproportionate effect on Maine’s Deaf* community. CBS News reported that four of the 18 - [The real costs of road traffic](https://quietcoalition.org/the-real-costs-of-road-traffic/) - Photo credit: Alex Pham by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In an article on The Atlantic’s "Work in Progress" series, writer Annie Lowery advises readers, "don't to drive into Manhattan." In her discussion of coming congestion pricing for motorists wanting to drive into the lower half of Manhattan, she quotes environmental activist and transit - [Dutch government scraps plans to reduce flights from Schiphol Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/dutch-government-scraps-plans-to-reduce-flights-from-schiphol-airport/) - Photo credit: Daniele Napolitano, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In an earlier post, I informed readers that Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, one of Europe's busiest aviation centers, was going to cut back on the number - [Hearing aids may cut the risk of falls](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-aids-may-cut-the-risk-of-falls/) - Photo credit: KAYYY B by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to a recent report on NPR, wearing hearing aids may cut the risk of falls. It has been known for some time that falls are associated with hearing loss for older adults. The explanations for this statistical association might be loss of - [Not only is it official, it's constitutional](https://quietcoalition.org/draft-11/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I had written before about the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise adopting the new definition of noise for its use, but now it’s constitutional. What do I mean? Not the U.S. Constitution, but I was notified by an ICBEN leader that the new noise definition - [I'm not screaming into the void anymore](https://quietcoalition.org/im-not-screaming-into-the-void-anymore/) - Photo credit: Ron Lach by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The headline of a November 18 opinion piece in The New York Times was "I’m a Climate Scientist. I’m Not Screaming Into the Void Anymore." Climate scientist Kate Marvel, at the environmental nonprofit Project Drawdown, was a lead author on the recently released - [A decibel detox would benefit everyone](https://quietcoalition.org/a-decibel-detox-would-benefit-everyone/) - Photo credit: Wavy_ revolution by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In an Autoevolution article, author Florin Amariel describes the evolution of the car horn, combining a comical recounting of early efforts with a strong warning of the health impacts of noise exposure as he details horn misuse in worldwide markets. The horn is - [Urban noise burden worse in lower-income neighborhoods](https://quietcoalition.org/urban-noise-burden-worse-in-lower-income-neighborhoods/) - Photo credit: Max Bender by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com, calls our attention to a comprehensive study that links urban noise pollution to the “historical practice of racial discrimination.” The study, conducted by Colorado State University researchers, reveals that - [The distress caused by noisy neighbors](https://quietcoalition.org/the-distress-caused-by-noisy-neighbors/) - Photo credit: Reynaldo #brigworkz Brigantty by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As the member of the GrowNYC Board of Directors who responds to New York City noise complaints, city residents often reach out to me for help dealing with their noisy neighbors. - [Electric planes take to the skies](https://quietcoalition.org/electric-planes-take-to-the-skies/) - Photo credit: Benjamin Suter by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies, and Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The lead story in the business section of The New York Times on November 8 highlighted that battery-powered aircraft will bring forth a “new - [Theme announced for World Hearing Day 2024](https://quietcoalition.org/theme-announced-for-world-hearing-day-2024/) - Photo credit: Belle Co by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The World Health Organization announced its theme for World Hearing Day 2024: Changing mindsets: Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all. The agency states that the annual event will: Counter common misperceptions and stigmatizing mindsets related to ear and hearing - [Have a peaceful Thanksgiving](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-peaceful-thanksgiving-2/) - Photo credit: Magda Ehlers Have a quiet and restful holiday. We will be back on Monday, November 27. - [Amazon drone delivery begins](https://quietcoalition.org/amazon-drone-delivery-begins/) - Photo credit: Daniel Reche by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In an article titled "Look, Up In the Sky. It’s a Can of Soup," The New York Times reports on what it calls Amazon’s "much-hyped" drone delivery project. As the subhead states, Amazon is now dropping small objects on driveways. As reporter David - [Hospitals can be made quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/hospitals-can-be-made-quieter/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This BBC report informs us that hospitals can become quieter. Anyone who has been in a hospital–and I have spent decades working in them–knows that despite signs - [Wishing you a peaceful July 4th](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-peaceful-july-4th/) - Photo credit: Designecologist Hope you and yours have a relaxing and restful holiday. - [Experts Warn Popping Balloons Can Lead To Permanent Hearing Loss](https://quietcoalition.org/experts-warn-popping-balloons-can-lead-permanent-hearing-loss/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]Arrianne Del Rosario, Tech Times, writes about an experiment conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta “to find out how noise from bursting balloons can impact hearing,” and the results - [Don't let unsafe use of tech and toys ruin your children's hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/dont-let-unsafe-use-of-tech-and-toys-ruin-your-childrens-hearing/) - Photo credit: Dark Dwarf licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Don’t let unsafe use of tech and toys ruin your children’s hearing. That’s the message the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is sending to parents. This article from a New Jersey radio station features ASHA’s associate director, audiologist Paul Farrell, who - [Are we deafening our children?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-we-deafening-our-children/) - Photo credit: M Pincus licesned under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This review of headphones designed for toddlers and children states that the headphones have “a toddler-safe 75 decibel maximum, a hearing-health friendly 85 decibel maximum, and a louder 94 decibel maximum in-flight mode.” The reviewer goes on to - [Warning! Loud toys can cause hearing system damage](https://quietcoalition.org/warning-loud-toys-can-cause-hearing-system-damage/) - Photo credit: Tom Magliery licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition The Sight and Hearing Association has published its annual 2021 Noisy Toys List. As an audiologist and parent, I wouldn’t buy or gift any toy on the list. In my opinion, they are all too loud for - [Growing momentum towards quieter, cleaner land care](https://quietcoalition.org/growing-momentum-towards-quieter-cleaner-land-care/) - Photo credit: Jamie Banks by Jamie Banks, MSc, PhD, President, Quiet Communities Inc. The pressure to limit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers is growing. Recently, Montgomery County, Maryland passed legislation to phase out the sale of use of gas-powered blowers. An updated report on national emissions from gas lawn and garden equipment was released - [Restaurant noise is still a problem in New York City](https://quietcoalition.org/restaurant-noise-is-still-a-problem-in-new-york-city/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition New York Post writer Steve Cuozzo recently reported on restaurant noise in New York City, claiming that restaurants are now "noisier than ever." From published reports, we know restaurants in Manhattan are noisy, but I don’t know if they are noisier now than - [American Academy of Pediatrics issues statement on noise and children](https://quietcoalition.org/american-academy-of-pediatrics-issues-statement-on-noise-and-children/) - Photo credit: Naomi Shi by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On Oct. 21, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional organization of our nation’s physicians who care for children, issued a policy statement titled "Preventing Excessive Noise Exposure in Infants, Children, and Adolescents." The AAP has long been concerned about children and sun exposure, having - [An update on over-the-counter hearing aids](https://quietcoalition.org/an-update-on-over-the-counter-hearing-aids/) - Photo credit: Anna Tarazevich by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times recently reported on the current status of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, which have now been available for a year. The Times article may be behind a paywall, so I’ll summarize what health reporter Paula Span wrote. First, the OTC hearing aid - [The neurological secrets behind hearing in noisy surroundings](https://quietcoalition.org/the-neurological-secrets-behind-hearing-in-noisy-surroundings/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Scitech Daily reported on what it calls the "neurological secrets" behind hearing in noisy surroundings. It’s difficult for many mid-life and older people to follow one conversation among many in a noisy environment, like in a busy restaurant. This difficulty is called the “speech-in-noise” - [A Swiss village fights to keep its cow bells](https://quietcoalition.org/a-swiss-village-fights-to-keep-its-cow-bells/) - Photo credit: Helena Lopes by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This BBC article covers one Swiss village's struggle with the ongoing sound of cowbells, perceived by most outsiders as a pleasant part of any pastoral environment. Writer Imogen Foulkes notes that we - [Blast injuries rattle gunners’ brains](https://quietcoalition.org/blast-injuries-rattle-gunners-brains/) - Photo credit: Department of Defense by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times recently reported on brain damage to Marine and Army artillery gunners who fired M777A2 howitzers. These 35-foot-long guns are considered the military’s most sophisticated cannons. The howitzers were fired almost continuously for several weeks against ISIS fighters in - [Parents Magazine writes about noise and children](https://quietcoalition.org/parents-magazine-writes-about-noise-and-children/) - Photo credit: August de Richelieu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Parents Magazine, a venerable publication established in 1926, recently covered the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new policy statement on noise and children. As reporter Melissa Willets notes, parents try to protect their children from hazards such as secondhand smoke and sunburns, but - [Chicago Bears quarterback prepares for noisy stadium](https://quietcoalition.org/chicago-bears-quarterback-prepares-for-noisy-stadium/) - Photo credit: 416th Theater Engineer Command Army Reserve, licensed by PDM 1.0 DEED by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Sports Illustrated reported on Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent’s preparation for a game in the New Orleans Superdome, one of the three noisiest football stadiums in the National Football League. Bagent played college football - [Montreal suburb must compensate residents for excessive noise](https://quietcoalition.org/montreal-suburb-must-compensate-residents-for-excessive-noise/) - Photo credit: Céline Chamiot-Poncet by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies A Superior Court judge in Quebec ruled that residents of a Montreal suburb, Brossard, will be compensated for years of excessive traffic noise. Should I repeat this a second time? Yes, residents - [Festive sounds can damage your hearing health](https://quietcoalition.org/festive-sounds-can-damage-your-hearing-health/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Forbes Magazine recently reported on festive sounds that can damage your hearing health. It’s worth noting that I prefer the term auditory health, which includes not only noise-induced hearing loss but also tinnitus and hyperacusis. As reporter Robby Brumberg writes, “just one brief - [Chicago considers cracking down on noisy cars](https://quietcoalition.org/chicago-considers-cracking-down-on-noisy-cars/) - Photo credit: Chait Goli by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It seems that noise cameras are catching on. More cities are setting up pilot programs to determine whether these cameras will result in tickets issued for loud mufflers and, hopefully, reduce this - [EV sales are soaring](https://quietcoalition.org/ev-sales-are-soaring/) - [et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text]Photo credit: Kindel Media by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Brian Stewart from Electrify Now, a website that provides information on electrification of homes, businesses and cars, reports that electric vehicle (EV) sales are soaring in the United States. In 2022, EV sales exceeded 7.5% of total passenger vehicle sales. In California, where I - [Will noise cameras protect all New Yorkers?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-noise-cameras-protect-all-new-yorkers/) - Photo credit: Kelly by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As the New York City Council debates extending its pilot project of installing noise cameras to detect loud vehicles and issue violations to drivers, some are concerned that this technology may punish people of - [Bias and humility](https://quietcoalition.org/bias-and-humility/) - Photo credit: Keith Wako by John Drinkwater, JD, MBA, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The Hearing Journal just released my article “The Other Side of Disability Access,” which expands on the issues covered in my recent blog of the same title. The article covers the aspirational goals of a society challenged with explicit and implicit bias. Under - [Hidden hearing loss is real. Here's what you need to know](https://quietcoalition.org/hidden-hearing-loss-is-real-heres-what-you-need-to-know/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition ABC 7 news in Los Angeles recently covered the topic of hidden hearing loss. I was thrilled to see this, as most members of the public, even many primary care physicians, don’t know about hidden hearing loss. What is hidden hearing loss? It - [Lonely roads are quiet roads](https://quietcoalition.org/lonely-roads-are-quiet-roads/) - Photo credit: Hüsna Kefelioğlu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On the Atlas Obscura website, reporter Frank Jacobs details the loneliest road in every state in America. According to Jacobs, telematics specialists at Geotab obtained data from the United States Federal Highway Performance Monitoring System to find each state’s route with the lowest - [Aerial "stalker" banned from flying](https://quietcoalition.org/aerial-stalker-banned-from-flying/) - Photo credit: Alexandra May by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The Quiet Coalition blog has cited many articles that deal with the adverse effects of aircraft noise on the mental and physical health of millions of residents worldwide who are exposed to overhead - [Using a car alarm for personal safety and home security](https://quietcoalition.org/using-a-car-alarm-for-personal-safety-and-home-security/) - Photo credit: Julia Avamotive by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In a recent article about creative ways to use a vehicle key fob, Readers Digest recommended using a car’s panic alarm to enhance personal safety in isolated places, and to scare burglars away while at home. The publication suggests that if a parking garage - [New Yorkers push to lower the volume at local stadium](https://quietcoalition.org/new-yorkers-push-to-lower-volume-at-local-stadium/) - Photo credit: Ed, licensed under CC BY 2.0 DEED by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York has been a presence in the community for the past 100 years, and for a number of years, it has - [October is National Protect Your Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/october-is-national-protect-your-hearing-month-4/) - Photo credit: jonas mohamadi by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Kentucky's State-Journal reminds us that October is National Protect Your Hearing Month. As the article notes, hearing is an under-appreciated sense but hearing loss is quite common among both adults and children. There are many causes of hearing loss. Middle ear infections are a common - [Tinnitus wearable offers bimodal therapy](https://quietcoalition.org/tinnitus-wearable-offers-bimodal-therapy/) - Photo credit: Ixocactus licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition A California-based tech company, led by Stanford neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman, has introduced a wearable bimodal therapy approach for tinnitus that combines sound with sensory stimulation. The Neurosensory Duo is a device worn on a wristband that is - [Do we have a right to live in a quiet community?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-we-have-a-right-to-live-in-a-quiet-community/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.19.4″] by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Do people have a right to live in a quiet community? Trevor Hancock, of the Times Colonist, thinks so, and so do I. Hancock’s article discusses community noise, and highlights The Quiet Coalition’s Antonella Radicchi, - [Bloomberg says restaurant noise means NYC is 'back'](https://quietcoalition.org/bloomberg-says-restaurant-noise-means-nyc-is-back/) - Photo credit: Following NYC by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This article on Grub Street, an online food blog by New York Magazine, portrays former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as someone who is pleased with the loud sounds in restaurants. - [Could common dietary supplements fight hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/could-common-dietary-supplements-fight-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Polina Tankilevitch by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Could common dietary supplements fight hearing loss? That’s the question raised in a report on the SciTech Daily site, discussing an article in PLOS Biology. The research, done by scientists in Argentina, found that cholesterol levels in the inner ear were reduced with - [What Is a Safe Noise Level for the Public, Redux?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-a-safe-noise-level-for-the-public-redux/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s Chair, Dr. Daniel Fink, was invited to write a blog post for the American Public Health Association, expanding material covered in his January 2017 editorial in the Americal Journal of Public Health titled, “What - [April 26 is International Noise Awareness Day](https://quietcoalition.org/april-26-is-international-noise-awareness-day/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] April 26 marks the 22nd annual celebration of “International Noise Awareness Day,” an event born in the U.S. that has grown into an international occasion. Congratulations to the event’s founder, Nancy Nadler, for her pioneering work and to other Americans who have long contributed - [Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page loses planning complaint](https://quietcoalition.org/led-zeppelin-guitarist-jimmy-page-loses-planning-complaint/) - Photo credit: avda-foto licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies One of the most common complaints to 311 in New York City is neighbor noise and this complaint seems to be a common one worldwide. Thus, it was not - [An innovative approach to managing nightlife](https://quietcoalition.org/an-innovative-approach-to-managing-nightlife/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.60″] Photo credit: amsterdamredlight Gregory Scruggs, Citiscope.org, writes about how Amsterdam deals with being one of Europe’s top nightlife capitals. Scruggs reports that Amsterdam found an innovative solution to managing nightlife by creating the position of night mayor. Specifically, in 2012, - [U.S. adult cigarette smoking rate hits new all-time low](https://quietcoalition.org/u-s-adult-cigarette-smoking-rate-hits-new-all-time-low/) - Photo credit: Markus Winkler by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Associated Press and other media recently covered the CDC’s report that the U.S. adult cigarette smoking rate hit a new all-time low of only 11%. That’s a decrease from 42% in the mid-1960s. Why am I writing about cigarette smoking in a - [Composer Antonin Dvorak was inspired by quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/composer-antonin-dvorak-was-inspired-by-quiet/) - Photo credit: Internet Archive Book Images, licensed under Flickr Commons by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I like classical music. I’ve attended concerts since I was a child, and continue to do so. In the car, I listen either to the news on NPR or to Los Angeles’ classical music station, KUSC. The - [Amsterdam's airport proposes banning night flights, private jets to cut noise](https://quietcoalition.org/amsterdams-airport-proposes-banning-night-flights-private-jets-to-cut-noise/) - Photo credit: Shirley de Jong licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I am often asked by people impacted by aircraft noise when their local airport will realize that noise from the overhead aircraft is hazardous to their health. I - [How to deal with noise pollution in Cork City, Ireland](https://quietcoalition.org/how-to-deal-with-noise-pollution-in-cork-city-ireland/) - Photo credit: Douglas Pfeiffer Cardoso licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies John Beausang and Yvonne Rayne, Cork City’s Citizens Information Managers, write that peace and quiet are essential to our health and well-being and individuals affected by neighborhood - [Audiologists warn public about summer activities](https://quietcoalition.org/audiologists-warn-public-about-summer-activities/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.50″] Photo credit: Lars Plougmann licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Why the warning? Because some summer activities could cause exposure to hazardous noise levels. Stefanie Valentic, EHSToday, writes that “Ball State University audiologists are warning people to use hearing protection - [NPR's unsound advice — 85 decibels is not safe](https://quietcoalition.org/nprs-unsound-advice-85-decibels-is-not-safe/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I’m a big fan of NPR. I usually listen to "All Things Considered" and a few other programs if I’m in the car and I think these programs are among the best on the radio. But in this new report on "All Things - [On the potential stress caused by flying cars](https://quietcoalition.org/on-the-potential-stress-caused-by-flying-cars/) - Photo credit: Eslivb licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It was indeed interesting to read that Professor Susumu Hara of Nagoya University in Japan thought it worthwhile to conduct an experiment that would explore potential stress levels - [Finding your quiet space](https://quietcoalition.org/finding-your-quiet-space/) - Photo credit: Anthony by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Finding Your Quiet Space is the title of this episode of CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, MD’s, podcast, Chasing Life. In it, Dr. Gupta interviews pioneering acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton and his associate, quiet activist Vikram Chauhan. Quiet is important for concentration, for happiness, - [Study identifies potential therapeutic targets to prevent antibiotic-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/study-identifies-potential-therapeutic-targets-to-prevent-antibiotic-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Chokniti Khongchum by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on the Medical News website discusses research at Indiana University aiming to find targets to prevent hearing loss caused by antibiotics. The particular antibiotic class being studied is called aminoglycosides, with the best known of these being one called gentamicin. As - ["Sonic Sea" screening](https://quietcoalition.org/sonic-sea-screening/) - Image courtesy of Sound Defense Alliance by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Readers of The Quiet Coalition posts know that noise does not just harm humans--research has shown that noise is harmful to animals and plants as well. The literature on the - [The Quiet Coalition's "Dear Abby" gives advice on noise problems](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-coalitions-dear-abby-gives-advice-on-noise-problems/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition No, The Quiet Coalition doesn’t really have an advice columnist named Dear Abby, but it does have pioneering noise researcher and activist Arline Bronzaft, PhD, Professor Emerita at the City University of New York and honoree of the American Psychological Association. In the - [Florida's new loud music law](https://quietcoalition.org/floridas-new-loud-music-law/) - Photo credit: Nazly Ahmed licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Lately, more cities and states across the United States are introducing legislation to curb loud sounds that intrude on the lives and well-being of its residents. One - [Upcoming webinar on capping flight numbers at airports](https://quietcoalition.org/upcoming-webinar-on-capping-flight-numbers-at-airports/) - Photo credit: Tom Fisk by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Years before I was a co-author of the book “Why Noise Matters,” of which John Stewart is the lead author, I had worked with John on the noise issue, especially aircraft noise. - [Tired of jets flying over your neighborhood? Here’s what FAA is (not) doing to help you](https://quietcoalition.org/tired-of-jets-flying-over-your-neighborhood-heres-what-faa-is-not-doing-to-help-you/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.53″] By David Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition You may already know about the movement in Congress to address the problem of aircraft noise. A specific congressional caucus, The Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus, was formed to encourage the Federal Aviation - [New Yorkers suffer from excessive noise](https://quietcoalition.org/new-yorkers-suffer-from-excessive-noise/) - Photo credit: Craig Adderley by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to this report on Spectrum NY1 cable television channel, New Yorkers suffer from excessive noise. Is anyone surprised? The “city that never sleeps” has long been one of the noisiest cities in the world, maybe the noisiest, although as best as I - [The power of sound](https://quietcoalition.org/the-power-of-sound/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Sound is powerful. When focused, it can destroy tumors. Sound can entertain us, but it can also annoy us. It can cause noise-induced hearing loss, and also has non-auditory health effects. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses the impact of sound with Northwestern University’s Professor - [Electric passenger aircraft promotes quieter design](https://quietcoalition.org/electric-passenger-aircraft-promotes-quieter-design/) - Photo credit: Joby Aviation by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to Aerospace America and the manufacturer, a prototype electric passenger aircraft, the Joby S4, produced low sound levels in its own and in NASA sound measurement tests. The report states, "Joby says its piloted five-seat eVTOL aircraft will carry four passengers at - [In memory of Bryan Pollard, founder, Hyperacusis Research, Ltd.](https://quietcoalition.org/in-memory-of-bryan-pollard-founder-hyperacusis-research-ltd/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We were saddened to learn of the untimely death of Bryan Pollard, founder and president of Hyperacusis Research, Ltd., and a co-founder of The Quiet Coalition. Bryan and I served together on the board of the American Tinnitus Association from 2015 to 2018. His background as an - [Taking a short break](https://quietcoalition.org/taking-a-short-break/) - Photo credit: Frank Cone See you on Monday, October 31st. Hope you have a peaceful and quiet week. - [The Quiet Coalition's "Dear Abby" records another podcast about noise](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-coalitions-dear-abby-records-another-podcast-about-noise/) - Photo credit: SHVETS production by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In a previous blog post, I wrote about The Quiet Coalition’s “Dear Abby,” noise expert Arline Bronzaft, PhD, who had recorded a noise advice podcast for the Soundproofist website. Dr. Bronzaft’s first podcast was about neighbor noise. Her second one is now posted, - [Study says BWI airport flight patterns negatively affect human health](https://quietcoalition.org/study-says-bwi-airport-flight-patterns-negatively-affect-human-health/) - Photo credit: Isabella Mendes by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies For years now we have had studies that have linked aircraft noise to adverse health effects, including cardiovascular disorders, that result in increased risks for hospitalization. In both my writings and lectures, - [Judge rejects Navy's environmental review that ignored noise](https://quietcoalition.org/judge-rejects-navys-environmental-review-that-ignored-noise/) - Photo credit: AvgeekJoe licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Earlier this month, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the Navy violated federal law by failing to conduct a study that would adequately assess the noise impacts - [New York City resident issues noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-resident-issues-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: Lukas Kloeppel by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I wonder how many of our readers are aware that citizens in New York City can register complaints against noisy restaurants and bars, which can result in summonses issued to these establishments. This - [Perspective: Being Hear](https://quietcoalition.org/perspective-being-hear/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.60″] Photo credit: Michael Gäbler licensed under CC BY 3.0 Watch this excerpt from the new film “Being Hear,” about sound recordist and ecologist Gordon Hempton. The film, “[a]t once a profile, a guided meditation and a call to action,” follows Hempton - [Do we need a sky filled with delivery drones?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-we-need-a-sky-filled-with-delivery-drones/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As Honorary Chair of Quiet American Skies, a program of Quiet Communities, I am familiar with the aircraft and helicopter noise complaints of residents across the country and can more than underscore the statement in Katherine - [Project NoiseMaker targets loud vehicles](https://quietcoalition.org/project-noisemaker-targets-loud-vehicles/) - Photo credit: Michael Burns licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist Police in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, are targeting loud vehicles with Project NoiseMaker. The project was launched in 2020 to crack down on excessive vehicle noise from illegally modified exhaust and emission systems or mufflers. Fines range up - [Adventures and revelations from getting hearing aids](https://quietcoalition.org/adventures-and-revelations-from-getting-hearing-aids/) - Photo credit: Chona Kasinger for Disabled and Here, licensed by CC BY 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our noise colleague Yishane Lee at Hearing Health Foundation was kind enough to let me know about this blog post and gave me permission to write about it. Like author Helen Garrett, I have - [Noise pollution in France costs €156 billions annually](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-in-france-costs-e156-billions-annually/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Joanna York, Connexion France, reports that noise pollution in France costs €156 billion annually. York reviewed a study done by the France’s Conseil National de Bruit (National Noise Council) and l’Agence de l La Transition e Ecologique (Ecological Transition Agency). Noise pollution affects 25 million people in - [Musical expertise helps make older adults better listeners](https://quietcoalition.org/musical-expertise-helps-make-older-adults-better-listeners/) - Photo credit: Yuting Gao by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition EurekAlert! reports on a recent study in Science Advances by Chinese researchers that found long-term musical training could help mitigate and perhaps counteract speech-in-noise perception in older listeners. As EurekAlert! notes, the world’s population is aging with cognitive decline common as people age. - [The best kids' headphones of 2023?](https://quietcoalition.org/the-best-kids-headphones-of-2023/) - Photo credit: Polina Chistyakova by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition ZDNET posted this article about the best kids’ headphones of 2023. I added the question mark because I don’t think there are any good headphones for children, certainly not children as young as 2, for whom some of these headphones are recommended. Most - [First autism-certified water park opens](https://quietcoalition.org/first-autism-certified-water-park-opens/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.21.4″ z_index_tablet=”500″] Photo credit: simon17964 licensed under CC BY 2.0 by David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition We’ve reported on shopping centers and markets that host special quiet days where they turn down the noise so that people with autism can shop - [New Yorker writer worries about her ears--you should be worried, too](https://quietcoalition.org/new-yorker-writer-worries-about-her-ears-you-should-be-worried-too/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.106″] Photo credit: Scott Robinson licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition New Yorker staff writer Amanda Petrusich is worried about what noise is doing to her ears. She’s right to be worried. We all should be - [Will the nation's young be obese with hearing loss, too?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-the-nations-young-be-obese-with-hearing-loss-too/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″] Photo credit: Gavin Whitner licensed under CC by 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I recently read a report via AMA Wire citing a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that estimates 57% of today’s young people will be - [NYPD agrees to limit use of LRADs](https://quietcoalition.org/nypd-agrees-to-limit-use-of-lrads/) - Photo credit: http://www.peterbergin.com/coppermine/ licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In an earlier post, I had reported about a court ruling that allowed the plaintiffs in a New York City case, that asked to have long range acoustic devices considered “an excessive force,” to - [NYC's noise camera pilot program to expand](https://quietcoalition.org/nycs-noise-camera-pilot-program-to-expand/) - Photo credit: Craig Adderley by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has been conducting a pilot study that employs a noise camera to identify vehicles emitting sounds louder than allowed under city and state law. - [Electric planes may be here sooner than we think, but might do little for noise](https://quietcoalition.org/electric-planes-may-be-here-sooner-than-we-think-but-might-do-little-for-noise/) - Photo credit: Evia Aero licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by John Stewart, vice chair, European Union Against Aircraft Nuisance There is a lot of talk about electric planes. A report from the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK suggests some short-haul flights could be using electric aircraft by the early 2030s. However, the larger long-haul planes - [Noise pollution maps let us see our "dumb environments"](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-maps-let-us-see-our-dumb-environments/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies After starting out his article by noting that for people living in urban environment silence “is likely only possible with some assistance from noise-canceling headphones,” Michael d’Estries then quotes acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton - [The Quiet Coalition founders present at U.S. conferences too…](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-coalition-founders-present-at-u-s-conferences-too/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Photo credit: Tõnu Mauring By David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition Two of The Quiet Coalition’s (TQC) co-founders are spending time in Switzerland this year. Why? Because European and Asian scientists and policy makers lead on noise policy. But, despite nearly four - [SpaceX brings jobs--and noise--to small town Texas](https://quietcoalition.org/spacex-brings-jobs-and-noise-to-small-town-texas/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Over the many years I have been involved with trying to lower the decibel level in our world, and many of my writings have focused on the growing din in urban communities. However, with respect to the situations in which I - [NYC councilman says cops failed to take action against his noise complaint](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-councilman-says-cops-failed-to-take-action-against-his-noise-complaint/) - Photo credit: Jiarong Deng from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It is important to pass legislation to curb noise, but unless the legislation is enforced, the noise problems will continue and very likely worsen. Residents in New York City have - [What is noise pollution doing to us?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-noise-pollution-doing-to-us/) - Photo credit: Ingo Joseph by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The magazine Current Affairs just published Sophie Elliot’s article "What Noise Pollution is Doing to Us." Elliot summarizes a large body of research documenting the adverse effects of noise pollution, unwanted noise in everyday life, on hearing, anxiety, blood pressure, and quality of - [iBuds? Apple shows its hand in the “hearables” space](https://quietcoalition.org/ibuds-apple-shows-its-hand-in-the-hearables-space/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.72″] Photo credit: Bjorn Knetsch licensed under CC BY 2.0 By David Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition This recent piece by Steven Levy in Wired suggests what Apple (and others) are up to in the hearables market. Levy tells us - [Apple's patented in-ear sound level monitoring](https://quietcoalition.org/apples-patented-in-ear-sound-level-monitoring/) - Photo credit: Jess Bailey Designs from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Patently Apple has written about the technology behind Apple's newest patent for in-ear sound level monitoring, i.e., sound pressure level monitoring. Having a patent approved is a notable achievement, and we congratulate Apple on developing the new technology and the - [Add noise to quiet cars? What’s the point?](https://quietcoalition.org/add-noise-to-quiet-cars-whats-the-point/) - Photo credit: Mike from Pexels by David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition As Time Magazine notes, there’s frenzied excitement among electric vehicle manufacturers about branding their "signature sound." Think Ford Mustang, Porsche, and don’t forget Harley Davidson motorcycles. Customers pay good money for that distinctive roar and even for the luxurious “ka-chunk” sound - [Are quiet restaurants only for the rich?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-quiet-restaurants-only-for-the-rich/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.71″] Devra Ferst, Eater New York, seems to think so, as she writes that “[i]n some places, quiet is becoming a luxury amenity.” Ferst comes to this conclusion after speaking to acoustic engineering firms and a handful of restaurateurs, including Alex Stupak, - [Israel to ban noisy jumbo jets from Ben Gurion Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/israel-to-ban-noisy-jumbo-jets-from-ben-gurion-airport/) - Photo credit: albedo20 licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies An airport engaging in an activity to reduce noise and air pollution by banning four-engine civilian aircraft! Really! Let me immediately state that this is not happening in the - [Could military and other jet engines be made quieter?](https://quietcoalition.org/could-military-and-other-jet-engines-be-made-quieter/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Military jets are very loud. Performance, not acoustic comfort of those on the ground, is the only criterion that matters. But what if jet engines could be made quieter without decreasing performance? That would help those in the plane, those on the ground, and the structural life - [May 23rd: Noise Pollution Clearinghouse Celebrates 20th Anniversary in NYC](https://quietcoalition.org/may-23rd-noise-pollution-clearinghouse-celebrates-20th-anniversary-in-nyc/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] I’d like to invite everyone to an evening with some of the most respected writers on the subject of the social and health impacts of noise, including The Quiet Coalition’s very own Dr. Arline Bronzaft. Other writers include: George Prochnik—In Pursuit of Silence Emily - [City officials in Milton Keynes, UK demand noisy fireworks ban](https://quietcoalition.org/city-officials-in-milton-keynes-uk-demand-noisy-fireworks-ban/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Milton Keynes is a small city about 50 miles north of London with a population of 230,000 in its urban area. As reported in The MKCitizen, city officials will be introducing legislation to ban noisy fireworks. The reason? Local politicians say "the louder bangs are 'stressful and - [Another reason to get the COVID-19 vaccine](https://quietcoalition.org/another-reason-to-get-the-covid-19-vaccine/) - Photo credit: This photo by medipics1066 has been dedicated to the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The recent suicide of a prominent Texas businessman, reportedly in part because of symptoms of severe tinnitus (ringing in the ears) after recovering from COVID-19 infection, is drawing attention to reports of tinnitus among the - [Is eating out bad for your ears?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-eating-out-bad-for-your-ears/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.64″] By Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We all know from personal experience that restaurants are too loud. In this piece in The Washington Post, Gail Richard, the president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, writes that noise levels in - [Prof. Rick Neitzel on Apple-backed research, restaurant noise](https://quietcoalition.org/prof-rick-neitzel-on-apple-backed-research-restaurant-noise/) - Photo credit: m01229 licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition Watch these two videos with our Quiet Coalition colleague, Professor Rick Neitzel, University of Michigan. In one video, he’s does some interesting noise-exposure work with a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reporter in a news segment that aired recently: The - [News media continue to treat airport noise as a 'local problem’](https://quietcoalition.org/news-media-continue-to-treat-airport-noise-as-a-local-problem/) - by David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition It’s amazing that news media continue to treat airport noise as simply a local quality of life problem. A recent example from comes from Eagan, Minnesota, where homeowners are angry about noisy air flights creating "a significant quality of life issue." In fact, airport noise is - [NYC noise complaints drop as city stays at home](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-noise-complaints-drop-as-city-stays-at-home/) - Photo credit: Eden, Janine and Jim licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Throughout my career, I have studied the impacts of noise on health. I am the member of GrowNYC’s Board who responds to noise complaints and am very familiar with the - [The sound of a COVID-19 cough](https://quietcoalition.org/the-sound-of-a-covid-19-cough/) - Photo credit: GabboT licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Throughout history, physicians have used sounds to diagnose respiratory illness. Sometimes one doesn’t need a stethoscope. The barking cough of croup in a child, the ominous upper airway wheeze of epiglottitis, and the wheezes of someone with an asthma - [Coronavirus is changing NYC's soundscape](https://quietcoalition.org/coronavirus-is-changing-nycs-soundscape/) - This photo is in the public domain by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition I have been writing about sound and noise for the past forty years but I never envisioned that a virus pandemic in New York City would elicit a flurry of newspaper and magazine articles - [Our noise disrupts the Earth's sonic landscape](https://quietcoalition.org/our-noise-disrupts-the-earths-sonic-landscape/) - Photo credit: Eriks Abzinovs from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Bernie Krause, an American musician and soundscape ecologist, began recording the natural soundscape over fifty years ago when he founded the Wild Sanctuary. Thus, it was with alarm that he noted that the drought of - [Quiet Salish Sea lets scientists study endangered killer whales](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-salish-sea-lets-scientists-study-endangered-killer-whales/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition When I saw this article about scientists studying killer whales in the Salish Sea, the first question I had was, “Where is the Salish Sea?” A quick online search revealed that it’s the complex set of waterways near Canada’s Vancouver Island, including the Strait of Juan de - [The urban soundscape during COVID](https://quietcoalition.org/the-urban-soundscape-during-covid/) - Photo credit: Life Matters from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This thoughtful essay from Kate Wagner, writing for The Atlantic, discusses the push-pull forces affecting the urban soundscape. Wagner lives in Washington, D.C. She contrasts the quiet of her neighborhood during the COVID-19 lockdown with the noise of a Black Lives - [Do protestors have the right to make too much noise?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-protestors-have-the-right-to-make-too-much-noise/) - Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Thank you Noise Curmudgeon for bringing our attention to this story about Planned Parenthood filing suit against noisy protestors. When ordinances prohibiting excessive noise are passed, citizens often complain that there is - [Will electric vehicles contribute significantly to a quieter world?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-electric-vehicles-contribute-significantly-to-a-quieter-world/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.72″] Photo credit: cytech licensed under CC BY 2.0 Jeanine Botta, of Silence the Horns, expresses some doubts in her post, “Marketing quiet while adding to noise pollution.” Botta writes about a recent post on Huffington Post that discusses the health - [Why do humans suffer hearing loss from noise?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-do-humans-suffer-hearing-loss-from-noise/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.63″] Image is in the public domain in the U.S. By Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Why do humans suffer hearing loss from noise? The cellular, sub-cellular, and even molecular reasons for how noise damages the auditory system are - [It is a matter of life or death](https://quietcoalition.org/it-is-a-matter-of-life-or-death/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.12″] by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This piece from Business Standard states that secondhand noise is a problem but isn’t a matter of life or death. That may be the only statement I disagree with in it. The hearing sense evolved - [Gene may hold key to hearing recovery](https://quietcoalition.org/gene-may-hold-key-to-hearing-recovery/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.49″] Photo credit: Max Pixel licensed under CC0 1.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A recent discovery may explain why noise exposure makes some deaf but not others. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found - [New drug may prevent hearing loss after noise exposure](https://quietcoalition.org/new-drug-may-prevent-hearing-loss-after-noise-exposure/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.70″] By Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition For many years, a body of research has shown that chemicals with antioxidant properties might prevent or reduce hearing loss after noise exposure. In animals, noise exposure reduces levels of a chemical - [What is the impact of loud music on the unborn?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-the-impact-of-loud-music-on-the-unborn/) - [et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Tom Avril, Phillynews.com, wonders whether loud concerts are bad for Beyoncé’s unborn twins. Avril writes that “[r]esearchers cannot perform a controlled laboratory study, because it would be unethical to expose pregnant women to anything that might damage a fetus,” but he adds that there are - [The magic of forest baths](https://quietcoalition.org/the-magic-of-forest-baths/) - Photo credit: Rachel Claire by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While we may have written more posts about the hazards of noise to our health and well-being, we have also included posts stressing the importance of quiet in our lives. We've mentioned that - [A new method for mapping the auditory pathway](https://quietcoalition.org/a-new-method-for-mapping-the-auditory-pathway/) - Photo credit: Kampus Production by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Science Daily reported on a new method for mapping the auditory pathway developed by researchers in China. I lack the scientific background to understand “a neuroimaging technique called probabilistic tractography," but this new method may help surgeons implant devices in children born with - [A loud A.C. unit at one U.N. member's building is disturbing neighbors](https://quietcoalition.org/a-loud-a-c-unit-at-one-u-n-building-is-disturbing-neighbors/) - Photo credit: Xabi Oregi by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Andrew Keh’s New York Times article on Sept. 25 reminds readers how difficult it was a couple of weeks ago for residents who live close to the United Nations during the annual General - [The war on cars is also a war on noise](https://quietcoalition.org/the-war-on-cars-is-also-a-war-on-noise/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I wasn’t aware that there’s a website called The War on Cars, but listening to this podcast by conservation scientist and now-author Paul Donald, I realized that the war on cars is also a war on noise. Donald’s book "Traffication: How Cars Destroy Nature - [Legislators seek an update to CALM Act](https://quietcoalition.org/legislators-seek-an-update-to-calm-act/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In March of 2023, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Anna Eshoo introduced the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Modernization Act. The bicameral piece of legislation would update the CALM Act, enacted in 2010, which requires the volume of television commercials to be the - [Loud noise risk for children](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-noise-risk-for-children/) - Photo credit: Nasirun Khan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article on the Baylor Scott & White Health Newswise website has a video interview with Dominic Lucia, MD, at the McLane Children’s Medical Center. In the interview, he discusses the dangers of noise for children. One has to watch the video (there’s - [Adults-only section on an airplane?](https://quietcoalition.org/adults-only-section-on-an-airplane/) - Photo credit: Daniel Frese by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Conde Nast Traveler reports that Corendon Airlines will launch an adults-only section on flights from Amsterdam to Curacao, for travelers age 16 and up. The purpose is to provide a quieter airplane cabin, because many flyers are bothered by noisy children and crying - [Coalition rallies in Boston to stop private jet hanger expansion](https://quietcoalition.org/coalition-rallies-in-boston-to-stop-private-jet-hanger-expansion/) - Photo credit: Christopher Eliot by Christopher Eliot Protesters organized by Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere held a peaceful gathering outside the Massachusetts State House on Oct. 2. Sen. Michael Barrett gave an overview of the attempts to stop the Hanscom Project, a venture spearheaded by a private developer looking to add nearly half a million - [Human noise affects monkeys' communication](https://quietcoalition.org/human-noise-affects-monkeys-communication/) - Photo credit: Rajesh Balouria by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Our blog readers are familiar with posts that address the impact of human-made sounds on the health and well-being of animals. Our readers will then not be surprised to learn that noise - [Returning astronaut looks forward to quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/returning-astronaut-looks-forward-to-quiet/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Spaceflight Now, among other media outlets, reported on astronaut Frank Rubio's recent return to earth after 371 days in space. That’s the longest duration space flight for an American astronaut, and the third longest since space flight began in the early 60s. Rubio’s mission - [In harms way](https://quietcoalition.org/in-harms-way/) - Photo credit: Myburgh Roux by Elaine Miller, Founder, Plane Sense 4 Long Island, Member, Quiet American Skies Thousands and thousands of planes fly over communities that have the great misfortune of living under horrendous NextGen flight paths. The “superhighways in the sky” were designed to increase capacity at airports, save fuel and save time by - [New York City legislators propose seven noise bills](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-legislators-propose-seven-noise-bills/) - Photo credit: jimmy teoh by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies An earlier blog post informed our readers that the New York City Council was going to introduce two bills that would attempt to reduce noise pollution in the city. Actually, seven bills - [International Day of Sign Language](https://quietcoalition.org/international-day-of-sign-language/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition At the end of last month on Sept. 23, International Day of Sign Languages was celebrated around the world. I wasn’t aware of this special day until I received an email about it from the World Health Organization’s Ear and Hearing Care Program. - [Noise cameras coming to the Upper West Side](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-cameras-coming-to-the-upper-west-side/) - Photo credit: Momos, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The Upper West Side of Manhattan registered as many as 25,000 noise complaints to 311 this year, CBS New York reported. That phone number, 311, is a non-emergency phone line - [The other side of disability access](https://quietcoalition.org/the-other-side-of-disability-access/) - Photo credit: Jack Sparrow by John Drinkwater, JD, MBA, Co-Founder, The Quiet Coalition In a recent blog I praised Walmart for its “sensory-friendly” Saturday morning hours with dimmed lighting and no background music. Disabled, able-bodied and Walmart employees left positive comments about the new time slot on social media. The hearing disabled are our canaries in - [Researching noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/researching-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Rodolfo Quirós by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A press release from the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus reports on assistant professor Nathaniel Greene's research on noise-induced hearing loss. As the article points out, hearing loss is very common in older people. Almost all over the age of 80 have - [Brooklyn Bridge Park residents seek quieter public bathrooms](https://quietcoalition.org/brooklyn-bridge-park-residents-seek-quieter-public-bathrooms/) - Photo credit: Airam Dato-on by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Our readers may find this post unusual and interesting. The City reported last week that a couple living in Brooklyn Bridge Park alleged that for years, noises from public restrooms on the - [Hear today, gone tomorrow](https://quietcoalition.org/hear-today-gone-tomorrow/) - Photo credit: ALTEREDSNAPS by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Hear today, gone tomorrow. That’s the catchy title of a short article in the Royal Examiner, serving Warren County in the Shenandoah Valley from Front Royal, Virginia. The article correctly notes that about 15% of the American public, including young people, already have hearing - [Noisy offices take a toll on our well-being](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-offices-take-a-toll-on-our-well-being/) - Photo credit: CoWomen by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In this article on Phys Org, a science and research news aggregator, Oluremi (Remi) Ayoko writes about the findings of her study on open-plan offices. She reports that this type of office takes a - [Why you should always study in silence](https://quietcoalition.org/why-you-should-always-study-in-silence/) - Photo credit: RF._.studio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Over forty years ago, I conducted two studies on the impact of noise on children’s learning. In the first study, it was found that sixth grade students in classrooms exposed to passing, elevated - [Modified motorcycle exhaust: dirty, noisy and illegal](https://quietcoalition.org/modified-motorcycle-exhaust-dirty-noisy-and-illegal/) - Photo credit: Pepe Tapia by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I just came across reports of a 2022 lawsuit filed in Utah by a physician group against local Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealers and the Harley-Davidson company. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment filed the lawsuit because local dealerships were selling motorcycles with illegally-modified, aftermarket exhaust - [Knowledge is power](https://quietcoalition.org/knowledge-is-power/) - Photo credit: Maria Tyutina by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The statement “knowledge is power” is attributed to Sir Francis Bacon, but regardless of who first had this idea, I think it is true. As a physician, I have always adhered to the principles of the American Medical Association's Code of Medical Ethics. Principle - [New York City Council introduces two noise-related bills](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-council-introduces-two-noise-related-bills/) - Photo credit: Ramil Ugot by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies A while back I wrote a post about a New York City resident, Dietmar Detering, who was able to register complaints against noisy restaurants and bars under the city's Noise Code, which - [Paul Simon is beginning to accept his sudden hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/paul-simon-is-beginning-to-accept-his-sudden-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Matthew Straubmuller, licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Jewish Chronicle, based in London, reported last week on singer Paul Simon’s sudden left-sided hearing loss. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Simon told an audience at the Toronto International Film Festival about his hearing loss; “I haven’t accepted - [Hanging up her headphones after 16 years](https://quietcoalition.org/hanging-up-her-headphones-after-16-years/) - Photo credit: Grzegorz by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Scottish newspaper The Courier has a wonderful piece by opinion writer Rebecca Baird describing how she is hanging up her headphones after “16 solid years of blocking out the world.” Baird admits that starting at about age 12, she used her personal soundtrack as - [Protecting your ears to avoid hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/protecting-your-ears-to-avoid-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Keira Burton by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition NPR’s Life Kit site has a wonderfully simple cartoon with an accompanying soundtrack about protecting your ears to avoid hearing loss. I would broaden the title to “Avoid Auditory Damage” because protecting your ears to avoid hearing loss will most likely also afford protection against - [Kids earbuds? You've got be kidding](https://quietcoalition.org/kids-earbuds-youve-got-be-kidding/) - Photo credit: Monstera by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Kids’ earbuds? You’ve got to be kidding. Unfortunately, though, the Digital Trends site isn’t kidding when reporter Simon Cohen writes, “these kids’ earbuds let outside sounds in automatically.” The point he is making is that a new product from MyFirst, wireless earbuds for kids marketed - [3M settles military earbud lawsuit](https://quietcoalition.org/3m-settles-military-earbud-lawsuit/) - Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Jason Hull, Public Domain / United States Department of Defense by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN, among other media outlets, reported at the end of August that 3M, a multinational industry and consumer good conglomerate, settled lawsuits alleging hearing loss and other auditory damage from faulty earplugs supplied - [Have a restful Labor Day](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-restful-labor-day/) - Photo credit: Ben Mack Enjoy the holiday! - [Hospitals are noisy. They don't have to be.](https://quietcoalition.org/hospitals-are-noisy-they-dont-have-to-be/) - Photo credit: Vidal Balielo Jr. by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of this post is also the title of an article on the Association of American Medical College's website by a medical student at University of California Los Angeles and a surgical trainee at Johns Hopkins University. Zina Jawadi and Alexander - [UK drivers want noise cameras to catch and fine loud motorists](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-drivers-want-noise-cameras-to-catch-and-fine-loud-motorists/) - Photo credit: Omar Ramadan by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Readers of the Quiet Coalition blog know that Quiet Communities has followed the introduction of noise cameras as a way to lessen vehicle noise. Noise cameras are triggered by a number of microphones and can - [Perceiving the world as animals do](https://quietcoalition.org/perceiving-the-world-as-animals-do/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The pandemic, as I wrote earlier, allowed more people to focus on the pleasant environmental sounds around them. Many people are now able to sit in their back yards and listen to the - [Hearing loss is very common after age 71](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-is-very-common-after-age-71/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In the United States, hearing loss is very common after age 71. This is generally a well-known fact, but not to the level of detail reported by audiologist Nicholas Reed and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University in a recent article in JAMA Network Open. The - [New York City councilmembers seek less intrusive sirens](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-councilmembers-seek-less-intrusive-sirens/) - Photo credit: David Vincent Villavicencio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Those who have read my posts on the Quiet Coalition know that I often say there are a number of ways to lessen noise, but the overall public will to do - [A new tinnitus therapy?](https://quietcoalition.org/a-new-tinnitus-therapy/) - Photo credit: SHVETS production by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Tinnitus is commonly known as ringing in the ears, but the technical definition is the perception of sound without an external sound stimulus. One of the things that has powered my noise activism is the fact that I have “skin in the game," - [Nurses exposed to aircraft noise report poor sleep quality](https://quietcoalition.org/nurses-exposed-to-aircraft-noise-report-poor-sleep-quality/) - Photo credit: Cedric Fauntleroy by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies For almost 50 years, nearly 100,000 nurses have been included in an ongoing nationwide study looking at a number of health outcomes. Gathering data on these subjects, who have been studied since 1976, - [The noise queen of New York City](https://quietcoalition.org/the-noise-queen-of-new-york-city/) - Photo credit: Arline Bronzaft by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition New York Magazine’s Curbed recently published a wonderful interview with the Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft, PhD, dubbing her “the de facto noise queen of New York City.” That’s quite an honor, and it is well deserved. As the article notes, Bronzaft is an - ['Silence is golden,' says Irish citizen](https://quietcoalition.org/silence-is-golden-says-irish-citizen/) - Photo credit: Steven Hylands by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The title of this article by Irishman Trevor Laffan is, “Both in the streets and the home…silence is golden.” His message is clear – noise is unwanted. Laffan writes from Cork, Ireland but - [The everyday noise that can cause hearing loss in minutes](https://quietcoalition.org/the-everyday-noise-that-can-cause-hearing-loss-in-minutes/) - Photo credit: Toni Ferreira by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Modern life is too loud. Everyday noise exposure can cause noise-induced hearing loss, the only type of hearing loss that is entirely preventable. Many noise exposures are involuntary — the noise inside a bus or subway car, from a jackhammer or a motorcycle's exhaust - [Blind birders use soundscapes to "see," but noise pollution is making it harder](https://quietcoalition.org/blind-birders-use-soundscapes-to-see-but-noise-pollution-is-making-it-harder/) - Photo credit: Ray Bilcliff by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Alexandra Marvar’s recent article in the New York Times explores the importance of birding to Susan Glass, a Saratoga, California resident who has been blind since birth. Glass, now 67, has been tuned in - [There were ear problems in ancient Greece, too.](https://quietcoalition.org/there-were-ear-problems-in-ancient-greece-too/) - Photo credit: Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I started my journey to Belgrade, Serbia for the 14th Congress of the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise in Athens, Greece, where I visited some of the ancient sites before proceeding to the meeting. At the Acropolis Museum in Athens, I - [Doctor: What I didn't know until I got tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/doctor-what-i-didnt-know-until-i-got-tinnitus/) - Photo credit: Ivan Samkov by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN published a piece last month by Susannah Hills, a pediatric airway surgeon and vice chair of the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. It is titled "Doctor: What I didn't know until I got skin - [The number of people sickened or killed by air pollution is increasing](https://quietcoalition.org/the-number-of-people-sickened-or-killed-by-air-pollution-is-increasing/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A recent article in the Journal of the American Heart Association reported that the number of people sickened or killed by air pollution is increasing worldwide. Researchers used the Global Burden of Disease study from 2019 to examine the proportion of cardiovascular diseases attributed to - [San Francisco Airport leans on new technology to limit noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/san-francisco-airport-leans-on-new-technology-to-limit-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Constantine Kulikovsky, licensed by CC BY 3.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Residents across the country who have complained about the horrific impacts of overhead aircraft noise will be interested in this article by Gennady Sheyner. It informs us - [Walmart offers "sensory friendly" hours](https://quietcoalition.org/walmart-offers-sensory-friendly-hours/) - Photo credit: Walmart Corporate, licensed under CC BY 2.0 by John Drinkwater, JD, MBA, Co-Founder, The Quiet Coalition Walmart now offers “sensory friendly” hours from 8-10 a.m., Saturdays all through August. During this time, lights are dimmed and music is turned down. “We are striving every day to create a culture where everyone feels they belong. - [What is hidden hearing loss and how do you tell if you have it?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-hidden-hearing-loss-and-how-do-you-tell-if-you-have-it/) - Photo credit: Helena Lopes by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "What is hidden hearing loss and how to tell if you have it?" is the title of this well-written article by reporter Kacie Goff on the CNET site. I’m glad this little-known but quite common auditory disorder is getting some attention. Hidden hearing loss manifests - [UK Parliament calls for light and noise pollution advisory group](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-parliament-calls-for-light-and-noise-pollution-advisory-group/) - Photo credit: Ollie Craig by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies “Light and noise pollution ‘are neglected health hazards,' say peers” is the headline of the Guardian article that informs us that the UK Parliament is calling for the “creation of advisory groups to - [Hearing aids may cut dementia risk in half](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-aids-may-cut-dementia-risk-in-half/) - Photo credit: MART PRODUCTION by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to a recent CNN article that comments on a new paper in The Lancet, treatment of hearing loss with hearing aids may cut dementia risk in half (the article is open access but one must register for a free account). The study was conducted by Frank - [Hearing loss is associated with fatigue in middle-aged and older adults](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-is-associated-with-fatigue-in-middle-aged-and-older-adults/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The July 6, 2023, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery includes an article from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, reporting a correlation between hearing loss and complaints of fatigue in middle-aged and older - [How can we reduce noise pollution in our seas?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-can-we-reduce-noise-pollution-in-our-seas/) - Photo credit: Agustin Piñero by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Gabriella Sotelo’s article on Treehugger.com highlights the adverse impact of ocean noises on the lives of marine animals, including microscopic zooplankton, fish and whales. Human-made noises can impede vocalization of whales, confuse and disrupt normal - [UAB Hospital goes electric with ground maintenance](https://quietcoalition.org/uab-hospital-goes-electric-with-ground-maintenance/) - Photo credit: Mx. Granger, licensed by Creative Commons CC 1.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) recently reported that the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital became the first hospital in the country to achieve AGZA Green Zone certification. The Green Zone certification is granted by AGZA when - [Have a peaceful July 4th](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-peaceful-july-4th-2/) - Photo credit: Akil Mazumder - [Apple Hearing Study suggests many Americans are exposed to too much noise](https://quietcoalition.org/apple-hearing-study-suggests-many-americans-are-exposed-to-too-much-noise/) - Photo credit: picjumbo.com by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to this story on the CNET website, the Apple Hearing Study suggests that many Americans are exposed to too much noise. The research uses recordings of sound pressure levels from Apple phones and watches to study noise exposure in people using these devices. The - [NYC bill would reduce noise from emergency sirens](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-bill-would-reduce-noise-from-emergency-sirens/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies For years, some New York City residents have complained about the extremely intrusive sirens of emergency vehicles. Some residents have conversed with hospitals to ask them to consider the less intrusive emergency - [Brain health in the news](https://quietcoalition.org/brain-health-in-the-news/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Yishane Lee at Hearing Health Foundation was kind enough to let us know about this blog post on the HHF website. In it, Lee discusses recent research about hearing loss and dementia. In reading the post, I came across the link to a fascinating - [Children need quiet environments to help early brain development](https://quietcoalition.org/children-need-quiet-environments-to-help-early-brain-development/) - Photo credit: Yan Krukau by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This NPR article discusses new research showing that children need quiet to help their brains develop normally. Author LA Johnson quotes Nina Kraus, a neurobiologist at Northwestern University, who explained: "When the world was a lot quieter, our brains paid attention to every little leaf rustle - [Loudoun County works to mitigate noise from Dulles Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/loudoun-county-works-to-mitigate-noise-from-dulles-airport/) - Photo credit: Joe Ravi, licensed by CC-BY-SA 3.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The headline of the article “FAA Still Silent on Dulles Airport Noise Concerns” will not be surprising to the many anti-aircraft-noise groups across the United States who have been - [Quiet Communities President Jamie Banks interviewed on NPR](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-communities-president-jamie-banks-interviewed-on-npr/) - Photo credit: Dany Kurniawan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On July 6, Jamie Banks, president of Quiet Communities and chair of the Noise & Health Committee of the American Public Health Association , joined guests Peter James, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Mathias Basner, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania - [Downtown Toronto resident speaks out on the impacts of noise](https://quietcoalition.org/downtown-toronto-resident-speaks-out-on-the-impacts-of-noise/) - Photo credit: ennvisionn by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Steve Lafleur's article on noise is a very personal one. He describes how he has been impacted by noise in his home in the City of Toronto. Two of the incidents involved film sets - [Drone displays replace fireworks on Fourth of July](https://quietcoalition.org/drone-displays-replace-fireworks-on-fourth-of-july/) - Photo credit: Marjan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Over the years The Quiet Coalition has covered noise from fireworks and its effect on humans and especially dogs, usually in conjunction with Fourth of July celebrations. In the last year or two, fireworks in some communities have been replaced with drone displays. The year - [Pickleball noise is disruptive to nearby residents](https://quietcoalition.org/pickleball-noise-is-disruptive-to-nearby-residents/) - Photo credit: TheVillagesFL, licensed by CC BY-SA 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies For nearly a decade and a half, Mary McKee loved the tranquility her home offered. But things changed when a pickleball court opened across the street at a community center. - [Seattle-area residents sue local port and major airlines for toxic pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/seattle-area-residents-sue-local-port-and-major-airlines-for-toxic-pollution/) - Photo credit: SounderBruce, licensed by CC BY-SA 4.0 by Elaine Miller, Plane Sense 4 Long Island, Co-founder, Quiet American Skies, member. Justice is the cornerstone of a civilized society. True freedom lies in the tenet that justice will be rightly served to those individuals, corporations, industries and agencies who knowingly perpetrate harm onto its people. The fight for - [The sound of silence](https://quietcoalition.org/the-sound-of-silence-3/) - Photo credit: Dương Nhân by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I used to like listening to the Simon and Garfunkel song The Sound of Silence, and that’s a good title for this blog post about a study in the well-regarded scientific journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. I skimmed the report after reading an article about - [How do I block out annoying sounds from my noisy neighborhood?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-do-i-block-out-annoying-sounds-from-my-noisy-neighborhood/) - Photo credit: Vlad Fonsark by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition "How do I block out annoying sounds from my noisy neighborhood?" That’s the question posed and answered on The New York Times’ product review site Wirecutter, in response from someone who moved from noisy New York City to the suburbs and found that the - [Noise from NASCAR street racing could be damaging to health](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-from-nascar-street-racing-could-be-damaging-to-health/) - Photo credit: Alfred GF by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That NASCAR racing is loud should not be surprising nor should it be surprising that its loud sounds may pose “potential dangers to hearing and pets,” as online Nigerian news source nnn.ng reports. What - [Community Noise Lab studies noise pollution in low-income communities](https://quietcoalition.org/community-noise-lab-reveals-high-levels-of-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: RDNE Stock project by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In a recent Atlanta Voice article, reporter Clayton Gutzmore writes about research that the Community Noise Lab at the Brown University of Public Health is conducting that looks into how people of - [Human-made noise is disturbing forest animals](https://quietcoalition.org/human-made-noise-is-disturbing-forest-animals/) - Photo credit: David Selbert by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies High Country News, a magazine that focuses on issues in the American West, recently covered research that shows that forest animals can be negatively impacted by noise. The new study, underway in - [Noise is all around us and it's harming our health](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-is-all-around-us-and-its-harming-our-health/) - Photo credit: Vlad Alexandru Popa by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise is all around us and it’s harming our health. That’s the title of a report by Isabelle Gallant at CBC News, in Canada. Gallant reviews a wide body of research about the health dangers of noise, including some by Erica Walker at - [What musicians can teach us about noise and hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/what-musicians-can-teach-us-about-noise-and-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Athena by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Musicians know a lot about noise and what it does to their hearing. That’s the topic discussed in a report on CNET by writer Jessica Rendall. She reports that noise causes hearing loss and other auditory problems and these issues are much more common among musicians than - [Should you be wearing earplugs to concerts?](https://quietcoalition.org/should-you-be-wearing-earplugs-to-concerts/) - Photo credit: Wendy Wei by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Should you be wearing earplugs to concerts? That’s the question posed by Health.com writer Maggie O’Neill and the answer from both her and me is an unequivocal, “yes!” O’Neill cites a number of experts who recommend that those attending outdoor concerts this summer - [An unexpected doorway to the ear opens new possibilities for hearing restoration](https://quietcoalition.org/an-unexpected-doorway-to-the-ear-opens-new-possibilities-for-hearing-restoration/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Last month, the University of Rochester reported on research done at its Center for Translational Neuromedicine and at the University of Copenhagen that may provide a new way to deliver medication to the cochlea, or the inner ear. Noise damages and eventually kills - [Improving older adults' hearing helps their cognitive functioning](https://quietcoalition.org/improving-older-adults-hearing-improves-cognitive-functioning/) - Photo credit: Sofia Shultz by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I have written about the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive impairment before and reported on evidence that strongly suggests that improving hearing for older people may delay or prevent the onset of dementia. While many still consider dementia to be an inevitable - [More calls to crack down on noisy cars](https://quietcoalition.org/more-calls-to-crack-down-on-noisy-cars/) - Photo credit: Khunkorn Laowisit by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As a long-term researcher and writer on the adverse impacts of noise on our health and well-being and the positive effects of quiet on our health, I was pleased to read a - [What does the sun sound like?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-does-the-sun-sound-like/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from IFL Science discusses what the sun might sound like. Sound is defined as "vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear." Sound doesn’t travel in the vacuum of - [Boat noise temporarily deafens squid](https://quietcoalition.org/boat-noise-temporarily-deafens-squid/) - Photo credit: Pascal Ingelrest by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Here I am again writing about the dangers of noise to a species, in this case squid, other than human beings. But the noise imposed on the squid, namely boat noise, is - [Providence, RI is trying to crack down on loud noise](https://quietcoalition.org/providence-ri-is-trying-to-crack-down-on-loud-noise/) - Photo credit: Kenneth C. Zirkel licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Providence Journal reports that Mayor Brett Smiley is trying to deal with that city’s non-enforcement of its existing sound ordinance. He includes funds for decibel meters and training in his proposed budget so police can enforce - [Brits obsessed with noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/brits-obsessed-with-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: Murad Murat by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That noise complaints, including those made against neighbors, have increased over the past years in the UK is no surprise to those who have been paid attention to the issue of noise - [Sweden close to being smoke-free](https://quietcoalition.org/sweden-close-to-being-smoke-free/) - Photo credit: Boris Hamer by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CBS News reports that Sweden is close to becoming the world’s first smoke-free country. On May 31, World No Tobacco Day, it was reported that only 6.9% of Swedes age 15 and older were daily smokers. That’s a much lower rate than in - [Restaurant chains, ranked quietest to loudest](https://quietcoalition.org/restaurant-chains-ranked-quietest-to-loudest/) - Photo credit: Ksenia Chernaya by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our friends at SoundPrint recently published a list of chain restaurants ranked from quietest to loudest. The analysis was based on more than 3,300 individual sound reports from restaurants in multiple states with at least 100 readings for each chain. The Panera Bread - [Excessive noise could take years off your life](https://quietcoalition.org/excessive-noise-could-take-years-off-your-life/) - Photo credit: Owen Barker by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A New York Times reporting team, headed by Emily Baumgaertner, released three stories last week examining the non-auditory health impacts of transportation noise. In the first story, reporters used a professional sound meter to capture levels of sound in everyday life and interviewed experts to qualify those findings. - [Human-made noise is altering the sounds of the sea](https://quietcoalition.org/human-made-noise-is-altering-the-sounds-of-the-sea/) - Photo credit: Magda Ehlers by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As readers of The Quiet Coalition blog know, human-made noise can adversely affect the well-being of many species that live in our seas. There are wonderful natural sounds in our seas but, unfortunately, - [The City of Seville, Spain now requires Airbnbs to install noise meters](https://quietcoalition.org/the-city-of-seville-spain-now-requires-airbnbs-to-install-noise-meters/) - Photo credit: Emilio Sánchez by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Express, a British digital news site, reports that the city of Seville, Spain passed a new law requiring noise meters to be installed in all short-term rental apartments. In some parts of the city’s historic center, short-term rental apartments occupied by tourists outnumber - [Everyday household noise can take a toll on dogs](https://quietcoalition.org/everyday-household-noise-can-take-a-toll-on-dogs/) - Photo credit: Sergio Souza by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Many readers of our posts are familiar with dog barking as a noise source, though not a major one. But how many are familiar with noise being a problem for dogs? This article - [Current Canada fires bring back memories of air and noise pollution research](https://quietcoalition.org/canada-fires-and-research-on-airport-air-and-noise-pollution/) - The East River and Downtown Brooklyn as seen from Lower Manhattan on June 7, 2023. Photo credit: SnowFire. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Fires burning in Canada over the last couple weeks have turned some - [How the brain decodes speech in noisy rooms](https://quietcoalition.org/how-the-brain-decodes-speech-in-noisy-rooms/) - Photo credit: Maurício Mascaro by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Neuroscience News reported on research published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology that looked into how the brain treats speech in a crowded room, depending on how easy that speech is to hear and whether the listener is focusing on it. The study used - [Congresswoman Meng seeks funding for ONAC](https://quietcoalition.org/congresswoman-meng-seeks-funding-for-onac/) - Photo credit: Thomas Altfather Good. Licensed under GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Anti-noise groups, especially anti-aircraft noise groups, are delighted that Rep. Grace Meng has introduced legislation that will refund the Office of Noise Abatement - [Even slight traffic noise impacts work performance](https://quietcoalition.org/even-slight-traffic-noise-impacts-work-performance/) - Photo credit: Francesco Ungaro by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Earth.com reports that even slight traffic noise impacts work performance. That’s probably an overstatement — the study reported on by staff writer Andrei Ionesco did not actually measure work performance. The study, done at Chalmers University in Sweden, measured the impact of low - [It's now official: noise is unwanted and/or harmful sound](https://quietcoalition.org/its-now-official-noise-is-unwanted-and-or-harmful-sound/) - Photo credit: ICBEN by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The standard definition of noise, adopted almost 100 years ago in the early days of acoustic science, is: "noise is unwanted sound." There are at least three problems with that definition. First, it implies that those complaining about noise are weak, neurotic or self-centered and are only interested in - [New York politicians urge Gov. Hochul to end non-essential helicopter flights](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-politicians-urge-gov-hochul-to-end-non-essential-helicopter-flights/) - Photo credit: Matthis Volquardsen by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Rep. Jerrold Nadler was joined by Representatives Dan Goldman, Adriano Espaillat, Yvette Clarke, Nydia Velazquez, Jamaal Bowman and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez in his letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams directing - [The age-old question about electric vehicles and noise](https://quietcoalition.org/the-age-old-question-about-electric-vehicles-and-noise/) - Photo credit: dcbel by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition A special issue of Noise News International, published on May 12, 2023, features an article that asks, "Will EVs Make Our Cities Quieter?" Authors Erik Bühlmann, Daniel Schweizer and Felix Schlatter designed a limited study comparing sound levels among electric and internal combustion engine - [Have a joyous Juneteenth!](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-joyous-juneteenth-3/) - Photo credit: ניקולס licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 - [Is anyone listening? Can anyone hear me?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-anyone-listening-can-anyone-hear-me/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition When you speak in person, you know if people are paying attention to what you are saying. If you are speaking on a Zoom meeting, that isn’t as clear. And if your write an article that is published in a scientific journal, some - [50 hours of nature videos to calm, bring joy](https://quietcoalition.org/50-hours-of-nature-videos-to-calm-bring-joy/) - Photo credit: Matteo Badini by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Treehugger reports that the BBC has produced 50 hours of nature videos with soothing pictures and sound tracks. According to the report, research sponsored by BBC Earth showed that viewing nature videos can have the same calming effect as actually being out in - [Do Malaysian frogs make the most beautiful sound in the world?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-malaysian-frogs-make-the-most-beautiful-sound-in-the-world/) - Photo credit: Jeffry Surianto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Treehugger reports that in an international competition, the sound of frogs singing in a Malaysian swamp at dusk was judged to be the most beautiful sound in the world. Obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or in this case the - [Aviation noise and emissions presentation now available](https://quietcoalition.org/aviation-noise-and-emissions-presentation-now-available/) - Photo credit: Allan So by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s parent organization, Quiet Communities, Inc., has announced the availability of a new presentation, Aircraft Noise and Emissions: Health and Environmental Impacts: This 18-minute narrated presentation, prepared by the Quiet American Skies team at Quiet Communities, explains the scientific underpinnings of - [Have a quiet and peaceful Memorial Day](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-quiet-and-peaceful-memorial-day/) - Photo credit: Julie Kuzenkov We will be taking a break this week. See you on June 5! - [Does the FAA's aviation safety mission extend to those on the ground?](https://quietcoalition.org/does-the-faas-aviation-safety-mission-extend-to-those-on-the-ground/) - Photo credit: SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Federal Aviation Administration's mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world. I recently flew to San Francisco to visit family and the airplane was the infamous Boeing 737 MAX, the aircraft model linked to two crashes involving - [The effect of F-35 aircraft noise on young children's brains](https://quietcoalition.org/the-effect-of-f-35-aircraft-noise-on-young-childrens-brains/) - Photo credit: Soly Moses by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In the latest episode of Skywatch, a TV and online program that hopes to ground the F-35 training flights, Dr. Peter Bingham, who is well versed in pediatric neurology, spoke to the - [The external costs of aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/the-external-cost-of-aircraft-noise/) - Photo credit: Sam Willis by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances (UECNA) will be presenting a webinar on Thursday May 25 about the external costs of aircraft noise. To save anyone who might be interested in attending time in checking what time 18:00 is in Brussels, that’s noon - [Scientists regenerate cochlear hair cells](https://quietcoalition.org/scientists-regenerate-cochlear-hair-cells/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Mammals hear through a complex mechanism whereby sound pressure waves are transmitted from the tympanic membrane, or ear drum, through the small bones in the middle ear to the cochlea, where the pressure waves are transmitted to cochlear hair cells, distorting them to - [As hearing aids change, so are their users](https://quietcoalition.org/as-hearing-aids-change-so-are-their-users/) - Photo courtesy of Nuheara by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Buffalo News reprinted a New York Times article about new hearing aids, including over-the-counter ones, and how younger adults are needing and using hearing aids rather than older adults. The medical literature still doesn’t document an increase in hearing loss in younger - [Washington Post restaurant critic adds decibel levels to reviews](https://quietcoalition.org/washington-post-adds-decibel-levels-to-critics-restaurant-reviews/) - Photo credit: Rachel Claire by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Washington Post’s restaurant critic, Tom Sietsema, has added decibel measurements to his restaurant reviews. This is the first time I have seen an actual sound pressure level measurement in a restaurant review since becoming a noise activist in 2014. The acoustics of - [Once again, a violent response to noise](https://quietcoalition.org/once-again-a-violent-response-to-noise/) - Photo credit: David McElwee by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Here I am writing again about noise leading to a violent act. In this case, an Oakland, California resident was so angry at the cars that were loudly racing by his house, - [UK Noise Association's summer newsletter](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-noise-associations-summer-newsletter/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We are merely forwarding an email from our UK noise colleague John Stewart about the Summer 2023 newsletter of the UK Noise Association. Among the items covered are the Noise Association’s James Pease award to our friends at SoundPrint, the announcement of a book - [May is Better Hearing and Speech Month](https://quietcoalition.org/may-is-better-hearing-and-speech-month-2/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I had forgotten that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month until a mailing arrived on May 1 from a local hearing aid center. As I have written before in The Quiet Coalition’s blog posts, I’m not a big believer in special days, weeks, or months, except - [Violent responses to noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/violent-responses-to-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: Tony Webster licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skie As the GrowNYC board member who oversees our noise activities, I receive many calls from New Yorkers who are disturbed by neighbor noise. I listen to the - [Gas leaf blower and lawn mower bans are beginning to spread](https://quietcoalition.org/gas-leaf-blower-and-lawn-mower-bans-are-beginning-to-spread/) - Photo credit: Cbaile19 dedicated this photo to the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition USA Today reports that bans on gas-powered leaf blowers and gas-powered lawn mowers are beginning to spread nationwide. Noise from gas leaf blowers has been the foundation of many of the restrictions that have been enacted nationwide. - [The recommended occupational noise exposure limit needs to be lowered](https://quietcoalition.org/the-recommended-occupational-noise-exposure-limit-needs-to-be-lowered/) - This photo by Chuck Kardous (NIOSH) is in the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of this blog post is also the title of my latest publication. As I have often told my noise colleagues when they have tried to get me to write something about occupational noise exposure, I - [The WHO short lists films on ear and hearing care](https://quietcoalition.org/the-who-short-lists-films-on-ear-and-hearing-care/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I learn by reading, but many learn by watching television shows or documentaries or by listening to podcasts. The World Health Organization sponsors the Health for All Film Festival, which "believes in the power of advocacy through short films to raise awareness and inspire organizations, businesses, communities, - [Quiet victory: Garage bell hell silenced](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-victory-garage-bell-hell-silenced/) - Photo credit: Enric Cruz López by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In an earlier post, readers were told about a lawsuit brought by a resident in a St. Petersburg condominium who was disturbed by the garage bell of a nearby garage that - [Today is International Noise Awareness Day](https://quietcoalition.org/today-is-international-noise-awareness-day-3/) - Photo credit: by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition International Noise Awareness Day was started in 1996 to raise awareness of unwanted noise and its dangers. Today, April 26, is this year’s observance. Noise has auditory and non-auditory health effects. Auditory health effects include hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. Non-auditory health effects include hypertension, - [Los Angeles Metro using classical music as a weapon](https://quietcoalition.org/los-angeles-metro-using-classical-music-as-a-weapon/) - Photo credit: Visitor7 licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Los Angeles Times and other media outlets recently reported that the LA Metro, the local rapid transit operator, is using classical music as a weapon to discourage unhoused people from hanging out in certain Metro subway stops. This story - [Link shown between transportation noise and higher suicide risk](https://quietcoalition.org/link-shown-between-transportation-noise-and-higher-suicide-risk/) - Photo credit: Liza Summer by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Swiss researchers looking into the impact of environmental factors on mental health have found that individuals exposed to transportation noise had a higher risk to death by suicide, with exposure to road - [Bionic Hearing--When is it time to get a cochlear implant?](https://quietcoalition.org/bionic-hearing-when-is-it-time-to-get-a-cochlear-implant/) - Photo credit: Hear hear! licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of this post is also the title of an informative article in the current issue of Acoustics Today, a publication of the Acoustical Society of America. I’m covering this topic because I don’t think most American - [Hearing loss may affect the brain](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-may-affect-the-brain/) - Photo credit: Anna Shvets by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This interesting essay on Medpagetoday discusses something we have recently covered , the possible effect of hearing loss on developing dementia. The author is Shannon Halloway, RN, PhD, who does research on lifestyle interventions to prevent dementia. What prompted her to write the - [U.S. Army jets are stressing out lizards](https://quietcoalition.org/u-s-army-jets-are-stressing-out-lizards/) - Photo credit: Koopasteve licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It is understood that aircraft noise, including the noise from military jets, affect the health and well-being of individuals exposed to this noise. Now we learn that U.S. Army - [Road traffic noise linked to high blood pressure](https://quietcoalition.org/road-traffic-noise-linked-to-high-blood-pressure/) - Photo credit: Thirdman by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Prevention reports on a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology linking road traffic noise exposure to high blood pressure. The association of noise exposure to hypertension is not a new finding, having been reported in numerous other studies over the - [Fighting noise in St. Petersburg, Florida](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-in-st-petersburg-florida/) - Photo credit: John O'Neill licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Judy Ellis I have lived in Florida for over 40 years. The three main sources of noise I have noticed living in St. Petersburg are “boom cars,” loud parties, and downtown bars and restaurants disturbing nearby waterfront condominiums. Boom cars have been fading away. This - [Sen. Fetterman gets hearing aids](https://quietcoalition.org/sen-fetterman-gets-hearing-aids/) - This photo is in the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, recently treated for a stroke and depression, was fitted with hearing aids due to sensorineural hearing loss. The report then goes on to discuss sensorineural hearing loss and auditory processing disorders. - [It's National Public Health Week](https://quietcoalition.org/its-national-public-health-week/) - Image courtesy of the American Public Health Association by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Each year the American Public Health Association sponsors National Public Health Week, this year from April 3-9. Public health deals with the health of populations, not of individuals, and largely with prevention of disease. Some of the most successful - [Stressed plants make sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/stressed-plants-make-sounds/) - Photo credit: Eva Bronzini by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Apparently, humans and animals are not the only living things that make sounds. Katie Hunt, CNN SPACE+ SCIENCE, writes about a new study that says plants are also capable of making sounds, - [What sounds drive you crazy?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-sounds-drive-you-crazy/) - Photo credit: Liza Summer by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The BBC reports on a study done by researchers at King’s College London and the University of Oxford showing that about 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from misophonia. What is misophonia? It is a poorly understood condition in which listeners - [Noise complaints take deadly turn](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-complaints-take-deadly-turn/) - Photo credit: Kat Wilcox by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The Quiet Coalition readers are well aware of the harmful effects of noise on our mental and physical health. I have written about the relationship between crime and noise, noting that noise - [Loud noises are bad for your health](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-noises-are-bad-for-your-health/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Healthline has an excellent article about the dangers of noise for health. In addition to causing hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis, loud noise has non-auditory health effects, including hypertension, heart disease, and increased mortality. These effects have been known for years and are - [Zebrafish may help unlock the genetics of human deafness](https://quietcoalition.org/zebrafish-may-help-researchers-understand-the-genetics-of-human-deafness/) - Photo credit: Oregon State University licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in the current issue of Acoustics Today, a publication of the Acoustical Society of America, discusses how the zebrafish, a freshwater minnow in Southeast Asia, provides a biological system that can be studied to understand - [Noise compels nuns to move out of Brooklyn](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-compels-nuns-to-close-brooklyn-convent/) - Photo credit: Marqués de la Force licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As I say often, noise does not discriminate-–it can affect everyone: humans, animals, plants. This article by Stephan Revenboer focuses on how noise caused a - [Cognitive functioning improves after cochlear implant in older adults](https://quietcoalition.org/cognitive-functioning-improves-after-cochlear-implant-in-older-adults/) - Photo credit: Yahoo Accessibility Lab licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition MedPage Today reports on an important new paper in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery showing that cognitive function improved after cochlear implant. The study involved only a small number of subjects, and must be confirmed by larger - [LEGOLAND parks becoming more autism-friendly](https://quietcoalition.org/legoland-parks-becoming-more-autism-friendly/) - Photo credit: Coolcaesar licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition USA Today reports that LEGOLAND parks are becoming more autism-friendly. According to the report, by the end of March 2023, all three LEGOLAND parks in the United States will be officially be Certified Autism Centers. Every attraction at each - [Noise pollution may cause forest to stop growing](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-may-cause-forest-to-stop-growing/) - Photo credit: Joel Deluxe licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Human-made noises do not discriminate-–noise harms the health of other humans as well as the many animal species with whom humans share the planet. In this article - [Is pickleball louder than tennis?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-pickleball-louder-than-tennis/) - Photo credit: OvertAnalyzer licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We have covered multiple reports of neighbor complaints about noise from pickleball courts, with many of the reports noting that when the same courts were used for tennis neighbors didn’t complain. A new report from Washington, D.C. television station WUSA9 - [Noise is a serious threat to marine invertebrates](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-is-a-serious-threat-to-marine-invertebrates/) - Photo credit: Pascal Ingelrest by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Humans share this planet with other species, and the noise that we create is not only harmful to our mental and physical health but also causes harm to other species. An article - [UCHealth sees increase in young people with hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/uchealth-sees-increase-in-young-people-with-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: George Milton by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition TV station KDVR in Denver reports that audiologists at UCHealth, the healthcare organization of the University of Colorado, are seeing an increase in teens and young adults with hearing loss. Hearing loss from noise exposure used to be a disease of the elderly, - [Pickleball noise is driving some folks "crazy"](https://quietcoalition.org/pickleball-noise-is-driving-some-folks-crazy/) - Photo credit: TheVillagesFL licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Yes, there is another source of noise that people are complaining about–pickleball, a fast-growing sport. According to a CNN Business article by Nathaniel Meyersohn, pickleball is driving many people - [An interview with Dr. Charles Liberman](https://quietcoalition.org/an-interview-with-dr-charles-liberman/) - Photo credit: Ecm85 licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Hearing Review’s Kathryn Sutherland interviewed last year’s winner of the French La Foundation Pour l’Audition Scientific Grand Prize, Dr. M. Charles Liberman. Dr. Liberman was the Director of the Eaton-Peabody Laboratory at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in - [Study shows Apple Watch accurately measures decibel levels](https://quietcoalition.org/study-shows-apple-watch-accurately-measures-decibel-levels/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Sound level meter apps are available on later model Apple iWatches but some have wondered about the accuracy of the iWatch noise measurements. As published online March 9 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, researchers at the University of California, Irvine compared an - [Dublin residents protest noisy flight paths](https://quietcoalition.org/dublin-residents-protest-noisy-flight-paths/) - Photo credit: Tolka Rover licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies To read that another airport, this time the Dublin Airport, is being protested by nearby residents because of the noise that its planes have imposed on them is - [Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% irreversible but 100% preventable](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-induced-hearing-loss-is-100-irreversible-but-100-preventable/) - Photo credit: jochenWolters licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% irreversible but 100% preventable. That’s the quote from the UK’s Musicians’ Hearing Services’s clinical director, Paul Checkly, in clarinetist Sam Murray’s piece about why he uses the Musicians’ Union’s hearing services. As I like to - [Happy World Hearing Day!](https://quietcoalition.org/happy-world-hearing-day/) - Photo credit: Kindel Media by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Quiet Communities, Inc. got the greeting “Happy World Hearing Day, Quiet Communities!" from our friend Yishane Lee at Hearing Health Foundation. Hearing Health Foundation launched its new video on "taking common-sense steps for our health every day--let’s make hearing part of it!” It’s - [Quiet Florida aims to cut noise pollution from modified cars](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-florida-aims-to-cut-noise-pollution-from-modified-cars/) - Photo credit: Leif Bergerson by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I was delighted to read Tory Kinley’s article about car noise pollution regulations in which she acknowledged the hard-working efforts of Mary Tatigan and her Quiet Florida associates who have been “working - [Yes, snakes can hear sound](https://quietcoalition.org/yes-snakes-can-hear-sound/) - Photo credit: Jan Kopřiva by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition It has long been thought that snakes can perceive vibrations in the ground but can’t hear because they don’t have ears. The ability to sense vibrations is acutely developed, allowing some species to detect a passing mouse in desert sand. Now, according to - [Open Streets program spurred sidewalk noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/open-streets-program-spurred-sidewalk-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: New York City Department of Transportation by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Open Streets is a program that uses urban spaces for physical activity and recreation. Scientific articles have found that this program had positive impacts in that it encouraged - [One way to deal with a noisy neighbor](https://quietcoalition.org/one-way-to-deal-with-a-noisy-neighbor/) - Photo credit: Hossein Zohrevand licensed under CC BY 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article on SportsBible.com provides an insight into how the rich and famous deal with the noisy neighbor problem, by doing something that isn’t feasible for us regular folk. According to one of international soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s - [House representatives introduce the Safe and Quiet Skies Act](https://quietcoalition.org/house-representatives-introduce-the-safe-and-quiet-skies-act/) - Photo credit: Alvaro Camacho by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Legislation was introduced last week (H.R. 1071) in the House of Representatives by a group of representatives, including three New York members, Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velazquez, and Daniel Goldman, that will direct - [What sounds did dinosaurs make?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-sounds-did-dinosaurs-make/) - Photo credit: Mike B by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition If you ask any child,“What sounds did dinosaurs make?” he or she will almost invariably make a roar. But a new scientific report, covered in Japan's The Asahi Shimbun and other news outlets, reports that dinosaurs may have made bird-like noises. A fossilized - [Amsterdam to ban pot smoking in red-light district to reduce noise](https://quietcoalition.org/amsterdam-to-ban-pot-smoking-in-red-light-district-to-reduce-noise/) - Photo credit: Skitterphoto by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Jenny Gross writing in the New York Times, reports that Amsterdam will ban pot smoking on the streets of the city's red-light district because of resident complaints about noisy and disruptive tourists. According - [People know loud noise causes tinnitus, but few protect their ears](https://quietcoalition.org/people-know-loud-noise-causes-tinnitus-but-few-protect-their-ears/) - Photo credit: Bill Bishoff licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The UK’s Hippocratic Post reports that Tinnitus UK is calling for people to protect their ears when at work or during noisy leisure activities, based on a new study entitled "A lot to lose: noise exposure and tinnitus," which - [Should noisy bars be a thing of the past?](https://quietcoalition.org/should-noisy-bars-be-a-thing-of-the-past/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Should noisy bars be a thing of the past? Noisy restaurants, too? My answer is an unequivocal “Yes!” That topic is considered in this online article on the UK site The Drinks Business. Reporter Louis Thomas write that restaurants and bars in London are - [UK Noise Associations' "The Bottom Rung" is a worthwhile read](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-noise-associations-the-bottom-rung-is-a-worthwhile-read/) - 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 The UK Noise Association has released the latest edition of its newsletter, “The Bottom Rung.” Members of Quiet Communities have joined John Stewart, a leader of the UK Noise Association, in a - [A look at Brussels noise rules](https://quietcoalition.org/a-look-at-brussels-noise-regulation/) - Photo credit: Petar Starčević by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Maithe Chini, The Brussels Times, writes that noise can have negative effects on our health and tells her readers that in Belgium--in the city center and in the countryside--noise is considered a - [New Jersey restaurant bans young children](https://quietcoalition.org/new-jersey-restaurant-bans-young-children/) - Photo credit: Klaus Nielsen by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition NY Eater reports that Nettie’s House of Spaghetti in Tinton Falls, New Jersey has banned young children because of the noise and commotion they make. Restaurant noise is my personal noise issue- my goal is to find restaurants where I can enjoy both - [UK musicians' union discusses importance of preventing auditory damage](https://quietcoalition.org/uk-musicians-union-discusses-importance-of-preventing-auditory-damage/) - Photo credit: Brett Sayles by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise-induced auditory damage, i.e., hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis, is an occupational hazard for musicians of all sort, from rock musicians to classical musicians and whatever music occupies the space between those genres. In an important paper from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear - [Noise complaints show people prefer peace and quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/belfast-oped-says-noise-complaints-show-people-prefer-peace-and-quiet/) - Photo credit: @svetjekolem by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As a long-term researcher and writer on the adverse effects of noise pollution on mental and physical health and the positive impacts of quiet, I was delighted to read the title of the - [Another report showing relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/another-report-showing-relationship-between-cardiovascular-risk-factors-and-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Anna Shvets by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We recently covered a report from Dr. Frank Lin’s research group at Johns Hopkins University describing a relationship between atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries),as measured by the thickness of cholesterol deposits in the carotid artery (the main artery carrying blood through the neck - [Neighbor noise is the most annoying](https://quietcoalition.org/neighbor-noise-is-the-most-annoying/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As a board member of GrowNYC, I have responded to New York City neighbor noise complaints for over thirty years. Thus, I was not surprised to read about a study from the - [NCOA's hearing aid advice, and my advice about protecting your hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-aid-advice-from-ncoa-and-better-advice-about-protecting-your-hearing-from-me/) - Photo Credit: Mark Paton by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition My recent blog attracted an email from someone affiliated with the National Council on Aging, a nonprofit agency advocating for older Americans with service providers and policy makers. She noted that "approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing - [A Virginia community deals with pickleball noise](https://quietcoalition.org/another-community-deals-with-pickleball-noise/) - Photo credit: Darryl Kenyon licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Fox 5 DC News reports on the pickleball noise controversy. Pickleball, for those who haven’t heard of it, is not a new sport but it is one that is gaining rapidly in popularity. Among its draws are the fact - [Proposed data centers raise noise concerns in Virginia](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-data-centers-raise-red-flags-in-virginia/) - Photo credit: Manuel Geissinger by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Amazon wants to build a huge data center in Warrenton Town, Virginia, but apparently to do so Amazon has to meet noise conditions laid down by the town’s Council. The Town of - [Are quieter drones possible?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-quieter-drones-possible/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This tweet from MIT’s Lincoln Lab describes the development of a new type of propeller, in what mathematicians call a toroidal shape, that should be quieter than standard propellers. Drone noise isn’t that loud but has a unique buzzing quality that many if not - [New York City noise complaints continue to climb](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-complaints-about-noise-continue-to-climg/) - Photo credit: Ed Yourdon licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That New York City continues to be noisy is underscored by the number of noise complaints to the 311 hotline for 2022--739,527 complaints! The NY Post reports - [Workers returning to the office ask for quiet spaces](https://quietcoalition.org/workers-returning-to-the-office-ask-for-quiet-spaces/) - Photo credit: Cadeau Maestro by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While researchers and individuals concerned about the impact of noise on health, well-being, and productivity have noted the potential impacts of noise in a work environment, apparently the COVID pandemic made workers - [Scientists listen in on fish sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/scientists-listen-in-on-fish-sounds/) - Photo credit: Hung Tran by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CTV Television Network is Canada’s largest privately owned television network. This report from the CTV website discusses worldwide research on fish sounds and a multi-national collaboration that has posted recordings of fish sounds for both researchers and the public to listen to. Why - [Hardening of the arteries associated with hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/hardening-of-the-arteries-associated-with-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: LadyofHats, Mariana Ruiz Villarreal, has released this image into the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition An article just posted online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery reports that carotid artery atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) in midlife is associated with late-life hearing loss. The abstract is available freely - [Los Angeles traffic noise problem reaches Malaysia](https://quietcoalition.org/los-angeles-traffic-noise-problem-reaches-malaysia/) - Photo credit: Chris-Håvard Berge licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Well, the headline of this blog post is admittedly misleading. Road traffic noise can travel far, especially horns and exhaust noise from trucks and illegally modified passenger vehicle exhaust systems, but it can’t cross the Pacific Ocean to - [Science is just the start](https://quietcoalition.org/science-is-just-the-start/) - Photo courtesy of Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I was contacted last Fall by Yishane Lee, the editor of Hearing Health Magazine, the well-regarded quarterly publication of Hearing Health Foundation, to see if I would write 500 words for the Winter 2023 issue about the topic of advocacy. Of - [New York City has begun to issue tickets to owners of noisy cars](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-has-begun-to-issue-tickets-to-owners-of-noisy-cars/) - Photo credit: Deane Bayas by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In earlier posts I told readers that cities in the U.S., Canada and Europe were carrying out pilot tests on noise cameras that would be able to identify and issue violations to - [For some, a silver lining to the pandemic cloud](https://quietcoalition.org/for-some-a-silver-lining-to-the-pandemic-cloud/) - Photo credit: Jack Sparrow by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I don’t necessarily believe the old adage that “[t]here’s a silver lining to every cloud,” but this story from the World Hearing Day site shows that, at least for some, there was indeed a silver lining to the COVID pandemic cloud. Audiologist Katrin - [Aviation college looks at aviation noise](https://quietcoalition.org/aviation-college-looks-at-aviation-noise/) - Photo credit: Rafael Cosquiere by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As a result of my long-term research, writings and activism to reduce noise pollution and enhance quiet in our environment, I have been invited to speak to many groups that want to - [World Hearing Day is approaching](https://quietcoalition.org/world-hearing-day-is-approaching/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition World Hearing Day, sponsored by the World Health Organization, is rapidly approaching. Each year WHO chooses a theme for World Hearing Day. This year’s theme is “Ear and hearing care for all! Let’s make it a reality.” That’s a laudable goal, and it's one WHO is working - [Six situations when audiologists always wear earplugs](https://quietcoalition.org/6-situations-when-audiologists-always-wear-earplugs/) - Photo credit: Alex Urezkov by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article on Livestrong lists six situations when audiologists always wear earplugs: attending concerts or sports events, in bars or noisy restaurants, when doing lawn work, when there’s brief, loud noise, when drying their hair, and when sleeping. I’m not sure where Livestrong - [Human-made noise harms dolphin communication](https://quietcoalition.org/human-made-noise-harms-dolphin-communication/) - Photo credit: Jeremy Bishop by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In earlier posts I have written about human-made noises not only adversely impacting the well-being of humans but also the well-being of other species with whom we share this earth, e. g. - [What's the safe noise exposure level to prevent noise-induced hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/whats-the-safe-noise-exposure-level-to-prevent-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Bryan Thatcher licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I developed tinnitus and hyperacusis in 2007 after a one-time exposure to loud noise at a New Year’s Eve dinner in a restaurant. As midnight approached, the recorded music was turned up louder and louder. My wife could - [Japan lifts ban on automated drone flights over residential areas](https://quietcoalition.org/japan-lifts-ban-on-automated-drone-flights-over-residential-areas/) - Photo credit: Zachary DeBottis by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on Japan Today reports that Japan has lifted a ban on automated drone flights over residential areas. The drones are needed for delivery, especially in rural areas, due to a labor shortage and an aging population. Concerns have been expressed by - [There should be silent options when waiting on hold](https://quietcoalition.org/there-should-be-silent-options-when-waiting-on-hold/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s John Drinkwater wrote a well-researched, thoughtful article for the January 2023 issue of The Hearing Journal advocating for silent options when waiting on hold. As anyone who has tried to call a store, insurance company, government agency, doctor’s office, or - [Another study ties dementia to hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/another-study-ties-dementia-to-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Kindel Media by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Researcher Frank Lin, MD PhD, may have been the first to describe an association between hearing loss and dementia in older people in 2011 and he has continued his research on this topic. One of the studies he and others are doing is - [Caps on airport flight numbers?](https://quietcoalition.org/caps-on-airport-flight-numbers/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition UECNA, the European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances, sent a notice about its next webinar on Thursday, February 2, 2023, 7 p.m. Central European Time. That’s 1 p.m. in New York City and 10 a.m. in Los Angeles. The topic is “A cap on flight - [Dealing with aggressive driving and noise](https://quietcoalition.org/dealing-with-aggressive-driving-and-noise/) - Photo credit: Xavier Lubeigt licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies According to the article by Tom Andrews, the Santa Fe City Council has received information that aggressive driving violates city ordinances and the rights of citizens “to quiet - [3 important articles about personal sound amplification products](https://quietcoalition.org/3-important-articles-about-personal-sound-amplification-products/) - Photo credit: Kae Yen Wong licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The December 20, 2022, issue of JAMA contained three important articles about personal sound amplification products. Since these may be behind the JAMA paywall, you may have to find the articles in a public or university or - [The Supersonic X-59 is coming](https://quietcoalition.org/the-supersonic-x-59-is-coming/) - Photo credit: Robert Sullivan has dedicated this photo to the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition At the recent Acoustical Society of America meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, I attended a session on measuring aircraft noise. Several of the papers presented discussed the acoustic characteristics of NASA’s X-59 experimental supersonic plane, which - [An assault of harmful noise](https://quietcoalition.org/an-assault-of-harmful-noise/) - Photo credit: Nicholas Espinosa by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In the 1980s and 1990s, my daughter and her family and other close relatives lived in the Los Angeles area and nearby communities. I travelled three to four times a year to - [Noise pollution is a menace to humanity and a threat to marine life](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-is-a-menace-to-humanity-and-a-threat-to-marine-life/) - Photo credit: Francesco Ungaro by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This opinion piece in the UK’s Guardian emphasizes how bad noise is for plants and animals living in the ocean. As author Karen Bakker, director of the University of British Columbia’s Program on Water Governance and the author of "The Sounds of Life: - [Mumbai plans to curb noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/mumbai-plans-to-curb-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Jerry H. licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article on Bloomberg.com reports on Mumbai’s plans to curb noise pollution, largely coming from the efforts of noise activist Sumaira Abdulali. Mumbai is considered by many to be the noisiest city in the world, although that is - [Mouse study may help explain speech in noise difficulty](https://quietcoalition.org/mouse-study-may-help-explain-speech-in-noise-difficulty/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times Ask Well column recently covered hidden hearing loss, with the title, “Can’t hear conversations in a crowd? It could be hidden hearing loss.” An accessible if slightly more technical article by one of the leading researchers in this field offers - [A quiet urban hotel](https://quietcoalition.org/a-quiet-urban-hotel/) - Photo credit: Patrick Pelster licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition My wife and I went to Palm Springs, California for a wedding recently. My wife knows that noise bothers me, so she requested a quiet room. She told me the reservations clerk assisting her assured her that wouldn’t - [Law to abate helicopter noise exist, but gains are few](https://quietcoalition.org/law-to-abate-helicopter-noise-exist-but-gains-are-few/) - Photo credit: Cameron Casey by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Readers of this site who are familiar with attempts to reduce helicopter noise, especially those who are exposed to this noise, will find this StreetsblogCal article by Kevin Duggan disappointing in that - [Enjoy the holiday break](https://quietcoalition.org/enjoy-the-holiday-break-2/) - Photo credit: Pixabay We are taking the week off. Have a peaceful and joyous holiday. See you on January 3rd! - [A causal mechanism explaining how noise causes dementia?](https://quietcoalition.org/a-causal-mechanism-explaining-how-noise-causes-dementia/) - Photo credit: Kindel Media by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In 2020 Weuve et al. reported an association between community noise exposure and cognitive impairment including dementia. The paper didn’t state that noise caused dementia, only that there was an association between long-term community noise exposure and dementia. As one of my mentors - [Ottawa parents complain about loud noise near school](https://quietcoalition.org/ottawa-parents-complain-about-loud-noise-near-school/) - Photo credit: Washington State Dept of Transportation licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies It has been over 40 years since I conducted my two studies on the adverse effects of elevated noise on classroom learning. Now it is - [Amazon's redesigned prime air delivery drone can fly farther and quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/amazons-redesigned-prime-air-delivery-drone-can-fly-farther-and-quieter/) - Photo credit: William Warby licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from Engadget tells us that Amazon is continuing work on its Prime Air delivery drone. The new version is lighter, sleeker, can fly farther, and is also reported to be quieter. I like actual noise measurements, - [Switzerland set to introduce stiffer penalties for noisy drivers](https://quietcoalition.org/switzerland-set-to-introduce-stiffer-penalties-for-noisy-drivers/) - Photo credit: ILOVESwitzerland by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to this report on Le News, Switzerland is set to introduce stiffer penalties for noisy drivers. Well, actually penalties for drivers of noisy vehicles, including cars and motorcycles. The Swiss public broadcasting channel Radio Télévision Suisse is the source of the information. The - [Neighbor noise is most annoying](https://quietcoalition.org/neighbor-noise-is-most-annoying/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That noisy neighbors are “the most annoying sound to deal with” is no surprise to me. In my position as the individual who deals with noise complaints that are sent to GrowNYC - [NYC DEP updates educational material for kids on the dangers of noise](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-educates-kids-about-the-dangers-of-noise/) - Photo credit: RODNAE Productions by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Knowing that the readers of the Quiet Coalition are concerned about the adverse impacts of noise on our mental and physical health, I am pleased to tell you about the updated Sound - [Hearing Health Foundation webinar on hyperacusis](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-health-foundation-webinar-on-hyperacusis/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I developed hyperacusis, a sensitivity to noise that doesn’t bother others, and tinnitus, a ringing in the ears, after a one-time exposure to loud noise 15 years ago on New Year’s Eve. My wife and I were celebrating with friends at a restaurant. - [Hospital patient arrested for switching off neighbor's "noisy" oxygen machine](https://quietcoalition.org/hospital-patient-arrested-for-switching-off-neighbors-noisy-oxygen-machine/) - Photo credit: Daan Stevens by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN has reported that German authorities in Mannheim arrested a woman after she allegedly switched off another hospital patient’s oxygen machine because it was too noisy. That patient had to be resuscitated and now is in intensive care. Hospitals are noisy, and that’s - [Can wearing hearing aids prevent dementia?](https://quietcoalition.org/can-wearing-hearing-aids-prevent-dementia/) - Photo credit: mike krzeszak licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Can wearing hearing aids prevent dementia? That’s a question that doctors have wondered about every since Dr. Frank Lin at Johns Hopkins University reported that hearing loss was associated with dementia in older people, with worse hearing loss - [Orthopedic surgeons risk noise-induced hearing loss in the OR](https://quietcoalition.org/orthopedic-surgeons-risk-noise-induced-hearing-loss-in-the-or/) - Photo credit: Anna Shvets by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I was surprised by this article on Healio reporting that orthopedic surgeons risk noise-induced hearing loss in the operating room, but then smiled to myself as I realized I shouldn’t have been surprised. Orthopedic surgeons use sterilized versions of professional grade power tools - [What you need to know about World Hearing Day 2023](https://quietcoalition.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-world-hearing-day-2023/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On December 7, the World Health Organization will sponsor a webinar about World Hearing Day 2023. Each year WHO selects a theme for World Hearing Day, which occurs on March 3 every year. This year’s theme is “Ear and hearing care for all! Let’s make it a - [Hearing birds makes us feel better](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-birds-makes-you-feel-better/) - Photo credit: David Cossey by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies During the pandemic, I wrote a number of posts on articles that noted how pleased many people were to hear the birds in their neighborhoods, especially residents of New York City who - [Enjoy the holiday break](https://quietcoalition.org/enjoy-the-holiday-break/) - Photo credit: We are taking the week off. Have a peaceful and joyous holiday. See you on January 3rd! - [Building a library of obsolete sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/building-a-library-of-obsolete-sounds/) - Photo credit: Dzenina Lukac by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Cities and Memory has announced the launch of Obsolete Sounds, the biggest-ever collection of obsolete and disappearing sounds of the world. As Cities and Memory notes, “[o]bsolete Sounds is designed to draw attention to the world’s disappearing soundscapes, to highlight those sounds that - [A gift idea for the holidays: hearing protection devices](https://quietcoalition.org/a-gift-idea-for-the-holidays-hearing-protection-devices/) - Photo credit: Kasra Askari by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The idea for this blog post came from the juxtaposition of a recent family wedding where the music after dinner was far too loud, and the Black Friday sales starting the holiday shopping season. At the wedding, I was the only one wearing - [Aviation noise--let's talk about what can be done](https://quietcoalition.org/aviation-noise-lets-talk-about-what-can-be-done/) - Photo credit: 周 康 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances (UECNA) is sponsoring another webinar about aviation noise, this time a conversation between panelists and participants. I won’t be able to attend because I will be attending the Acoustical Society of America meeting, at which I will - [Five ways to get high noise level alerts on your smartphone](https://quietcoalition.org/five-ways-to-get-high-nois-level-alerts-on-your-smartphone/) - Photo credit: PhotoMIX Company by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article on GadgetsToUse discusses how to get high noise level alerts on a smartphone. It turns out that there are several ways to do this, whether you have an iPhone or an Android. And of course, the Apple iWatch has a noise - [Rep. Beyer's airplane noise act passed](https://quietcoalition.org/rep-beyers-airplane-noise-act-passed/) - Photo credit: Alex Azabache by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This article tells us that Representative Dan Beyer’s Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act was included in a larger Act that President Biden signed into law. The larger Act, called the CHIPS and Science - [Have a peaceful Thanksgiving](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-peaceful-thanksgiving/) - Photo credit: Darek Duchiewicz Have a joyous and peaceful Thanksgiving! We are taking a short break. See you on Monday. - [What can you do about big city noise pollution?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-can-you-do-about-big-city-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article onVurb Wellness discusses what you can do about noise pollution. Unsurprisngly, the Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft, PhD, is cited in the first sentence of the article. The article makes several suggestions, but I would add one more: become a - [More than 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/more-than-1-billion-young-people-at-risk-of-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: cottonbro studio by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A new study confirms what the World Health Organization has been saying for some years now: more than 1 billion young people could be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss because of personal listening device use and going to noisy clubs and rock - [Urban planners and the regulation of sound in our cities](https://quietcoalition.org/urban-planners-and-the-regulation-of-sound-in-our-cities/) - Photo credit: Riccardo by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Now that the soundscapes have for the most part returned to pre-pandemic form, Rob Walker, writing for the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, wonders if the quiet that many could tune into during - [WYPR reports on BWI airport noise study](https://quietcoalition.org/wypr-reports-on-bwi-airport-noise-study/) - Photo credit: Craig James licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Public Broadcasting System provides an important news source for many communities, including the Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan area. Last month, WYPR broadcast this piece about a report prepared by faculty at the University of Maryland. The report forecast an - [Difficulty hearing in a noisy space linked to dementia](https://quietcoalition.org/difficulty-hearing-in-a-noisy-space-linked-to-dementia/) - Photo credit: Helena Lopes by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies There has been more focus on the importance of hearing lately as evidenced by how much easier it is to get hearing aids. Those of us who have written about sound and - [14th ICBEN Congress on noise as a public health problem](https://quietcoalition.org/14th-icben-congress-on-noise-as-a-public-health-problem/) - Photo credit: Dennis Jarvis licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The first Congress of the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise was held in 1973, so this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of that first meeting. I presented at the 12th Congress in Zurich and at last year’s - [Experts suggest how and why to reduce noise at home](https://quietcoalition.org/experts-suggest-how-and-why-to-reduce-noise-at-home/) - Photo credit: Karl Solano by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s Jamie Banks, PhD, MSc, who is also founder and president of TQC’s parent organization, Quiet Communities, Inc. https://quietcommunities.org is one of the experts quoted in this article by Forbes magazine contributor Jamie Gold, who writes about wellness design and home - [Draft agreement between FAA, helicopter tours threatens Liberty State Park](https://quietcoalition.org/agreement-between-faa-and-helicopter-tours-threatens-libert-state-park/) - Photo credit: Robert So by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That helicopter noise has disrupted the lives of many residents in New York and New Jersey has been underscored by the activities of Stop the Chop NY/NJ, an organization that we have - [What musicians need to know about ear protection](https://quietcoalition.org/what-musicians-need-to-know-about-ear-protection/) - Photo credit: Ludwig Kwan by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition That’s the title of this piece by freelance writer Madeleine Burry on HealthyHearing.com, which appears to be sponsored by the Oticon hearing aid company. I might change the title to “What the public needs to know about hearing protection,” and use a lower - [How to prevent hearing loss while wearing headphones?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-to-prevent-hearing-loss-while-wearing-headphones/) - Photo credit: Sound On by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The title of the Health Digest article is “How to prevent hearing loss while wearing headphones” without the question mark. I had to add the question mark, though, because trying to prevent hearing loss while wearing headphones is like trying to prevent lung - [North Somerset Aims to be the UK's first "low noise firework county"](https://quietcoalition.org/north-somerset-aims-to-be-the-uks-first-low-noise-firework-county/) - Photo credit: Belinda Schindler by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Amid growing evidence that fireworks severely stress wild animals and pets, a pet owner in North Somerset is trying to make her county the UK’s first “low noise firework county.” According to Somerset Live, Lorraine Hopkinson-Parker from Backwell set up the petition after - [Americans can now buy hearing aids over the counter](https://quietcoalition.org/americans-can-now-buy-hearing-aids-over-the-counter/) - Photo credit: Nicolas Sadoc licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition From October 17, Americans can now buy hearing aids without seeing an audiologist, otolaryngologist, or hearing aid dispenser. Five years after Congress passed a bill authorizing over-the-counter sales of hearing aids, federal regulations allowing the sale of the devices - [No simple solutions for a complex problem](https://quietcoalition.org/no-simple-solutions-for-a-complex-problem/) - Photo credit: Q K from Pixabay by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition When a reader sent a question about sound to The Conversation’s Curious Kids column, editors turned to environmental epidemiologist Erica D. Walker, PhD, to serve as an expert. Ten-year-old Joseph of Chatham, New Jersey, asked, “If all the vehicles in the - [Scientists identify proteins that restore hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/scientists-identify-proteins-that-restore-hearing/) - Photo credit: Oregon State University licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have identified a unique set of proteins that restore hearing. Unfortunately, the proteins were discovered only in zebrafish, not in humans, so whether the research will eventually lead to a - [New England Botanic Garden 1st to receive AGZA Green Zone® certification](https://quietcoalition.org/new-england-botanic-garden-1st-to-receive-agza-green-zone-certification/) - Photo credit: Massachusetts Office Of Travel & Tourism licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, a nationally recognized botanic garden, will be the first botanic garden in the nation to receive American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) Green Zone® certification. The Garden is - [How to reduce aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/how-to-reduce-aircraft-noise/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Mohamed Anas Maaz, writing in Simple Flying, states “aircraft noise has been of the biggest concerns for airlines, airport authorities, and people residing near airports since the beginning of the jet age.” While - [Walking more or faster might prevent dementia](https://quietcoalition.org/walking-more-or-faster-might-prevent-dementia/) - Photo credit: Daniel Frese by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Why am I writing about preventing dementia on a blog site dedicated to noise? Please let me explain. Dementia is common in older people, increasing with age. It is something everyone fears. And it is seen as something random and almost inevitable as - [Even New Yorkers deserve quiet in their lives](https://quietcoalition.org/even-new-yorkers-deserve-quiet-in-their-lives/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Even New Yorkers deserve quiet in their lives. That’s certainly true, and that’s the headline for the opinion piece in the New York Daily News in late September. In the piece, Justin Zorn and Leigh Merz, who wrote the book "Golden: The Power of - [The toxic effect of noise](https://quietcoalition.org/the-toxic-effect-of-noise/) - Photo credit: Platon Matakaev by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Leaps website features an article on the toxic effects of noise and what we aren't doing about it by freelance writer Eve Glicksman in its weekly newsletter. Glicksman spoke with me and several other noise experts, including Erica Walker, ScD, MS, an - [Get your noise out of my ears](https://quietcoalition.org/get-your-noise-out-of-my-ears/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Get your noise out of my ears! That’s the title of a recent Freakonomics Radio podcast which was updated and re-released as pandemic lockdown noise levels have returned to pre-pandemic levels. I read economist Stephen Dubner’s book when it was published in 2005 - [NJ "boom parties" vex Staten Island residents](https://quietcoalition.org/nj-boom-parties-vex-staten-island-residents/) - Photo credit: Enrico Perini by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Generally, residents complain about noise sources in their own communities and ask their public officials to assist them in abating these noises. Although residents in Westerleigh and several other communities on Staten - [Reducing noise is smart public policy](https://quietcoalition.org/reducing-noise-is-smart-public-policy/) - Photo credit: Garvin St. Villier by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition According to this editorial in the Santa Fe New Mexican, reducing noise is smart public policy. We couldn’t agree more. As the editorial notes, noise from mufflers and drag racing was the problem that brought noise to the public’s attention, and then - [October is National Protect Your Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/october-is-national-protect-your-hearing-month-3/) - Image credit: CDC by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As this link from CDC tells us, October is National Protect Your Hearing Month. Noise causes hearing loss by damaging delicate cochlear structures. CDC also states that noise-induced hearing loss is the only type of hearing loss that is 100% preventable. Avoid loud noise, - [Can a single protein slow down age-related hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/can-a-single-protein-slow-down-age-related-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Ksenia Chernaya by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from the University of Michigan’s Kresge Hearing Research Institute discusses genetic engineering to overexpress a protein in the cochlea of specially bred mice. The actual scientific article can be accessed here. Increasing the level of the protein, which promotes synapse development - [Classroom noise harms teachers and children](https://quietcoalition.org/classroom-noise-harms-teachers-and-children/) - Photo credit: Arthur Krijgsman by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Pam Millett, writing a follow-up article in Canadian Audiologist to one written earlier discussing the impacts of noise on classroom teachers, states that "there is no question that students are also impacted - [Major international conference on aircraft noise this November](https://quietcoalition.org/major-international-conference-on-aircraft-noise-this-november/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Jamie Banks, MSc, PhD, President, Quiet Communities Inc., and Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances, or UECNA, is sponsoring a major international conference, Tackling Aviation Noise, on November 5, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm CEST in Brussels, Belgium (8:00 am to noon EST, - [On misophonia, a misunderstood auditory disorder](https://quietcoalition.org/on-misophonia-a-misunderstood-auditory-disorder/) - Photo credit: Mike van Schoonderwalt by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The “annoying noises” that The Learning Network lists in this short post, namely “chewing, slurping, knuckle-cracking, pen-tapping,” are sounds that have generally been associated with misophonia, a syndrome that elicits strong - [Why does your car's speedometer go to 160 mph?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-does-your-cars-speedometer-go-to-160-mph/) - Photo credit: Mike B by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Have you ever wondered why does your car’s speedometer go up to 160 miles per hour (mph)--or even 200 mph in the photo above--when your can might only be able to do 90 or 100? I have, but I never wondered quite enough - [NYC considers mandating new emergency sirens](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-considers-regulating-emergency-sirens/) - Photo credit: David Vincent Villavicencio by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Councilwoman Gale Brewer and several of her New York City councilmembers have introduced a bill that will mandate the use of "hi-lo, two-tone sirens” by New York City emergency response vehicles. - [Dodge announces Charger Daytona SRT will feature a 126-decibel sound effect](https://quietcoalition.org/dodge-announces-charger-daytona-srt-will-feature-a-126-decibel-sound-effect/) - Photo credit: Dodge by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition At Dodge Speed Week in Pontiac, Michigan on August 17th, automaker Stellantis introduced its Dodge Charger Daytona SRT concept car, calling it the first all-electric muscle car. While a press release for the car lists dozens of features, the detail that is garnering the - [Does anyone have the right to colonize the soundscape?](https://quietcoalition.org/does-anyone-have-the-right-to-colonize-the-soundscape/) - Photo credit: Life Of Pix by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition John Seabrook’s New Yorker article about branding with acoustic vehicle alert sounds covers some of the details in my recent blog post and earlier article in the Right to Quiet NOISELetter. But Seabrook’s article goes much further, offering a glimpse into the - [A wonderful newsletter from the UK Noise Association](https://quietcoalition.org/a-wonderful-newsletter-from-the-uk-noise-association/) - Photo credit: Burst by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our UK noise colleague John Stewart just sent out the latest issue of the UK Noise Association’s newsletter, The Bottom Rung. I just read it. As the list of the articles show, this is an especially timely issue with important articles about vehicle noise, - [Making noise about noise](https://quietcoalition.org/making-noise-about-noise/) - Photo credit: Backbone Campaign licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The Sound Defense Alliance is an organization located in Washington State that has been diligently working to protect communities living around the Salish Sea, Puget Sound, and - [How listening to silence changes our brains](https://quietcoalition.org/how-listening-to-silence-changes-our-brains/) - Photo credit: S Migaj by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in Time magazine by Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz, authors of Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise, discusses the dangers of noise, the fact that the world has indeed gotten noisier, and how silence changes our brains. - [Quiet Communities launches its new website](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-communities-launches-its-new-website/) - [fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” border_style=”solid”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_repeat=”no-repeat” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” hover_type=”none” min_height=”” link=””][fusion_text] Photo credit: Bella White from Pexels by Gina Briggs, Executive Editor, and Jamie Banks, PhD, MS, Co-Founder and Program Director You may - [UECNA webinar on delivery drones and flying taxis](https://quietcoalition.org/uecna-webinar-on-delivery-drones-and-flying-taxis/) - Photo credit: www.routexl.com licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition UECNA, the European Union Against Aircraft Nuisances, is sponsoring a webinar abut delivery drones and flying taxis on September 19, 2022, 6 p.m. Brussels time. That’s noon in New York ant 9 a.m. in Los Angeles. I don’t know - [London Authority tries again to make Tube rides quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/london-authority-tries-again-to-make-tube-rides-quieter/) - Photo credit: Felix Büsselmann by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In an earlier post, I had referenced the interest London Authority was directing at one of the “more unpleasant aspects of London travel,” namely the screeching of its trains. In this TimeOut - [A quieter, more respectful society](https://quietcoalition.org/a-quieter-more-respectful-society/) - Photo credit: Cameron Casey by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In this wonderful editorial in the September 2022 issue of The Hearing Journal, The Quiet Coalition’s Arline Bronzaft, PhD, discusses noise pollution and her pioneering work on the adverse impact of noise pollution on learning. In 1975, Dr. Bronzaft published a paper showing - [Canadians say towns and cities are noisier](https://quietcoalition.org/canadians-say-towns-and-cities-are-noisier/) - Photo credit: Alex Mahan licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Mariah Burchell, Victoria Buzz, reports on an online survey of a sample of 1,000 Canadians that found that nearly 50% of the respondents reported that their town - [Quiet zones and quiet rail cars](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-zones-on-already-quiet-rail-cars/) - Photo credit: Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On a recent trip to Norway, we took the train from the airport to the main train station in Oslo. There was a quiet car with silence requested in that car. More notably, the sound pressure level in the entire train was - [The effect of noise on the seafloor](https://quietcoalition.org/the-effect-of-noise-on-the-seafloor/) - Photo credit: Francesco Ungaro by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In the article ‘Noise affects life on the seafloor,” we are reminded how invertebrates living in the sea depend on sound to interact with members of their own species. However. the critical - [Sierra Club recognizes noise pollution as a problem](https://quietcoalition.org/sieera-club-recognizes-noise-pollution-as-a-problem/) - Photo credit: Natalie Dmay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in Sierra, the magazine of the Sierra Club, discusses noise pollution as a problem. Author Krystal Vasquez thought that noise wasn’t a problem compared to other forms of pollution like air pollution and water pollution, until a construction project started near - [Have a relaxing Labor Day](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-peaceful-labor-day/) - Photo credit: Krivec Ales Enjoy a quiet and peaceful Labor Day. - [Are earbuds damaging our hearing?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-earbuds-damaging-our-hearing/) - Photo credit: Thirdman by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This "Ask Well" column in The New York Times tries to answer the question, “Are earbuds damaging my hearing?” To me, the answer is clear: "Yes!” I am quoted extensively in the column, which appeared first online and then in print. The reporter didn’t - [Summer break](https://quietcoalition.org/summer-break-2/) - We are going to take the week off for a much needed break. See you again on Tuesday, September 6. - [When hearing loss was a public hazard](https://quietcoalition.org/when-hearing-loss-was-a-public-hazard/) - Photo credit: Wellington Cunha by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This piece from television station WFAA, Dallas, Texas, discusses the station’s 1974 coverage of noise in downtown Dallas. Back then, the danger to the public’s auditory health was from jackhammers, bus engines and exhausts, police whistles. Today, according to WFAA, hearing loss, particularly - [American Airlines to buy Boom supersonic planes](https://quietcoalition.org/american-airlines-to-buy-boom-supersonic-planes/) - Photo credit: Boom by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Boom! Boom! Boom! This word is generally defined as a loud sound, often a sound that can be disturbing and bothersome. Thus, to the people who live with overhead aircraft noise, reading Phil - [Significant breakthrough in search for tinnitus cure?](https://quietcoalition.org/significant-breakthrough-in-search-for-tinnitus-cure/) - Photo credit: Ketut Subiyanto by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from SciTechDaily has the same title as my title for this blog post, but without the question mark I added. Pardon my skepticism, but I’ll wait until the study described is repeated by other researchers on a larger population with a - [Why does our hearing diminish as we age?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-does-our-hearing-diminish-as-we-age/) - Photo credit: ELEVATE by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This piece in Health Digest has an intriguing title but really doesn’t answer the question, “Why does our hearing diminish as we age?” I’ll give the answer, though. Unlike inevitable changes associated with aging, such as thinning, graying hair, hearing loss with age is - [The Mayo Clinic's tips on reducing the risk of hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/the-mayo-clinics-tips-on-reducing-the-risk-of-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: alasam licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition GM Today, a website serving Greater Milwaukee, posted this piece from the Mayo Clinic about reducing risk of hearing loss, although “reducing the risk of noise-induced hearing loss” would be a more accurate descriptor. Hearing loss has multiple causes: - [Taiwan unveils world's first "certified quiet trail"](https://quietcoalition.org/taiwan-unveils-worlds-first-certified-quiet-trail/) - Photo credit: Hayden Liu licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I have hiked in the Alps many times and have recorded ambient sound levels just above 40 dBA* on the trail. Invariably one hears a distant jet plane, or the background hum of vehicular traffic on a road one - [Virginia cops can stop cars with loud exhausts again](https://quietcoalition.org/virginia-cops-can-stop-cars-with-loud-exhausts-again/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Across the United States, legislative bodies are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of noise on our health and well-being. This is evidenced by the laws that have been introduced to curb - [Earbud use can cause noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/earbud-use-can-cause-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Michael Burrows by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in the Chattanooga Pulse emphasizes the fact that earbud use can cause noise-induced hearing loss. To those of us who follow--and sometimes contribute to--the literature on personal audio system use causing noise-induced hearing loss, this is nothing new. Unfortunately, it still - [In memoriam: Bryan Pollard, Founder, Hyperacusis Research, Ltd.](https://quietcoalition.org/in-memoriam-bryan-pollard-founder-hyperacusis-research-ltd/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This thoughtful essay written by the board of Hyperacusis Research, Ltd. memorializes that organization’s late founder, Bryan Pollard. Bryan and I served together on the board of the American Tinnitus Association from 2015-2018, but more importantly for me Bryan was the individual who encouraged me to join - [Cost keeps some landscape pros from buying quieter electric equipment](https://quietcoalition.org/cost-keep-landscape-pros-from-buying-quieter-electric-equipment/) - Photo credit: Erik Mclean by Jamie Banks, MSc, PhD, President, Quiet Communities Inc. A recent piece from NPR discusses some of the barriers landscaping professionals face when considering the purchase of battery electric lawn mowers. These mowers, powered by lithium-ion batteries, are quieter, cleaner, simpler, and easier to use and can make for an attractive - [Swimming in noise](https://quietcoalition.org/swimming-in-noise/) - Photo credit: Christian Gloor licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This delightful article in Nautilus discusses underwater acoustics, anthropogenic noise in the ocean, and its effect on marine life. It’s too wide ranging for me to summarize in a few sentences, but I highly recommend that you read it - [Stopping neighbor noise begins with you](https://quietcoalition.org/stopping-neighbor-noise-begins-with-you/) - Photo credit: Monstera by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies GrowNYC is an environmental group in New York City that oversees farmers’ markets, recycling programs, community and school gardens and, in general, promotes environmental awareness among New Yorkers. The New York City Mayor - [Working with power tools? You need hearing protection.](https://quietcoalition.org/working-with-power-tools-you-need-hearing-protection/) - Photo credit: Bidvine by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Home repair and improvement expert Bob Vila--you may remember him from the PBS show, “This Old House”--recently posted this article about using hearing protection when using power tools. I’m glad to see a home improvement expert finally mentioning hearing protection, not just eye protection. - [Noisy City lets you see and hear noise pollution in your city](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-city-lets-you-see-and-hear-noise-pollution-in-your-city/) - Photo credit: Quintin Gellar by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Two senses informing you about noisy areas in your town are better than one. Do check out, as I did, these brilliant maps that let you hear as well as see the - [The power of silence in a deafening world](https://quietcoalition.org/the-power-of-silence-in-a-deafening-world/) - Photo credit: elifskies by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This thoughtful essay on Vox , excerpted from a book by Justin Zorn and Leigh Merz, discusses the power of silence in a deafening world. Real noise, and informational noise, disturb us and make it difficult if not impossible to focus on what’s really - [One woman's quest for silence](https://quietcoalition.org/one-womans-quest-for-silence/) - Photo credit: Oscar Ovalle by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Linda Briskin lets her readers know that she disliked noise from the time she was a child. Apparently, the sounds of anger from her family led her to hide under her bed - [Boston researchers awarded $12.5M NIH grant for hidden hearing loss research](https://quietcoalition.org/boston-researchers-awarded-12-5m-nih-grant-for-hidden-hearing-loss-research/) - Photo credit: Sepehr Ehsani licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This press release from Boston’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary reports on the award of a large NIH grant to Sharon Kujawa, PhD, Charles Liberman, PhD, and others there. Why is this important? Because in 2009, Kujawa and Liberman - [Citizen science gains a new noise tool with NoiseModelling](https://quietcoalition.org/citizen-science-gains-a-new-noise-tool-with-noisemodeling/) - Photo credit: Andrew Neel by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies NoiseModelling, which was begun as a research tool, has enabled researchers to develop environmental noise maps of urban areas. But as a free tool, it can be used by nonprofessionals to produce - [How loud is too loud?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-loud-is-too-loud-3/) - Photo credit: Mark Stebnicki by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition How loud is too loud? That’s the question asked in the Tyler Morning Telegraph in an article written by Claudann Jones from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. We city dwellers usually think of rural and farm areas as quiet, and they generally - [Noisy classrooms interfere with learning](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-classrooms-interfere-with-learning/) - Photo credit: Arthur Krijgsman by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Natalie Wexler's recent article, “Elementary Classrooms Are Too Noisy for Kids to Learn,” was not surprising to me because my study demonstrating elevated train noise impaired reading scores of children in classrooms - [Underwater noise from seabed mining could travel long distances](https://quietcoalition.org/underwater-noise-from-seabed-mining-could-travel-long-distances/) - Photo credit: J.U.L.Ö by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We have written many times about the importance of noise in oceans and lakes, and its importance becomes greater at greater depths, where light penetration is greatly reduced. Animals living at these great depths rely on sound rather than sight to find food, select - [Work to begin to quiet London's noisiest line](https://quietcoalition.org/work-to-begin-to-quiet-londons-noisiest-line/) - Photo credit: Alessio Cesario by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The London Northern Line between Camden Town and Euston stations will have work done on its tracks to lessen the noise of what has been identified as the noisiest of the Tube - [Barbie unveils first-ever doll with hearing aids](https://quietcoalition.org/barbie-unveils-first-ever-doll-with-hearing-aids/) - Photo credit: Mike Mozart licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN reports that Mattel’s Barbie division unveiled its first-ever doll with hearing aids. As Mattel’s Global Head of Barbie Dolls Lisa McKnight said, the dolls will help children see themselves reflected. Other dolls to come include a Ken doll - [The ocean is not a quiet place](https://quietcoalition.org/the-ocean-is-not-a-quiet-place/) - Photo credit: Trygve Finkelsen by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report by PhD candidate Thomas Uboldi, University of Quebec at Rimouski, on Phys.org discusses noise pollution in the world’s oceans. Uboldi notes that many still think oceans are quiet, based on Jaques Cousteau’s 1953 book and 1956 documentary, both with the titleThe - [Car noise is killing us](https://quietcoalition.org/car-noise-is-killing-us/) - Photo credit: Darya Sannikova by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Car noise is killing us. That’s the title of a post on Planetizen, a website covering urban planning issues. What is planning? Planetizen defines it as “the professional practice and academic study of the future of built and nature environments--from the smallest towns - [Researchers look to moth wings for sound protection](https://quietcoalition.org/researcher-study-moth-wings-for-sound-protection/) - Photo credit: Egor Kamelev by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Can technology based on moth wings be adapted for human use? According to a report on Interesting Engineering, that’s the question posed by researchers in the United Kingdom and reported in Proceedings of the Royal Society. Bats find moths to eat using echolocation. - [Quiet Skies Caucus gets funding to combat aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-skies-caucus-gets-funding-to-combat-aircraft-noise/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The Quiet Skies Caucus, headed by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, enthusiastically announced last week that it was able to get funding “to combat aircraft noise in [the] Appropriations Bill.” Essentially, the provisions included - [More needed to protect seals, porpoises from underwater noise](https://quietcoalition.org/more-needed-to-protect-seals-porpoises-from-underwater-noise/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from Science Daily describes research done in Denmark and published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America about underwater noise regulations and how noise affects seals and porpoises. Water transmits sound very well, and marine mammals have excellent hearing, which - [London's restaurants are the loudest in Europe](https://quietcoalition.org/londons-restaurants-are-the-loudest-in-europe/) - Photo credit: Negative Space by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I developed tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and hyperacusis (a sensitivity to noise levels that don’t bother others, with the noise causing pain) after a one-time exposure to loud noise in a restaurant in 2007. When I became a noise activist in 2014, - [The race to allow air taxis even as the people try to fight helicopter noise](https://quietcoalition.org/the-race-to-allow-air-taxis-even-as-the-people-try-to-fight-helicopter-noise/) - Photo credit: Archer by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Just as federal and local representatives are trying to limit nonessential helicopter travel over New York City, we learn that urban air taxis--electric vertical-takeoff-and landing vehicles, known as eVTOLs--will soon be filling the - [July 4th fireworks can trigger PTSD in veterans](https://quietcoalition.org/july-4th-fireworks-can-trigger-ptsd-in-veterans/) - Photo credit: Damir Mijailovic by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We have written several blog posts over the years about fireworks frightening animals, especially dogs, but this article in Patch discusses how fireworks sounds can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in military veterans. There are several other groups who are also at risk - [New York City Council takes aim at helicopter noise](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-council-takes-aim-at-helicopter-noise/) - Photo credit: SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies New York State is waiting for the governor to sign a bill that will reduce helicopter flights in New York City, and now the New York City Council will be considering a - [Dutch government limits Schiphol flights](https://quietcoalition.org/dutch-government-limits-schiphol-flights/) - Photo credit: Shoestring at wts wikivoyage has dedicated this image into the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Netherlands’ Schiphol Airport is one of the world’s busiest, and its environmental impacts both in terms of noise pollution and air pollution have long been a problem. Last week, Reuters reported that - [Battle over the East Hampton Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/battle-over-the-east-hampton-airport/) - Photo credit: Americasroof licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The East Hampton Airport, which has given New Yorkers access to the beaches of the Hamptons via helicopters, will be closing down for a very short period. It - [UK noise and health webinar](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-and-health-webinar/) - Photo credit: Daniel Dudek licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our noise friend John Stewart has notified us of the forthcoming UK Noise Association Webinar on Noise and Health and has given us permission to help disseminate information about the webinar. The speaker is world-renowned expert Professor Stephen Stansfeld, - [Prince Louis drew attention covering his ears during Jubilee](https://quietcoalition.org/prince-louis-drew-attention-covering-ears-during-jubilee/) - Photo credit: Torsten Reimer licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Queen Elizabeth recently celebrated 70 years as England’s monarch with four days of celebrations in London. The image from those events that might have gotten the most attention was of her great-grandson, four year old Prince Louis of - [Virginia Beach to target noise](https://quietcoalition.org/virginia-beach-to-target-noise/) - Photo credit: Dirk Kirchner licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Virginia Beach’s City Council, like other City Councils nationally, is considering a noise ordinance that should make it easier for police officers to issue violations. The City Council - [The effects of noise on health](https://quietcoalition.org/the-effects-of-noise-on-health-2/) - Photo credit: Loïc Manegarium by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Most people, most audiologists, and most doctors don’t know that noise has non-auditory health effects, but it does. The scientific evidence is ample and incontrovertible, and well known in Europe, even if that body of knowledge hasn’t crossed the Atlantic Ocean. That evidence - [Enhanced noise laws aren’t effective without enhanced enforcement](https://quietcoalition.org/enchanced-noise-lawgonowhere-without-enhanced-enforcement/) - Photo credit: Abraham by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies My mother came to New York City from Toronto, as a young woman, married here, and had two children. When I was ten years old, many years ago, my mother persuaded my father - [With helicopter noise complaints on the rise, governments must act](https://quietcoalition.org/with-helicopter-noise-complaints-on-the-rise-activists-are-at-the-ready/) - Photo credit: Charles Parker by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies With all the negatives COVID brought to New York City, the one positive that I heard from people who live with overhead airplanes and helicopters, is how much quieter it was. However, - [How light and noise pollution affect animals](https://quietcoalition.org/how-light-and-noise-pollution-affect-animals/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This wonderful article by The Atlantic’s Pulitzer Prize winning writer Ed Yong (excerpted from a forthcoming book) discusses how animals perceive the world. The essay is too long to summarize in a brief blog post, but the main point Yong makes is that light - [The inconsideration of the noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/the-inconsideration-of-the-noisy/) - Photo credit: Darya Sannikova by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Michael Moynihan, The Irish Examiner, asks “Why is it that noisy people show no consideration for others?” He believes that people too often inflict their noises on others in public settings. He - [Have a joyous Juneteenth!](https://quietcoalition.org/have-a-joyous-juneteenth/) - Photo credit: ניקולס licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 - [A project to save and reimagine disappearing sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/a-project-to-save-and-reimagine-disappearing-sounds/) - Photo credit: Onur Yumlu by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Cities and Memory is looking for participants in its new project, Obsolete Sounds, reimagining and remixing the obsolete and disappearing sounds of the world. I’m participating! I sent in information about two sounds from my boyhood in Newark, New Jersey: the sounds of the - [Protecting infants' and children's hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/protecting-infants-and-childrens-hearing/) - Photo credit: Burst, released under Creative Commons Zero License by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition With coauthor Sophie Balk, we are proud to announce the publication of our latest article in The Hearing Journal on protecting infants' and children's hearing. There are articles in the literature about screening for hearing loss in infants - [More proof that noise affects children's cognitive development](https://quietcoalition.org/more-proof-that-noise-affects-childrens-cognitive-development/) - Photo credit: Aleksandar Pasaric by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies “Children who attend schools with more traffic noise show lower cognitive development,” reads the headline of an article reporting on a Barcelona Institute for Global Health study that was published in PLosMedicine. - [Noise pollution is on the rise in India](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-pollution-is-on-the-rise-in-india/) - Photo credit: Bhavesh Jain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in the Deccan Herald, based in Bengaluru, India (formerly known as Bangalore), discusses the rise in noise pollution as the city recovers from COVID lockdowns. Noise levels are exceeding allowed limits on many days, especially in silent zones. Silent zones are noise-sensitive - [How to protect your hearing as a live musician](https://quietcoalition.org/how-to-protect-your-hearings-as-a-live-musician/) - Photo credit: Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition HypeBot discusses what musicians can do to protect their hearing. Ron Hart, Spotify for Artists, spoke with some musicians and also with New York-based otolaryngologist Dr. Lloyd Loft, who specializes in treating musicians. Recommendations include getting a baseline hearing test, using in-ear sound monitors, - [Aviation, Noise, Pollution and Health: Connecting the Dots](https://quietcoalition.org/aviation-noise-pollution-and-health-connecting-the-dots/) - On June 16th, Quiet Communities will host the second conference of its Quest for Quiet series entitled, Aviation Noise, Pollution, and Health: Connecting the Dots. To register, visit the conference web page. Aviation Noise, Pollution and Health: Connecting the Dots features leading scientific and medical researchers, community leaders and legal experts. The 2.5 hour conference - [The quietest place I have ever been](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quietest-place-i-have-ever-been/) - Photo credit: Frédéric SALEIN licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I recently wrote about a nighttime noise measurement just under 30 A-weighted decibels (dBA)* in the Huab Reserve in Namibia, but I can now report an even quieter nighttime noise measurement: Only 28.3 dBA average sound pressure level, on - [Quieter boats, snowmobiles, and more coming](https://quietcoalition.org/quieter-boats-snowmobiles-and-more-coming/) - Photo credit: Asurnipal licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Quieter boats, snowmobiles, and lawnmowers are coming, reports The New York Times. The TImes headline, at least in the online version, calls it the Tesla effect, but it is really the effect of both technology and regulation. The technological advances - [Design firm creates PinDrop room to help make spaces quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/design-firm-creates-pindrop-room-to-help-make-spaces-quieter/) - Photo credit: hugovk licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Ronda Kaysen, who writes the "Ask Real Estate" column for the New York Times, where she frequently responds to inquiries about noisy neighbors, must have been delighted to visit - [Memorial Day](https://quietcoalition.org/memorial-day-2/) - Photo credit: Bella White Wishing you a quiet and peaceful Memorial Day. - [Nature is still quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/nature-is-still-quiet-2/) - Photo credit: by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Humans, our primate ancestors, and generations of vertebrates, invertebrates, and simpler forms of life evolved in quiet. Except for a few loud noises--thunderstorms, earthquakes, waterfalls, loud animal calls, and birds gathering at dawn or dusk--quiet rules. The National Park Service noise map shows that, as - [Enforcement of noise legislation is key](https://quietcoalition.org/enforcement-of-noise-legislation-is-key/) - Photo credit: Markus Spiske by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The New York City Council is taking additional action to limit the excessive noise from the loud motor vehicles that race down the City’s streets subjecting residents to the kinds of noise - [With noise, enforcement is the key](https://quietcoalition.org/with-noise-enforcement-is-the-key/) - Photo credit: Allan Rosen by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The photo above was sent to me by a friend who was visiting Charleston, South Carolina. This photo led me to think about the time in 2013 when New York City’s Department - [Children and noise](https://quietcoalition.org/children-and-noise/) - Photo credit: sharyn morrow licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our noise colleague Arline Bronzaft, PhD, wrote this wonderful essay for the Center for Hearing and Communication on the occasion of International Noise Awareness Day last month. Arline is truly a pioneer, recognized by the American Psychological Association - [What Is a quietway?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-is-a-quiet-way/) - Photo courtesy of Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition “What is a quietway?" I wondered what it was when I saw the Quietway sign on a recent trip to London. I had to search the internet to learn that London is establishing bicycle routes on less trafficked streets to encourage - [California may launch a noise camera pilot program](https://quietcoalition.org/california-may-launch-a-noise-camera-pilot-program/) - Photo credit: Ignacio Palés by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies With cities like New York, Paris, and London setting up pilot programs to use noise cameras to identify vehicles traversing the streets and imposing excessive and harmful sound levels on city residents, - [What makes a city less noisy?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-makes-a-city-less-noisy/) - Photo credit: Daniel Durin by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition What makes a city less noisy? Soundproofist recently discussed this after its founder visited Copenhagen. He notes that it’s really urban design that helps make a city quieter, including efforts to increase bicycle travel, reduce or eliminate vehicular traffic, and improve public transit, - [NYC Councilmember speaks out against helicopter noise](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-councilmember-speaks-out-against-helicopter-noise/) - Photo credit: Rusty Blazenhoff licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In her opinion piece in the New York Daily News, New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer tells us how often she hears from Manhattanites who are constantly being - [Las Vegas lawn ban has a silver lining](https://quietcoalition.org/las-vegas-lawn-ban-has-a-silver-lining/) - Photo credit: jan buchholtz licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition There’s an old saying that every cloud has a silver lining. I’m not sure that’s true, but many clouds--or in this case, no rain cloud in Las Vegas--may indeed have a silver lining. As this report in The New - [May is Better Hearing and Speech Month](https://quietcoalition.org/may-is-better-speech-and-hearing-month/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As I’ve written before, I don’t like special days or months. I think that if something is important, it should be thought about all the time, not just on a special day or month. But I’ve also acknowledged that these special days and months remind us of - [When noise pollution is in your home](https://quietcoalition.org/when-the-noise-pollution-is-in-your-home/) - Photo credit: Kampus Production by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This BBC article starts with the complaint of a wife who cannot stand her husband’s snores and how he has tried to cure the problems, but the author, Natalie Lisbona, quickly identifies - [The effects of noise on health](https://quietcoalition.org/the-effects-of-noise-on-health/) - Photo credit: See-ming Lee licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Most people, most audiologists, and most doctors don’t know that noise has non-auditory health effects, but it does. The scientific evidence is ample and incontrovertible, and well-known in Europe, even if that body of knowledge hasn’t crossed the - [Oahu residents plead with lawmakers to combat noise](https://quietcoalition.org/oahu-residents-plead-with-lawmakers-to-combat-noise/) - Photo credit: Jess Loiterton by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While it may be difficult to think of beautiful Waikiki Beach, Hawaii as a place overwhelmed by noise intrusions, Chad Blair’s article lets you know otherwise. Blair does this by describing the - [Why are cetaceans stranding themselves on China's coasts?](https://quietcoalition.org/why-are-cetaceans-stranding-on-chinas-coasts/) - Photo credit: 7inchs by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Cetaceans are whales. What’s leaving them stranded on China’s coasts? The Sixth Tone website--surprisingly (at least to me), sponsored by the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese Communist Party--claims to offer a fresh perspective on what it calls “the uncommon stories of common people.” The - [Noise as a public health problem](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-as-a-public-health-problem/) - Photo credit: Neil R licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition What’s the difference between a health problem and a public health problem? A health problem affects an individual, a patient. A public health problem affects populations, in communities. This editorial by me and Quiet Communities president, Jamie Banks, PhD, - [Forget about personality. Remember those the law was meant to protect.](https://quietcoalition.org/forget-personality-remember-who-the-law-was-meant-to-protect/) - This photo by Pete Souza is in the public domain by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition A year ago I wrote an article that asked, Will pedestrian warning sounds be discernible? I raised concerns about the intended purpose of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010–-to protect blind and visually impaired pedestrians from - [The best wireless Bluetooth earbuds may be none at all](https://quietcoalition.org/the-best-wireless-bluetooth-earbuds-may-be-none-at-all/) - Photo credit: Soulful Pizza by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition does not endorse products or manufacturers and has no commercial or other relationships with any company or other organization, helping guarantee our independence. So I write somewhat hesitantly about The New York Times Wirecutter’s article about the three best wireless - [Paris aims to curtail vehicle noise](https://quietcoalition.org/paris-aims-to-curtail-vehicle-noise/) - Photo credit: Jeffrey Czum by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In earlier posts, I informed readers that Paris was pilot testing a camera that could identify drivers and motorcycle riders who were in violation of the existing sound regulations by their license - [Noise police in Palm Springs, California](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-police-in-palm-springs-california/) - Photo credit: Patrick Pelster licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The headline in the print version of the Los Angeles Times is “The party police are watching you,” but the Times is really writing about noise police. Palm Springs has been a getaway location since the early twentieth - [What tinnitus taught Jan Mayes](https://quietcoalition.org/what-tinnitus-taught-jan-mayes/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our noise colleague and my coauthor Jan Mayes has a wonderful, personal article in the current issue of Hearing Health Magazine, sharing with the reader how an unfortunate accident inspired her to become an audiologist. Jan was in a motor vehicle crash and - [Today is International Noise Awareness Day](https://quietcoalition.org/today-is-international-noise-awareness-day-2/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies International Noise Awareness Day was initiated in 1996 by the Center for Hearing and Communication and I was thrilled when Nancy Nadler, Deputy Executive Director of the Center, asked me to join her and CHC in - [The fight for quiet streets in Moab, Utah](https://quietcoalition.org/the-fight-for-quiet-streets-in-moab-utah/) - Photo credit: Chris Janda by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Posters and signs are often used to remind people about activities they should not engage in. For example, “Curb your dog” and “Keep Off" signs are frequently placed near small green areas - [Could Pfizer's COVID vaccine cause hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/could-pfizers-covid-vaccine-cause-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Maksim Goncharenok by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on Medscape discusses a possible link between the Pfizer COVID vaccine and hearing loss. I think the Medscape headline overstates the case. A possible statistical association, rather than a link, would appear to be more accurate. As noted in the report, - [Today is Earth Day. A quieter world will be better for us all](https://quietcoalition.org/today-is-earth-day-a-quieter-world-will-be-better-for-us-all/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The first Earth Day took place exactly 52 years ago, April 22, 1970. The environmental movement was still in its infancy, kickstarted by Rachel Carson’s 1962 New Yorker article Silent Spring, which was published as a book later in the year. We learned from Carson that all - [International Noise Awareness Day Forum coming up](https://quietcoalition.org/international-noise-awareness-day-forum-coming-up/) - Photo credit: by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies To celebrate the 27th annual International Noise Awareness Day on April 27th from Noon to 1:30 pm (Pacific Time), the Right to Quiet Society for Soundscape Awareness and Protection invites everyone to a virtual - [Animal sounds are too precious to be drowned out by human noise](https://quietcoalition.org/animal-sounds-are-too-precious-to-be-drowned-out-by-human-noise/) - Photo credit: NADExRioTic from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Neel Dhanesha has written a lovely article in Vox where he interviewed University of the South biology professor David Haskell about his new book Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction. It should be read - [London Underground noise complaints on the rise](https://quietcoalition.org/london-underground-noise-complaints-on-the-rise/) - Photo credit: Roy Reyna from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Thomas Mackintosh, BBC, writes in his recent article on the London Underground that there has been increase in noise complaints, especially on its Northern and Victoria lines. Transport for London - [Auditory cortex stimulation improves speech perception over background noise](https://quietcoalition.org/stimulation-of-the-auditory-cortex-improves-speech-perception-over-background-noise/) - Photo credit: Bradley P. Ander, et al. licensed under CC BY 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on Medical Net discusses an unexpected finding: stimulation of the auditory cortex helped an epilepsy patient understand speech in a simulated noisy environment. An epilepsy patient was having brain surgery with electrodes implanted - [Quieter FedEx delivery trucks are here](https://quietcoalition.org/quieter-fedex-delivery-trucks-are-here/) - Photo by Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I was doing some yard work when a FedEx truck pulled up to a neighbor’s house. Unlike most FedEx trucks, with too-noisy diesel engines, this one was quiet. I went over to take a look and couldn’t find the brand, but it - [Utah docs threaten Harley-Davidson with lawsuit](https://quietcoalition.org/utah-docs-threaten-harley-davidson-with-lawsuit/) - Photo credit: Sourav Mishra from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies I have written earlier on the Stop Loud and Excessive Exhaust Systems, New York State legislation aimed at cracking down on the illegal mufflers and exhaust systems of motor vehicles - [If we could only see the damage caused by noise](https://quietcoalition.org/if-we-could-only-see-the-damage-caused-by-noise/) - Photo credit: Tanya Gupta from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition My noise colleague and coauthor Jan Mayes has an insightful article in the current issue of Tinnitus Today, the quarterly magazine of the American Tinnitus Association. As Jan’s lead sentence incisively states, “[i]f our ears bled from noise exposure, protecting hearing - [Lawyer writes about leaf blower hazards](https://quietcoalition.org/lawyer-writes-about-leaf-blower-hazards/) - Photo credit: Josh Larios licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition, and Jamie Banks, PhD, MS, Program Director, The Quiet Coalition It is well known that leading commercial leaf blowers produce deafening noise levels of 100 dB or more at the ear of the operator and that the low frequency - [Working together for a quiet transition](https://quietcoalition.org/working-together-for-a-quiet-transition-2/) - Training session on Mean Green mower, courtesy of the American Green Zone Alliance by Jamie Banks, PhD, MSc, President, Quiet Communities Inc. With our collaborator, the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), Quiet Communities works to help transition municipalities, institutions, businesses and neighborhoods to cleaner, quieter, more sustainable landscape maintenance practices for the benefit of health - [Working together for a quiet transition](https://quietcoalition.org/working-together-for-a-quiet-transition/) - Training session on Mean Green mower, courtesy of the American Green Zone Alliance by Jamie Banks, PhD, MSc, President, Quiet Communities Inc. With our collaborator, the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), Quiet Communities works to help transition municipalities, institutions, businesses and neighborhoods to cleaner, quieter, more sustainable landscape maintenance practices for the benefit of health - [Does listening to music improve our lives?](https://quietcoalition.org/does-listening-to-music-improve-our-lives/) - Photo credit: Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Does listening to music improve our lives? A lot of people listen to music, and music makes a lot of people happy, but does it really improve our lives? Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open, - [This is National Public Health Week](https://quietcoalition.org/this-is-national-public-health-week/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Every year the American Public Health Association celebrates National Public Health Week. The theme this year is “Public Health is Where You Are.” This year The Quiet Coalition was excited about the APHA’s revised policy on Noise as a Public Health Hazard, published in January. Certainly, noise - [Speed of sound is unique on Mars](https://quietcoalition.org/speed-of-sound-is-unique-on-mars/) - Photo credit: NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition Using equipment on the Perseverance rover, scientists have discovered the speed of sound is unique on Mars. Sound speed depends on the temperature and medium that it's travelling through, e.g. gas, liquid, or solid. - [Humans fail to listen to the natural world](https://quietcoalition.org/humans-fail-to-listen-to-the-natural-world/) - Photo credit: Levent Tatli by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies While we understand that sound connects each of us to other people, especially through the sounds of speech, we are also connected to other species through sound. This was especially true when - [Turtles can suffer hearing loss, too](https://quietcoalition.org/turtles-can-suffer-hearing-loss-too/) - Photo credit: Jolo Diaz by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report in Science Daily discussing research at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution states that marine noise pollution can cause temporary hearing loss in turtles. This phenomenon was known for fish and marine mammals, but had not previously been reported in reptiles. Like - [The ground is surprisingly noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/the-ground-is-surprisingly-noisy/) - Photo credit: Chris Waits licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition BBC Future, republishing an article from Knowable Magazine, reports on research about underground noise, not that made by subway trains or utility pipes, but natural underground noise made by insects, small mammals, and plant roots. The developing field of - [Headphones used in schools are too loud](https://quietcoalition.org/headphones-used-in-schools-are-too-loud/) - Photo credit: Sound On from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times’ Wirecutter published an article about headphones used in schools. Wirecutter evaluates products independently but does get commissions if products mentioned are purchased through links in its articles. The article makes several important points about noise and hearing, - [Urban noise is a top environmental risk](https://quietcoalition.org/urban-noise-is-a-top-environmental-risk/) - Photo credit: Nick Wehrli from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Kamyar Razavi and Kayla McLean affirmatively state In their Canadian Global News article that urban noise is a top environmental risk. They quote an associate professor, Tor Oiamo of Ryerson - [Nature is still quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/nature-is-still-quiet/) - Photo credit: Darius Krause from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The National Park Service noise maps show that without anthropogenic noise, nature is quiet. I have measured nighttime noise levels just above or just below 30 dBA in remote parts of Wales, the French Alps, and Sri Lanka. I was in - [Was the pandemic lockdown quiet a wake up call?](https://quietcoalition.org/was-the-pandemic-lockdown-quiet-a-wake-up-call/) - Photo credit: Arthur Brognoli from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies To live with the rare hearing condition, hyperacusis, a disorder that makes it more difficult for the person to deal with every day sounds, forces the individual to plan a - [Transportation noise exposure correlated with heart attacks](https://quietcoalition.org/transportation-noise-exposure-correlated-with-heart-attacks/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In research to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 71st Scientific Session, from April 2-4, 2022, researchers from Rutgers University found that transportation noise exposure may account for 5% of heart attacks in New Jersey. Transportation noise includes road traffic noise, railroad noise, and aircraft - [Counter-protesters blast “most hated songs” playlist](https://quietcoalition.org/counter-protesters-blast-most-hated-songs-playlist/) - Photo credit: Daniel Lobo licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition Counter-protesters in New Zealand blasted a playlist of “most hated” songs in attempts to disperse anti-government protesters that set up camp outside Parliament. The protesters disrupted nearby homes, schools, and businesses for days. The counter-protest playlist - [Silent owls inspire quiet design](https://quietcoalition.org/silent-owls-inspire-quiet-design/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Yes, indeed, humans can learn from other species. Sometimes, we forget this, but Manasee Wagh in her article “Why Owls Are a ‘Spirit Animal’ for Engineers Building Quieter Aircraft” reminds us that when it comes to - [The Quiet Coalition's Board Chair excoriates the FAA](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-coalitions-board-chair-excoriates-the-faa/) - Photo credit: Shai Barzilay licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition My parents raised me to be respectful of authority, but I was also taught that I had a responsibility to speak up when I saw something wrong. When I was asked to submit written testimony to the Maryland - [FAA stuck in an aircraft noise rut](https://quietcoalition.org/faa-stuck-in-an-aircraft-noise-rut/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies On Thursday, March 17th, the aviation subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing in which they questioned Federal Aviation Administration officials and a member of the Government Accountability Office about FAA - [Hearing loss associated with less physical activity](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-associated-with-less-physical-activity/) - Photo credit: Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition A new study based on data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey found that hearing loss is associated with less physical activity. NHANES is a statistically valid health survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, - [An update on London's noise camera program](https://quietcoalition.org/an-update-on-londons-noise-camera-program/) - Photo credit: Loco Steve licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies This article by Nicholas Hellen in London Sunday Times is an update on the acoustic cameras that were installed in several UK boroughs. Hellen reports that almost 10,000 - [A natural experiment about aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/a-natural-experiment-about-aircraft-noise/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Brittanica website defines a natural experiment as an: [O]bservational study in which an event or a situation that allows for the random or seemingly random assignment of study subjects to different groups is exploited to answer a particular question. Natural experiments are often used to study - [Maryland legislative initiative to include citizen stakeholders in airport governance](https://quietcoalition.org/maryland-legislative-initiative-will-establish-citizen-stakeholders-in-airport-governance/) - Photo credit: Ken Lund licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Mary Reese, Annapolis representative to the DC Metroplex BWI Community Roundtable Legislation is being considered by the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) that would create an independent, community-led body with a budget for research and analysis of aviation-related impacts on communities surrounding its state owned airports, most - [Military jets make too much noise](https://quietcoalition.org/military-jets-make-too-much-noise/) - Photo credit: AvgeekJoe licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Nina Berman is journalism professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism who spent the 2020-2021 academic year as a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She published this report about the deafening noise made - [Drone delivery lands in Los Angeles](https://quietcoalition.org/drone-delivery-lands-in-los-angeles/) - Photo credit: HadasBandel licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Los Angeles Jewish Journal reports that a local restaurant, Lenny’s Casita, has started using drone delivery in conjunction with a startup company, Flyby. According to the report, the restaurant prepares and packages the food, it is hoisted to the - [Dispute over noise takes a murderous turn](https://quietcoalition.org/dispute-over-noise-take-murderous-turn/) - Photo credit: kat wilcox from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies GrowNYC is a city environmental organization, with a Board appointed by the Mayor of New York, that provides New Yorkers with healthy food choices through its farmers markets, supports community - [Hearing tech targets "cocktail party noise problem"](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-tech-targets-cocktail-party-noise-problem/) - Photo credit: cottonbro from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The UK’s Eureka magazine reports that a new device is targeting the cocktail party noise problem. What is the cocktail party noise problem? Also known as the Lombard Effect, after French physiologist Etienne Lombard who described it in 1881, the cocktail party - [Acoustic assault leaves tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/acoustic-assault-leaves-tinnitus/) - Photo credit: MondoPhoto licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition The Canadian national media are paying attention to tinnitus reported by some Ottawa residents after being exposed to weeks of noisy truck honking Freedom Convoy protests. The Globe & Mail published an opinion on the impact of - [Pandemic brought an onslaught of small planes to rural NY](https://quietcoalition.org/pandemic-brought-an-onslaught-of-small-planes-to-rural-ny/) - Photo credit: Scott 97006 licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The pandemic has changed behaviors in several ways. For example, people are now working at home and many of them do not wish to go back to the - [Hearing Health Foundation launches video for World Hearing Day](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-health-foundation-launches-video-for-world-hearing-day/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our friends at Hearing Health Foundation let us know that in celebration of World Hearing Day yesterday they launched a new 60-second video about the risks of hearing loss from noise exposure, with advice about how to keep listening, safely: This ties right in with the World - [Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl opens up about hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/foo-fighters-dave-grohl-opens-up-about-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Facundo Gaisler licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies On a recent Howard Stern Show, Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl said that he can hear the music on stage and in his studio but he cannot hear - [The solace of quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/the-solace-of-quiet/) - Photo credit: tom balabaud from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Tom DiVenti in his article “Disturbing the Peace” bemoans that our noisy world prevents people from getting “a little bit of silence.” He identifies the many discomforting sounds from the - [Audiologist uses Tik-Tok to promote hearing health](https://quietcoalition.org/audiologist-uses-tik-tok-to-promote-hearing-health/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on Entrepreneur.com discusses Baltimore audiologist Dr. Emily Taylor. Dr. Taylor became a Tik-Tok star with her catchy nom de plume, Dr Ear Wax, and uses Tik-Tok to teach the importance of auditory health. Not only is she an audiologist, - [March 3 is World Hearing Day](https://quietcoalition.org/march-3-is-world-heaing-day/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition March 3 is World Hearing Day. For several years now, the World Health Organization has celebrated World Hearing Day, each year with a special theme. This year’s theme is one near and dear to my heart: Prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. And this year’s slogan is “To - [NYC pilot testing noise cameras](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-pilot-testing-noise-cameras/) - Photo credit: Craig Adderley from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Add New York City to the cities abroad that are pilot testing noise cameras to capture loud vehicles that are imposing loud and harmful sounds on community residents. To quote - [Another attempt at controlling leaf blower use in Greenwich, CT](https://quietcoalition.org/another-attempt-at-controlling-leaf-blower-use-in-greenwich-ct/) - Photo credit: Rob Howard licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arnold Gordon, PhD Gas-powered leaf blowers cause many problems. They are noisy, pollute the air with carcinogens, aerosolized particulate matter and greenhouse gases, and disturb the natural leaf litter layer that protects the ground. As far back as 1993, environmental activists urged the Town of Greenwich - [Paris launches noise radar](https://quietcoalition.org/paris-launches-noise-radar/) - Photo credit: Ashley Fontana from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Guardian reports that Paris has launched the first noise radar in a bid to quiet its streets. Paris is apparently one of the world’s noisiest cities. The device isn’t really a radar, but rather a combination of microphones and cameras - [UN says urban noise is a problem](https://quietcoalition.org/un-says-urban-noise-is-a-problem/) - Image: United Nations Environment Programme (2022). Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches – Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern. by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The United Nations Environmental Program has released its Frontiers 2022 report, Noises, Blazes, and Mismatches: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern. Chapter 1 is titled “Listening to Cities: From noisy - [Grassroots Connecticut group keeps up pressure to reduce highway noise](https://quietcoalition.org/grassroots-connecticut-group-keeps-up-pressure-to-reduce-highway-noise/) - Photo credit: versageek licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Greenwich Time reports that local activists in Greenwich, Connecticut are trying to get local and state officials to deal with noise pollution from busy I-95 as it goes through Greenwich. As the article correctly notes, most of the noise - [Personal sound zones in cars?](https://quietcoalition.org/personal-sound-zones-in-cars/) - Photo credit: Hasan Gulec from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition Will future cars have individual sound zones for each passenger? Scientists are exploring an algorithm that would let each passenger listen to their own audio without disturbing others and without using headphones or earbuds. So far the algorithm only - [When--and how--to protect your hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/when-and-how-to-protect-your-hearing/) - Photo credit: Kindel Media from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times’ Wirecutter provides sound advice about protecting your hearing, citing updated information from the CDC about safe noise levels. As the Times’ resident noise expert, staff writer Lauren Dragan, writes: If you’re wondering how loud is too loud, - [The New Yorker on Stop The Chop NY/NJ](https://quietcoalition.org/the-new-yorker-on-stop-the-chop-ny-nj/) - Photo credit: Matthis from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Helicopter noise has long received complaints from New Yorkers, but since the start of pandemic helicopter noise complaints to 311 have increased sevenfold writes Zack Helfand in his New Yorker article - [Food packaging has labels. How about noise labels?](https://quietcoalition.org/food-packaging-has-labels-how-about-noise-labels/) - Photo by Daniel Fink, MD by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Economists say that an informed consumer is a better consumer although it turns out that most consumers do a bad job of making what would appear to be rational decisions. A whole new field, behavioral economics, has developed over the last several - [Canadian judge silences “The Honkening”](https://quietcoalition.org/canadian-judge-silences-the-honkening/) - Photo credit: Will Prentice licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition Imagine at the end of January, a convoy of honking trucks drove in and parked near your neighborhood homes, businesses, and public spaces. This honking protest against COVID-19 public health mandates continued 24/7 nonstop for over - [European Commission begins train noise monitoring project](https://quietcoalition.org/european-commission-begins-train-noise-monitoring-project/) - Photo credit: Nguyen Tran from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Railtech.com reports that as part of the Noise and Emissions Monitoring and Radical Mitigation research project, devices to assess noise signals from passing trains will be installed on rails and - [Mild brain injuries and sound processing](https://quietcoalition.org/mild-brain-injuries-and-sound-processing/) - This image by NIH Image Gallery is in the public domain by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition A Short Wave podcast at NPR highlights how even mild concussions or brain injuries can change how a person processes sound. These auditory problems can happen in addition to common symptoms like headaches, confusion, - [Hearing loss still the butt of jokes](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-still-the-butt-of-jokes/) - Photo credit: Neil Moralee licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Dr. Daniel Fink has raised the question about whether hearing loss is an “inevitable part of aging.” He makes the argument that a lifetime of noise exposure contributes - [The quiet revolution is here](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-revolution-is-here/) - Photo credit: Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition As those who follow this blog may remember, when I’m not writing about noise issues I’m working as a home handyman fixing things. Ah, the joys of home ownership. On this week’s journey to a big box DIY store, imagine my surprise - [Meet Alice, the first all-electric passenger airplane](https://quietcoalition.org/meet-alice-the-first-all-electric-passenger-airplane/) - Photo courtesy of Eviation by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition CNN reports that Alice, the world’s first all-electric passenger airplane, went through engine testing and may be making test flights in a few weeks. Electric airplanes are the holy grail of both environmentalists and those of us concerned about noise. Aircraft noise causes - [One month until World Hearing Day](https://quietcoalition.org/one-month-until-world-hearing-day/) - Image courtesy of the World Health Organization by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The World Health Organization sponsors World Hearing Day annually, on March 3. A theme is chosen each year. This year’s theme is, “To hear for life, listen with care.” Materials about this year’s World Hearing Day are available on the - [Hospital noise adversely affects staff](https://quietcoalition.org/hospital-noise-adversely-affects-staff/) - Photo credit: This photo by Navy Medicine is in the public domain by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That hospital noise is a problem for both patients and health care providers has been noted in several posts on The Quiet Coalition site. - [SoundPrint noise data benchmark](https://quietcoalition.org/soundprint-noise-data-benchmark/) - by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition SoundPrint’s first annual 2021 Find Your Quiet Place Challenge will be a benchmark for noise data. SoundPrinters submitted sound levels at over 2000 different venues, and nominated over 350 Quiet Places. Venue categories included restaurants, nightlife, coffee or tea shops, retail stores, and gyms. Across - [How loud is too loud?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-loud-is-too-loud-2/) - Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition How loud is too loud? An online site for high school students, Science News for Students, says that it’s either 75 decibels or 70 decibels. The article mentions The Quiet Coalition’s Jan Mayes by name, and cites two papers she and - ["Sex and the City" tackles noisy neighbors](https://quietcoalition.org/sex-and-the-city-tackles-noisy-neighbors/) - Photo credit: Ed Yourdon licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Over the years there have been some books, television shows and movies that have referred to noisy neighbors, but I don’t believe they resulted in movements to - [Noisy Chrysler cars recalled in Australia](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-chrysler-cars-recalled-in-australia/) - Photo credit: Ken Lane licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from the Cars Guide site in Australia states that 2020-2021 Chrysler 300 cars are being recalled because they are too loud. Like many countries, Australia has noise standards for vehicle noise. Australia didn’t develop these guidelines on - [Utah legislator wants to cut down noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/utah-legislator-wants-to-cut-down-noise-pollution/) - Photo credit: ND-Photo.nl licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Jamie McGriff, KUTV, reports that a Utah legislator wants to cut down noise pollution, stating that so many people in Utah have heard “the obnoxiously noisy loud roaring - [Another silent spring?](https://quietcoalition.org/another-silent-spring/) - Photo credit: Tina Nord from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring helped jumpstart the environmental movement in the U.S. and worldwide. Carson wrote lyrically, almost poetically, about how pesticides, especially DDT, damaged birds and caused birth defects and cancer. If Carson were alive today, she - [Noise criteria for marine mammals?](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-criteria-for-marine-mammals/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I am familiar with occupational noise exposure criteria and noise but had never heard of noise exposure criteria for marine mammals. We know about the dangers of ocean noise for marine mammals and fishes, and have written several blog posts about this. Now, a large group of scientific - [The fight to save quiet places](https://quietcoalition.org/the-fight-to-save-quiet-places/) - Photo credit: Brett Jordan from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Alan Moshakis, The Guardian, introduces the readers to Hampstead Heath by describing it as one of London’s largest green spaces with its almost 800 acres comprised of “meadow and woodland, - [Florida sheriffs crack down on loud exhaust systems](https://quietcoalition.org/florida-sheriffs-crack-down-on-loud-exhaust-systems/) - Photo credit: Markus Spiske from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Residents of Collier County in Florida, like many New Yorkers and residents across the country, have had their lives made miserable by the loud noises emanating from vehicles with illegally - [Noise bugs bugs](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-bugs-bugs/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I’m cleaning up my study and came across last summer’s issue of Acoustics Today, which had a fascinating article by Maggie Raboin, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, with the somewhat dry title “Inaudible Noise Pollution of the Invertebrate World.” I think a catchier - [Is hearing loss an inevitable part of aging?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-hearing-loss-an-inevitable-part-of-aging/) - Photo credit: Magda Ehlers from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Is hearing loss an inevitable part of aging? I came to the conclusion that it isn’t in 2017 and presented that paper at the 12th Congress of the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise in Zurich, Switzerland. Four years later, - [UECNA: An international organization protecting the health of people worldwide](https://quietcoalition.org/uecna-an-international-organization-protecting-the-health-of-people-worldwide/) - Photo credit: Thiago Matos from Pexels John Stewart is the lead author of Why Noise Matters (with Arline L. Bronzaft as contributing co-author) and is recognized as a long-term UK advocate to lessen noise pollution, especially aircraft noise. With the formation of UECNA, John hopes to extend his battle against noise beyond the UK. By - [Broadband reversing technology gaining popularity](https://quietcoalition.org/broadband-reversing-technology-gaining-popularity-with-employers-and-neighbors/) - Photo credit: Scott Beale licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition People living close to construction sites attest to the stress caused by piercing backup beeps intruding in their space. With so many people now working from home due to Covid, the backup sound adds to work stress. Industries and - [Noise is a public health hazard](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-is-a-public-health-hazard/) - Photo credit: Cameron Casey from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise was first declared a public health hazard in 1968 by U.S. Surgeon General William Stewart at a conference entitled “Noise as a Public Health Hazard.” And, that’s the title of the newly released policy statement of the American Public Health - [France starts noise camera trials](https://quietcoalition.org/france-starts-noise-camera-trials/) - Photo credit: Labskiii from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Emma Morgan, The Connexion, writes that in rural France the first “fixed sound-level radar camera device” to monitor vehicle road sounds is now in operation. While January 4th marked the day - [A restaurant "louder than a nightclub at midnight"](https://quietcoalition.org/a-restaurant-louder-than-a-nightclub-at-midnight/) - Photo credit: Chan Walrus from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Restaurant noise is my bete noire. I developed tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and hyperacusis (a sensitivity to loud noise) after a one-time exposure to loud noise in a restaurant on New Year’s Eve in 2007. As I write in the - [California to phase out new small off-road gas engines by 2024](https://quietcoalition.org/california-to-ban-new-small-off-road-gas-engines-by-2024/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition, and Jamie L. Banks, PhD, MS, Executive Director, Quiet Communities, Inc., Co-Founder, The Quiet Coalition A new California law, AB 1346, phases out the sale of new small off-road gasoline engines. The law, based on concerns over harmful air pollution in the state, affects gas-powered lawn and - [NY to study of impact of aircraft noise on health](https://quietcoalition.org/ny-to-study-of-impact-of-aircraft-noise-on-health/) - Photo credit: Dewang Wagh from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In New York State, residents living with aircraft noise were pleased to learn that Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill in late December that directs the New York State Department - [Washington citizen's group scores a win!](https://quietcoalition.org/washington-citizens-group-scores-a-win/) - Photo credit: AvgeekJoe licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In 2019 the U.S. Navy was sued by the Washington State attorney general and a citizen’s group, Citizens of the Ebey’s Reserve, claiming that the horrific noises of the - [A quiet power tool?](https://quietcoalition.org/a-quiet-power-tool/) - Photo credit: Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I am an inveterate DIYer, maintaining two houses and assisting in keeping two others in good repair, so I have a lot of tools and am always looking for better ones. My father taught me that any job is easier to do - [The Quiet Transition: Leading by example in clean, quiet land care](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-transition-leading-by-example-in-clean-quiet-land-care/) - Photo credit: Ali Eminov licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Jamie L. Banks, PhD, MS, Executive Director, Quiet Communities, Inc., Co-Founder, The Quiet Coalition On Thursday, December 16, an audience of nearly 200 was inspired by municipal and government leaders who are leading by example to transition land care to clean, quiet practices: The virtual conference, - [When the lake growls on a winter's night](https://quietcoalition.org/when-the-lake-growls-on-a-winters-night/) - Photo credit: riciardus from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This wonderful essay from John Myers in the Duluth Tribune discusses the many sounds ice makes on lakes in the far north in the winter. Growls, pops, snaps, and many other sounds. Myers goes on to discuss the many causes for the - [Noise bothers narwhals in the Arctic](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-bothers-narwhals-in-the-arctic/) - This image is in the public domain by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on EuroNews Green discusses research on narwhals done by scientists at the University of Copenhagen and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. The scientists studied these unique marine mammals, recognizable by their hypertrophied incisor that looks like a - [All fireworks should be low or no noise](https://quietcoalition.org/all-fireworks-should-be-low-or-no-noise/) - Photo credit: Ali Müftüoğulları from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition If only all fireworks were low noise or quiet. It’s that time of year when noisy fireworks are set off in my residential neighborhood. I’ve been left with ear pain and ringing, while my dogs and cat are terrified - [A little light for the darkest day of the year](https://quietcoalition.org/a-little-light-for-the-darkest-day-of-the-year/) - Photo credit: John Nail from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I have never been to Stonehenge on my several visits to the UK, but hope to get there someday. On the winter solstice, crowds usually gather there to watch the sun set between the uprights of the tallest trilithon although last - [City living impacts mental health](https://quietcoalition.org/city-living-impacts-mental-health/) - Photo credit: Ryan Millier from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies As an environmental psychologist for many years, I was not surprised to read a recent article in Popular Science that said urban living impacts on our mental health. In the - [The Quiet Transition starts tomorrow](https://quietcoalition.org/the-quiet-transition-starts-tomorrow/) - Photo credit: Cindy Shebley licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Well, the quiet transition doesn’t start tomorrow. Thanks to the efforts of The Quiet Coalition’s Jamie Banks, PhD, and the nonprofit organization she started and leads, Quiet Communities, Inc., it has already started. What is the quiet transition? In - [Hearing loss-friendly party tips](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-friendly-party-tips/) - Photo credit: Nicole Michalou from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition A recent article in healthyhearing.com gives fantastic tips on how to make holiday get-togethers, like parties or family dinners, easier for people with hearing loss, whether they use hearing aids or not. These are also excellent tips for people - [Neighborhood sleuths unmask source of disturbing sound](https://quietcoalition.org/neighborhood-sleuths-unmask-source-of-disturbing-sound/) - Photo credit: nuria.mpascual licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies When people in Brooklyn Heights continued to hear “a mechanical chirp or high-pitched repeating whirr” for days and then weeks, they knew it was time to take action to - [Longboat Key, Florida set to regulate sound permanently](https://quietcoalition.org/longboat-key-florida-set-to-regulate-sound-permanently/) - Photo credit: Jim Mullhaupt licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition YourObserver.com, a site focused on coastal Florida, reports that Longboat Key is making permanent limits on noise issued as an emergency ordinance before July Fourth. One of the residents affected by noise commented that people don’t understand how far - [City of Ghent, Belgium targets loud cars](https://quietcoalition.org/city-of-ghent-belgium-targets-loud-cars/) - Photo credit: Viktor Mogilat from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Loud, noisy vehicles are indeed impacting adversely on the health of residents worldwide. Thus, it was not surprising to read that the City of Ghent in northwest Belgium has passed - [Toddlers should fear some loud sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/toddlers-should-fear-some-loud-sounds/) - Photo credit: Monstera from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition I was horrified to read this article in Romper Toddler entitled, “Here’s when you should be concerned about your child’s fear of sound.” If parents follow the loud suggestions, they could cause permanent noise damage to their toddler’s hearing and - [Fight over condo parking garage bell hell](https://quietcoalition.org/man-fights-condo-parking-garage-bell-hell/) - Photo credit: Liza Summer from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies A St. Petersburg, Florida resident, Fred Sherman, is speaking out against the loud bells signaling the exiting of cars from the garage of a nearby building, an exclusive Beach Drive - [Noisy planes over Hull, Mass. may soon be a thing of the past](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-planes-over-hull-mass-may-soon-be-a-thing-of-the-past/) - Photo credit: howderfamily.com licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article by Arianna MacNeill on Boston.com reports that noisy planes flying over the small town of Hull may soon be a thing of the past. About 10,000 people live in Hull, located on a peninsula on the southeastern end - [Finally, accurate information about protecting children's hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/finally-accurate-information-about-protecting-childrens-hearing/) - Photo credit: Anthony Shkraba from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times Wircutter finally has accurate information about protecting children’s hearing. This is great news. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find good information about protecting hearing, for adults and for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics still fails to provide - [Boston is noisy and that can affect health](https://quietcoalition.org/bostons-noise-can-affect-health/) - Photo credit: Andrés García from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from Boston public radio station WGBH discusses increasing noise levels in Boston, quoting Boston Magazine reporter Spencer Buell and noise researcher Erica Walker MSc, ScD. Dr. Walker is now at the Brown University School of Public Health, where she - [How are smoking and loud noise similar?](https://quietcoalition.org/how-are-smoking-and-loud-noise-similar/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition How are smoking and loud noise similar? Reading that sentence, you may think, “Has Dr. Fink lost his mind?” No, I don’t think so. The American Heart Association News published this report, based on research published by doctors at Northwestern University, documenting the effect of smoking on - [Enjoy a peaceful Thanksgiving](https://quietcoalition.org/e-enjoy-a-peaceful-thanksgiving/) - We hope you have a restful and quiet holiday. - [City living can be bad for your health](https://quietcoalition.org/city-living-can-be-bad-for-your-health/) - Photo credit: Ramil Ugot from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies That air and noise pollution as well as a lack of green space may impede on the mental and physical health of urban dwellers is not surprising. Yet, as Carla - [Hearing loss down on the farm?](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-loss-down-on-the-farm/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This piece on Agriculture.com discusses noise-induced hearing loss. We city dwellers think of the countryside as being quiet, but that’s not correct for those who grow or raise the food we eat. As writer Lisa Foust Prater puts it, “[g]rain dryers, tractors, combines, livestock, chain saws and - [NYC restaurant designed for people with disabilities](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-restaurant-designed-for-people-with-disabilities/) - Photo credit: ELEVATE from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article onToday's website discusses Contento, a new restaurant in New York City. The restaurant was designed for owner Yannick Benjamin, who was paralyzed as the result a motor vehicle crash and uses a wheelchair, and his business partner, George Gallego, who - [Will the infrastructure bill's public works be approached with "noise in mind"?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-the-infrastructure-bills-public-works-be-approached-with-noise-in-mind/) - Photo credit: John St John licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies A recent article in the New York Times looks at how the $1 trillion infrastructure bill will lead to a long-to-do list of public works projects in - [From the mouth of babes, wisdom about protecting your hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/from-the-mouth-of-babes-wisdom-about-protecting-your-hearing/) - Photo credit: Kevin Bidwell from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Well, I’m exaggerating. A resident physician and a medical student aren’t babies, but they are still in training. Despite this, Michael Denham and Alexander Chern give sound advice about protecting your hearing in an Op-Ed in The New York Daily News. - [Toronto considers noise radar to stop loud vehicles](https://quietcoalition.org/toronto-considers-noise-radar-to-stop-loud-vehicles/) - Photo credit: Ryan licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Toronto, like New York City, Westchester County and cities in Europe, is planning to develop a system to curtail excessive vehicle noise. Jack Landau, blogto.com, reports that Toronto's noise - [Loud noise causes fluid buildup in the inner ear](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-noise-causes-fluid-buildup-in-the-inner-ear/) - Photo credit: Blausen.com staff (2014), "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014," licensed under CC BY 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Loud noise exposure, such as at a rock concert or after using a noisy appliance or power tool, causes temporary auditory symptoms such as muffling of sound. If hearing testing--audiometry--is performed, - [Dentists at risk for noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/dentists-at-risk-for-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition One usually doesn’t think of occupational hearing loss as a problem for professionals, just for factory workers or miners or heavy equipment operators, but it is a problem for dentists. The high-frequency whine of turbines used to power drills and polishing - [Keep loud protests away from hospitals](https://quietcoalition.org/keep-loud-protests-away-from-hospitals/) - Photo credit: GoToVan licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition People have targeted hospitals across Canada with noisy protests against government ordered pandemic public health measures, such as vaccine passports. Thousands gathered at hospitals to yell and chant, with news and social media showing protestors using airhorns, bullhorns - [Is noise a reason workers resist returning to the office?](https://quietcoalition.org/is-noise-a-reason-workers-resist-returning-to-the-office/) - Photo credit: Nicola Barts from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Is noise rage contributing to worker resistance to returning to the office after working from home during the COVID lockdowns? This report from the National News, United Arab Emirates, suggests that noise could be a factor. A survey by the technology - [Audible ads irk NYC subway passengers](https://quietcoalition.org/audible-ads-irk-nyc-subway-passengers/) - Photo credit: Pedro Plassen Lopes licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies In 1985 the Metropolitan Transportation Authority introduced the Music Under New York Program as a pilot project, and with the enthusiastic support of transit riders, it has - [A short course about noise](https://quietcoalition.org/a-short-course-about-noise/) - Photo credit: Gabriel Hohol from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our noise colleague, and Quiet Coalition co-founder, Arline Bronzaft, PhD, Professor Emerita at the City University of New York, will be giving a 3-session online course about noise in New York City next month. The course will also cover the scientific - [NYC Transit Authority again required to report on noise](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-transit-authority-again-required-to-report-on-noise/) - Photo credit: Peter Thoeny - Quality HDR Photography licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed legislation that requires the New York City Transit Authority to once again submit reports on its efforts - [Dense plantings may help block noise](https://quietcoalition.org/plants-may-help-block-noise/) - Photo credit: Jo Kassis from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from Discover discusses how plants can help absorb, diffuse, or block noise, especially road traffic noise. I didn’t know that noise actually makes leaves tremble, transforming sound energy into mechanical energy, and thereby dissipating it. To reall make a - [Toronto Health Board chair calls for air show ban](https://quietcoalition.org/toronto-health-board-chair-calls-for-air-show-ban/) - Photo credit: Kenan Babayiğit from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist, Member, The Quiet Coalition Joe Cressy, the Chair of the Board of Health in Toronto, Canada, has called for a ban on the local annual air show. Cressy, who is also the Spadina-Fort York councillor, believes it’s time for new traditions, without this - ["Of Sound Mind"](https://quietcoalition.org/of-sound-mind-a-review/) - Image courtesy of MIT Press by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The phrase “of sound mind” is in the New Testament, but it came to have the legal meaning of "that state of a person’s mind which is adequate to reason and comes to a judgment upon ordinary subjects, like other rational people.” - [NY Gov. Hochul signs SLEEP Act into law](https://quietcoalition.org/ny-gov-hochul-signs-sleep-act-into-law/) - Photo credit: Markus Spiske from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Legislation signed by Governor Hochul on Friday to “increase penalties against motorists and repair shops that illegally modify mufflers and exhaust systems to make them excessively noisy” has been welcomed - [Could crowd noise affect a game's outcome?](https://quietcoalition.org/could-crowd-noise-affect-a-games-outcome/) - Photo credit: Maryland GovPics licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We have written a number of blog posts about football stadium noise, in both the professional and college game. Last weekend there were concerns that crowd noise at the Baltimore Raven’s home stadium could affect the outcome of the - [Loud motorcycles do not save lives](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-motorcycles-do-not-save-lives/) - Photo credit: Sven van Bellen from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist A recent article by Tristin Hopper in Canada's National Post argues that motorcyclists are wrong when they say, “Loud pipes save lives.” I agree that aftermarket exhaust system modifications to make motorcycles louder don’t improve safety. Loud pipes don’t alert other drivers - [This is a quiet airport](https://quietcoalition.org/this-is-a-quiet-airport/) - Photo courtesy of Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I recently flew from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I was pleasantly surprised to see the electronic display screens scroll through a number of messages about free Wi-Fi, mask requirements, availability of free COVID vaccines, and then the announcement: “This is - [Quiet time can help kids make better decisions](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-time-can-help-kids-make-better-decisions/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The answer to the question raised by Laura Goertzel in her article on whether quiet time can help kids make better decisions is a resounding YES. The article quotes Professor - [Author couldn't afford hearing aids until her 6-figure book deal](https://quietcoalition.org/author-couldnt-afford-hearing-aids-until-her-6-figure-book-deal/) - Photo credit: Karolina Grabowska from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This poignant piece on Slate by author Ariel Henley describes how she couldn’t afford hearing aids until she got a lucrative book deal. Henley suffers from a rare genetic condition, Crouzon syndrome, which causes facial deformities that in her case required - [First Agza Certified Green Zoning in Westchester Inaugurated in Larchmont](https://quietcoalition.org/first-agza-certified-green-zoning-in-westchester-inaugurated-in-larchmont/) - On Wednesday, September 22nd, the Village of Larchmont celebrated the opening of Westchester County's first-ever AGZA Certified Green Zone® in Kane Park. - [California set to become first state to ban gasoline-powered lawn equipment](https://quietcoalition.org/california-set-to-become-first-state-to-ban-gasoline-powered-lawn-equipment/) - Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed a measure on Saturday requiring new small off-road engines to be zero-emission by 2024. - [Lawn care is going electric. And the revolution is here to stay.](https://quietcoalition.org/lawn-care-is-going-electric-and-the-revolution-is-here-to-stay/) - Photo credit: Markus Distelrath licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Mountain Brook is one of the newest converts to the fast increasing electric lawn care industry in the United States. The city has spent around $18,000 in the last year switching its equipment off of gas. "If we could convince people to do this across the - [The subway shouldn't be "ear-splittingly loud"](https://quietcoalition.org/the-subway-shouldnt-be-ear-splittingly-loud/) - Photo credit: Tommi Komulainen licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies Rory Bennett took a decibel meter into the London subway and learned that the sound levels recorded in the transit system were exceedingly loud. He reports that he - [October is National Protect Your Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/october-is-national-protect-your-hearing-month-2/) - Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition October is National Protect Your Hearing Month and our friends at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Environmental Health have updated their information on noise and hearing loss. Please share this important information - [Musicians need to protect their hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/musicians-need-to-protect-their-hearing/) - by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist This article in Hypebot is yet another that asserts 85 decibels (dB) as point at which a noise level poses risk to musicians. It's true that music-induced hearing loss is permanent, painless, and preventable, but here are some corrections: If loud enough, only a minute or two of loud - [Nature's sounds improve well-being](https://quietcoalition.org/natures-sounds-improve-well-being/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies During the early months of the COVID-19 shutdown, urban residents noted that with less aircraft traffic overhead and fewer cars on the road, they were able to see and hear more birds. In general, the shutdown - [Noise is bad for narwhals](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-is-bad-for-narwhals/) - Photo credit: Dr. Daniel Fink by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The narwhal is a remarkable animal, a small whale with a single tusk, which is actually a hypertrophied tooth that can grow to ten feet long. Unlike the unicorn, the narwhal is real. As described in this article in Maclean’s magazine, a - [The frightening link between traffic noise and dementia](https://quietcoalition.org/the-frightening-link-between-traffic-noise-and-dementia/) - Photo credit: Aayush Srivastava from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies The literature linking noise to adverse health effects has grown stronger these last few years and now we can add a recent Danish study published in The British Medical Journal - [SoundPrint's Find Your Quiet Place Challenge](https://quietcoalition.org/soundprints-find-your-quiet-place-challenge/) - by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist SoundPrint is hosting the October 2021 Find Your Quiet Place Challenge. This popular app lets users collect and submit sound levels from venues like restaurants, bars, and cafes. The SoundPrint app database helps people find quiet places and avoid noisy locations. This includes curated quiet city lists. I think - [Nature is quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/nature-is-quiet/) - Photo credit: Michelle Cipriano licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The National Park Service noise maps show that without anthropogenic sounds--that is, human influenced sounds--nature is quiet. The top map shows existing noise conditions in the U.S., with the brighter yellow colors in cities being 53 A-weighted decibels* (dBA) - [Becoming attuned to the city soundscape](https://quietcoalition.org/becoming-attuned-to-the-city-soundscape/) - Photo credit: Daria Shevtsova from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Feargus O’Sullivan, Bloomberg, like many other writers this past year and a half, has become more in tune to the sounds around him. This resulted in him thinking more about how sound and noise impact - [It's National Protect Your Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/its-national-protect-your-hearing-month/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition October is National Protect Your Hearing Month. And just in time, the adaptation of a paper published during the summer in Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics with Jan Mayes was published in the October issue of The Hearing Journal. Jan and I adapted our article--with permission, of - [The Right to Quiet: The Once and Future Recognition that the Right Exists](https://quietcoalition.org/the-right-to-quiet-the-once-and-future-recognition-that-the-right-exists/) - Rick Reibstein's white paper discusses ways of thinking about the right to quiet, even as some question whether there is such a right. - [Pre-emption of State Small Engine Regulation under the Clean Air Act](https://quietcoalition.org/pre-emption-of-state-small-engine-regulation-under-the-clean-air-act/) - Rick Reibstein provides some context for thinking about the issue of pre-emption of state small engine regulation under the Clean Air Act. - [There is nothing temporary about temporary threshold shift](https://quietcoalition.org/there-is-nothing-temporary-about-temporary-threshold-shift/) - This image by AlexChirkin has been dedicated to the public domain by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist This Healthy Hearing article on temporary threshold shift or muffled hearing after noise exposure varies between strong statements and caveats. I disagree with the quoted source who says, “[y]ou’ll be back to normal. Hence the name: It’s temporary.” - [NYC councilman introduces noise camera bill](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-councilman-introduces-noise-camera-bill/) - Photo credit: New York City Department of Transportation licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In an earlier blog I wrote about the New York State Legislature considering a bill to set up a "noise camera" pilot project, to deal with the growing complaints - [Bangladesh declares 3 areas as silent zones](https://quietcoalition.org/bangladesh-declares-3-areas-as-silent-zones/) - Photo credit: Bryon Lippincott licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The United News of Bangladesh reports that the Department of Environment there has designated three areas there as silent zones. Two are around hospitals and the other around a law school. According to the Noise Pollution (Control) 2006 rules, - [Birds thrived in cities during lockdown](https://quietcoalition.org/birds-thrived-in-cities-during-lockdown/) - Photo credit: JULIO NERY from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition We have covered how many animal species--on land, in the air, and in the water--responded to the reduction in anthropogenic noise caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns, but we are writing about another confirmatory report using different methods. As reported in Smithsonian - [GAO says FAA needs better noise impact metrics](https://quietcoalition.org/gao-says-faa-needs-better-noise-impact-metrics/) - Photo credit: Matheus Cenali from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The GAO has found that metrics employed by the FAA to assess noise impacts on residents subjected to overhead flights “does not provide a clear picture of the flight activity or associated noise levels at - [NYC state senator hopes next mayor takes on excessive noise](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-state-senator-hopes-next-mayor-takes-on-excessive-noise/) - Photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition During this summer season, New York City residents have been calling local representatives, the media, and 311 to complain about the noises they have been exposed to from loud neighborhood parties, vehicles modified - [A photographer's search for silence](https://quietcoalition.org/a-photographers-search-for-silence/) - Photo credit: Matteo Badini from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I was an environmentalist long before I became a noise activist, and am a member and supporter of a number of environmental organizations, including The Nature Conservancy. Like The Quiet Coaltion, The Nature Conservancy includes “The” in its name. I like - [Listening to loud music is bad for your brain](https://quietcoalition.org/listening-to-loud-music-is-bad-for-your-brain/) - Photo credit: Erald Mecani licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article from LiveStrong.com lists eight habits that are bad for brain health. Number 3 is listening to loud music. The article notes: 3. Listening to Loud Music Believe it or not, blasting your headphones might be harming - [Will Canada cause an orca extinction?](https://quietcoalition.org/will-canada-cause-an-orca-extinction/) - Photo credit: Frank Kehren licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist Underwater noise could be the death knell for endangered Southern Resident orcas in the Pacific Northwest. In the wake of the UN report on climate change, Canada plans to fund climate action with fossil fuel revenue from the federal government’s Trans - [Are we becoming acoustic refugees?](https://quietcoalition.org/are-we-becoming-acoustic-refugees/) - Photo credit: Gustavo Fring from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition When I sent one of my noise colleagues a draft post about the Discover article on how human noise overwhelms natural sea soundscapes for comment and correction, mentioning quiet places in the ocean as acoustic refuges, he read my email on - [Earplugs aren't necklaces](https://quietcoalition.org/earplugs-arent-necklaces/) - Photo credit: Wendy Wei from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist A recent article in the IRN Post warns of hearing difficulties caused by loud music exposure at concerts. It starts off well by identifying the 70 dB noise limit. But the discussion switches to ≥85 dB noise as the main danger, as if - [Human noise is overwhelming the seas' natural soundscape](https://quietcoalition.org/human-noise-is-overwhelming-the-seas-natural-soundscape/) - Photo credit: Claudiu Dobre licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in Discover reports on a search to find quiet places in the world’s oceans. Marine animals, from the least developed to apex species like dolphins and whales, use vibration and sound to find food, avoid predators, and - [Football teams adapt again to noisy crowds](https://quietcoalition.org/football-teams-adapt-again-to-noisy-crowds/) - by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I’ve written in the past about noise in stadiums and arenas where college and professional sports are played because they are invariably too noisy. The world record for stadium noise, according to Guinness, was set at a professional football game in Kansas City in 2014 at 142.2 - [New York City addresses environmental justice](https://quietcoalition.org/arnew-york-city-addresses-environmental-justice/) - Photo credit: Zichuan Han from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition I attended the virtual town hall meeting on August 18th that the New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability held in conjunction with the city’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board to address environmental issues - [How to prevent hearing loss while flying](https://quietcoalition.org/how-to-prevent-hearing-loss-while-flying/) - Photo credit: Sourav Mishra from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article by Travel Awaits discusses tips on preventing hearing loss while flying. It’s a little biased towards the Widex hearing aid brand, but still contains some useful information. As the article notes, airplane cabins are noisy. I have measured sound - [Speaker systems on motorcyles are a bad idea](https://quietcoalition.org/speaker-systems-on-motorcyles-are-a-bad-idea/) - Photo credit: Sourav Mishra from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist Boss Magazine has unfortunately shared how to add speaker systems to motorcycles. The idea is to set “a whole different mood” by playing music loud enough to hear over the loud exhaust pipes. There are likely a number of reasons why this is - [Iceland fined for making too much noise](https://quietcoalition.org/iceland-fined-for-making-too-much-noise/) - Photo credit: Kjetil Ree licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition When you read the headline, you probably reacted as I did. How could noise made in Iceland, in the far reaches of the North Atlantic, be heard in its nearest neighbors? No, silly, not Iceland the country, Iceland - [3-year olds should not be using headphones](https://quietcoalition.org/3-year-olds-should-not-be-using-headphones/) - Photo credit: Alper Tecer licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist Would you buy headphones so a 3-year old could start personal listening? A Swedish company released news to Cision PR Newswire that it is selling “safe” 85 dB limit headphones for ages 3-to-15 years old. But these headphones won’t protect the - [Teaching children to protect their hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/teaching-children-to-protect-their-hearing/) - Photo credit: Max Fischer from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition With the World Health Organization announcing that “over one billion young adults are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to unsafe hearing practices,” it is essential that young people be educated on how to - [Enjoy a peaceful Labor Day](https://quietcoalition.org/enjoy-a-peaceful-labor-day/) - Photo credit: Clem Onojeghuo from Pexels Hoping this day finds you relaxing in quiet. We are going to take the week off for a much needed break. See you again on Monday, September 13. - [More on the link between dementia and hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/more-on-the-link-between-dementia-and-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Kindel Media from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On The Conversation, Thomas Littlejohns, an epidemiologist at Oxford, discusses his recent scientific publication about the link between hearing loss and dementia. This relationship is not new. The most common test for hearing loss is standard pure-tone threshold audiometry, but in - [Montreal residents complain about aircraft noise after lockdown quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/montreal-residents-complain-about-aircraft-noise-after-experiencing-lockdown-quiet/) - Photo credit: simplethrill licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The COVID-19 pandemic has generated more articles about quiet and sound and, thus, it was not surprising to read this lengthy article published in the Montreal Gazette on this topic. Like Americans who live - [Alaska art exhibit meant to be heard, not seen](https://quietcoalition.org/alaska-art-exhibit-meant-to-be-heard-not-seen/) - Photo credit: James Brooks licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition I’m a doctor, not an art critic, but I was intrigued by this report in the Alaska Daily News about a new exhibit at the Anchorage Museum. As the article notes, museums are typically visual experiences, but this is - [Canada's loud cities need a governmental response](https://quietcoalition.org/canadas-loud-cities-need-a-governmental-response/) - Photo credit: Harrison Haines from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition That Canada’s large urban cities, e. g. Toronto, Vancouver, are noisy comes as no surprise to dwellers in urban centers around the world. The Editorial Board of The Globe and Mail does not believe there - [NYC Advisory Board supports legalized drinking in parks](https://quietcoalition.org/nyc-advisory-board-supports-legalized-drinking-in-parks/) - Photo credit: Wendy Wei from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In early July of this year, Ariel Palitz, New York City’s Nightlife Director, suggested a pilot project that would permit bars, taverns and restaurants to stay open 24 hours. I wrote in an earlier blog - [Purple marks Disability Rights](https://quietcoalition.org/purple-marks-disability-rights/) - Image courtesy of #WeThe15 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On August 19, more than 125 monuments around the world were bathed in purple light to recognize the worlds’ 1.2 billion people living with disabilities. This article from NPR states that at least 15% of the world’s population is living with a disability. - [Combination of silence and sound may preserve hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/combination-of-silence-and-sound-may-preserve-hearing/) - Photo credit: Arina Krasnikova from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from the University of Rochester Medical Center describes research showing that in a mouse model, a combination of silence and broadband sounds (containing sounds at many different frequencies) may help preserve hearing. There are multiple steps over many years to - [Tinnitus associated with poor sleep and anxiety](https://quietcoalition.org/tinnitus-associated-with-poor-sleep-and-anxiety/) - Photo credit: cottonbro from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from the Netherlands, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, found an association between tinnitus and anxiety and poor sleep quality. The association did not quite reach statistical significance, but confirms what those of us with tinnitus already know. I - [Remembering R. Murray Schafer](https://quietcoalition.org/remembering-r-murray-schafer/) - Photo credit: John Kannenberg licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition I was saddened to learn this week that R. Murray Schafer, the eminent Canadian composer, writer, and acoustic ecologist had died. Having conducted research on the adverse effects of noise on children’s learning - [Does progesterone protect ears from noise damage?](https://quietcoalition.org/does-progesterone-protect-ears-from-noise-damage/) - Photo credit: Marcus Aurelius from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Does the female hormone progesterone protect the ear from noise damage? It has long been known that females have better hearing than males, beginning in the second decade of life. This has always been ascribed to less participation in noisy hobbies - [You can enjoy music and protect your hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/you-can-enjoy-music-and-protect-your-hearing/) - Photo credit: Karol D from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist I highly recommend the Summer 2021 Entertainment issue of Hearing Health. It includes a range of articles on noise damage to hearing and how to prevent it. Music risk is a focus from school band members to professional musicians. But I admit I’m - [Belgian city puts the brakes on noise vehicles](https://quietcoalition.org/belgian-city-put-the-brakes-on-noise-vehicles/) - Photo credit: Viktor Mogilat from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The headline in The Guardian reads “Belgian city puts brakes on deafening drivers by enforcing noise limits,” but I think the brakes are being put on the vehicles. In any event, Ghent, in the Flemish region of Belgium, was having a - [The fight to preserve the last quiet places on Earth](https://quietcoalition.org/the-fight-to-preserve-the-last-quiet-places-on-earth/) - Photo credit: Johannes Plenio from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report on CNN Travel discusses the efforts of Quiet Parks International to preserve the last remaining quiet places on the planet. For a place to meet QPI's' selection criteria, there can't be more than one audible sound from a human - [New Florida law ends most anonymous complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/new-florida-law-ends-most-anonymous-complaints/) - Photo credit: Lauren Maurell licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Floridians who wished to file complaints against neighbors for having grass that's too tall or a noisy party or a loud leaf blower could call in their complaints without providing their names. But - [Why whales in Alaska are happy](https://quietcoalition.org/why-whales-in-alaska-are-happy/) - Photo credit: Christopher Michel licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from BBC News explains why whales in Alaska have been happy. Namely, the coronavirus pandemic shut down tourism, quieting the waters in which they live, and making it easier for them to communicate. Whales are social - [Westchester County to test noise cameras](https://quietcoalition.org/westchester-county-to-test-noise-cameras/) - Photo credit: Paweł Zdziarski licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition As readers The Quiet Coalition might remember, I had written earlier about a bill introduced by New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes calling for a noise camera pilot program similar to the - [Quiet: The world's most endangered sound](https://quietcoalition.org/quiet-the-worlds-most-endangered-sound/) - Photo credit: HoliHo from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition As an acoustic ecologist, Gordon Hempton has travelled the world for the last 40 years to listen to natural soundscapes before they disappear. In his book “One Square Inch of Silence“ (written with John Grossman, 2009) - [Popular Mechanics recommends hearing protection](https://quietcoalition.org/popular-mechanics-recommends-hearing-protection/) - Photo credit: Michael Pedersen licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Popular Mechanics magazine was a favorite of mine when I was a boy, and it still is a respected publication. This recent article by Alex Rennie discusses using hearing protection when working with power tools, and makes specific recommendations. - [The return of office noise?](https://quietcoalition.org/the-return-of-office-noise/) - Photo credit: fauxels from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Helen Hodgetts and Nick Perham in their article on returning to the workplace cite a poll taken in 2020 that found most workers want to continue working from home even after some of the restrictions imposed - [New London, Conn., launches "Operation Quiet-Down"](https://quietcoalition.org/new-london-conn-launches-operation-quiet-down/) - Photo credit: Jay McAnally licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Is it really surprising to learn that New London, Connecticut has experienced an increase in noise complaints this summer? Like the many noise complaints in New York City, the complaints are about noise - [Motorcycle noise a danger to riders' hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/motorcycle-noise-a-danger-to-riders-hearing/) - Photo credit: Sourav Mishra from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist In a pilot study, audiologists at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions have measured motorcycle sound levels at the rider’s ears. Over half exceeded 100 dB when throttled up, which is intense enough to cause hearing damage. The - [Helicopters ruining NYC's Shakespeare in the Park](https://quietcoalition.org/helicopters-ruining-nycs-shakespeare-in-the-park/) - Photo credit: rebecca marks licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition On earlier blogs, I had written about the efforts of several New York City Congresspersons and the organization working with them, namely Stop the Chop, to limit nonessential helicopters from flying over - [Bored Canadians turn to fireworks, annoying neighbors](https://quietcoalition.org/bored-canadians-turn-to-fireworks-annoying-neighbors/) - Photo credit: Magda Ehlers from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist A recent article reports that people in Canada have been setting off more fireworks during the pandemic, and people are fed up with the noise. Listed fireworks dangers include risk of serious personal injury and property damage from fires. Danger has been highlighted - [One man's hobby is another man's nightmare](https://quietcoalition.org/one-mans-hobby-is-another-mans-nightmare/) - Photo credit: Shukhrat Umarov from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition With legislation awaiting Governor Cuomo’s signature that would allow police officers to better assess sound levels of loud cars and then impose penalties on those drivers and with other legislation introduced to install noise cameras - [accessABILITY Day at the North Carolina State Fair](https://quietcoalition.org/accessability-day-at-the-north-carolina-state-fair/) - Photo credit: Justin Doub licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist The North Carolina State Fair will be more inclusive this year by offering an accessABILITY Day during the 10-day event. The goal is to limit sensory overload so that more people can attend the fair. This could include people with - [Road surface influences EV noise levels](https://quietcoalition.org/road-surface-influences-ev-noise-levels/) - Photo credit: Jiarong Deng from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in the European journal Noise Mapping documents that the type of road surface is the major influence on electric vehicle noise levels at urban speeds. This scientific research confirms my own observations that except when accelerating, or for vehicles, - [Noise: The Not-So-Silent Killer](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-the-not-so-silent-killer/) - Photo credit: Mikhail Nilov from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In “Loud Noise: The Not-So-Silent Killer Is Back,” Kimberly Rae Miller, writing in the July/August AARP Bulletin, notes that the end of the pandemic will very likely bring us back to a noisier world. This - [What noises cause hearing loss?](https://quietcoalition.org/what-noises-cause-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: ThisIsEngineering from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition What noises cause hearing loss? That’s a good question, one that many people have asked, and until now guidance about this from the federal government wasn’t clear. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has said “[k]now which noises can - [Traffic noise disproportionately affects low-income families](https://quietcoalition.org/traffic-noise-disproportionately-affects-low-income-families/) - Photo credit: Doug Kerr licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition With traffic noise recognized as “one of the worst environmental stressors for humans by the World Health Organization, second only to air pollution,” John Hartig, GreatLakesNow, writes that researchers at the University of - [Reduce the music volume in fitness classes](https://quietcoalition.org/reduce-music-volume-in-fitness-classes/) - Photo credit: Aberdeen Proving Ground licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This article in The Hearing Journal describes a study published in Noise & Health about sound levels in group spin classes in Baltimore, Maryland. The average noise levels were measured in both A-weighted and C-weighted decibels (dBA - [Ban the awful leaf blowers!](https://quietcoalition.org/ban-the-awful-leaf-blowers/) - Photo credit: Timothy Valentine licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Ban the awful leaf blowers. That’s the headline for a letter to the editor in the Camden New Journal, an independent newspaper in London. The writer includes some details of leaf blower history that I didn’t know, namely: - [New York City to purchase electric refuse trucks](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-to-purchase-electric-refuse-trucks/) - Photo courtesy of Mack Trucks by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Sami Grover, Treehugger, writes that the New York City’s Sanitation Department has been testing a fully electric refuse vehicle this past year. The refuse vehicles must have performed well, as Grover notes that the DSNY has - [How you can help your dog during fireworks season](https://quietcoalition.org/how-you-can-help-your-dog-during-fireworks-season/) - Photo credit: Charles from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Fireworks scare dogs. Both USA Today and Wisconsin Public Radio have warnings about how fireworks stresses animals, and things you can do to try to keep your pets--especially dogs--calm. Some communities have started using quiet fireworks, that don’t have the “BOOM” associated - [New York City considers 24-hour nightlife pilot project](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-city-considers-24-hour-nightlife-plan/) - Photo credit: Edgie168 licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The pandemic hurt New York City’s businesses significantly and, thus, opening up the City is being welcomed by everyone, not just business owners. New York City Nightlife Director Ariel Palitz is now recommending - [Even "safe" headphones put your child's hearing at risk](https://quietcoalition.org/even-safe-headphones-put-your-childs-hearing-at-risk/) - Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Headphones using the industrial-strength 85 decibel (dB) sound level as a volume limit are not safe for hearing. They may be safer than headphones without a volume limit, that can put out 100-125 dB sound, but they are by no means - [Public opinion a barrier to hearing aids](https://quietcoalition.org/public-opinion-barrier-to-hearing-aids/) - Photo credit: SoulRider.222 licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist When it comes to people getting hearing aids or not, a recent viewpoint article in JAMA Otolaryngology identifies that cost is not the only barrier. While lower prices or low cost options mean more people can afford hearing aids, it doesn’t mean - [NPR talks about tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/npr-talks-about-tinnitus/) - Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This NPR report on tinnitus contains lots of good information and I recommend it highly. I served on the board of the American Tinnitus Association from 2015-2018, and I know the expertise of its staff and board members and their dedication - [Good hearing helps "cognitive super-agers"](https://quietcoalition.org/good-hearing-helps-cognitive-super-agers/) - Photo credit: Diabetes Care licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Although fewer than 1% of Americans reach the age of 100, Jane Brody, the New York Times, writes that recent findings show that individuals who reach that age with their mental abilities functioning - [Walruses can make lots of noise](https://quietcoalition.org/walruses-can-make-lots-of-noise/) - Photo credit: Putulik Jaaka from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This fascinating article in The Atlantic describes research into how male walruses make noise to attract mates. The research subject was Sivuqaq, an orphaned walrus rescued as a calf who spent the rest of his life at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - [Fireworks damage hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/fireworks-damage-hearing/) - Photo credit: Jonas Von Werne from Pexels by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist A recent article is a good reminder that fireworks can damage hearing. Fireworks are loud explosive blasts of sound that can cause permanent hearing loss, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, and hyperacusis or painful decreased sound tolerance. Even temporary distortion, muffling, - [Fireworks can permanently damage hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/fireworks-can-permanently-damage-hearing/) - Photo credit: Kaique Rocha from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This report from television station WLKY in Louisville, Kentucky correctly warns that noise from fireworks can cause permanent hearing loss. The report doesn’t explicitly state this, but I think they are talking about “do it yourself” fireworks, not fireworks displays in - [New York legislature passes SLEEP Act](https://quietcoalition.org/new-york-legislature-passes-sleep-act/) - Photo credit: Steevven1 licensed under CC BY 2.5 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The Stop Loud and Excessive Exhaust Pollution Act was passed by the New York State legislature and will soon be sent to Governor Cuomo for his signature. SLEEP is a perfect acronym for - [Miami hotel will fix music system after complaints and fines](https://quietcoalition.org/miami-hotel-will-fix-music-system-after-complaints-and-fines/) - Photo credit: One Shot from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Kudos to the zoning enforcement authorities in Miami Beach for making a hotel turn down the volume. According to the Miami Herald, a new hotel with celebrity owners and developers installed a loud sound system in its nightclub. Then the neighbors - [Complaints about loud speakers skyrocket](https://quietcoalition.org/complaints-about-loud-speakers-skyrocket/) - Photo credit: Kevin Baird licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Noise complaints centering on loud speakers in parked autos along New York City streets has been a traditional New York City warm weather complaint. This complaint is only one of the nearly 300,000 - [What we did at the Acoustical Society of America meeting](https://quietcoalition.org/what-we-did-at-the-acoustical-society-of-america-meeting/) - Photo credit: by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Acoustical Society of America meeting took place from June 8-10 this year. At a special session on non-occupational noise exposure and hearing loss, my noise colleague Jan Mayes presented one paper and I presented another. Jan’s paper on "Personal Audio System Use Can Harm - [The City of Mountain Brook, AL -- Site of the First AGZA Green Zone in the Southern US](https://quietcoalition.org/the-city-of-mountain-brook-al-site-of-the-first-agza-green-zone-in-the-southern-us/) - by Jamie L. Banks, PhD, MS, Executive Director, Quiet Communities, Inc., Co-Founder, The Quiet Coalition The City of Mountain Brook has become the first city in the state of Alabama and in the South to establish AGZA Certified Green Zones® for its municipal villages -- Crestline Village, English Village, and Mountain Brook Village -- and - [Mountain Brook, Alabama is the 1st AGZA Green Zone in the Southern U.S.](https://quietcoalition.org/mountain-brook-alabama-is-the-1st-agza-green-zone-in-the-southern-us/) - by Jamie L. Banks, PhD, MS, Executive Director, Quiet Communities, Inc., Co-Founder, The Quiet Coalition The City of Mountain Brook has become the first city in the state of Alabama and in the South to establish AGZA Certified Green Zones® for its municipal villages -- Crestline Village, English Village, and Mountain Brook Village -- and - [What I did at the ICBEN meeting last week](https://quietcoalition.org/what-i-did-at-the-icben-meeting-last-week/) - Image credit: ICBEN by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition When I was a child, one of the standard assignments in September was to write an essay about what we did during the summer. This blog post is a faint echo of that, reporting on my experience attending the 13th Congress of the International - [It's that time of the year: NYC deals with illegal fireworks](https://quietcoalition.org/its-that-time-of-the-year-nyc-deals-with-illegal-fireworks/) - Photo credit: Melvin Grounds has dedicated this photo to the public domain by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition As he did in June 2020, Mayor de Blasio has again announced a task force to address the “ongoing problem of illegal fireworks.” The number of complaints about illegal - [Noisy classrooms not conducive to learning](https://quietcoalition.org/noisy-classrooms-not-conducive-to-learning/) - Photo credit: Max Fischer from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Over forty years ago I conducted a study that demonstrated that children in classrooms located near elevated subway tracks in Upper Manhattan, who were exposed to train noise from passing trains every four and a - [Hearing Health Foundation talks about prevention of noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/hearing-health-foundation-talks-about-prevention-of-noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - Photo credit: Marcelo Chagas from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Our friends at Hearing Health Foundation, the nation’s largest nonprofit funder of hearing research, have informed us about their new public advertising campaign to let commuters--especially young people--know that playing music too loud on personal listening devices, also called personal audio - [Study shows birds and bats avoid loud sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/study-shows-birds-and-bats-avoid-loud-sound/) - Photo credit: jlh_lunasea licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition A Boise State University study found that birds and bats avoid noisy areas and this includes natural loud sounds as well. In this study, birds and bats were exposed to fake, loud whitewater - [Drones a threat to everything below them](https://quietcoalition.org/drones-a-threat-to-everything-below-them/) - Photo credit: Marco Verch Professional Photographer licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The skies are already filled with airplanes and helicopters and the residents on the ground can attest to the amount of noise emanating from these aircraft that have intruded upon their - [Personal audio system use is bad for your ears](https://quietcoalition.org/personal-audio-system-use-is-bad-for-your-ears/) - Photo credit: Zen Chung from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition On June 10, our noise colleague Jan Mayes presented a paper at the 180th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America titled “Personal Audio System Use Can Harm Auditory Health." I was co-author, and participated in a press conference organized by - [Noise cameras to the rescue?](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-cameras-to-the-rescue/) - Photo credit: Dave Dugdale licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition State Senator Andrew Gounardes has introduced state legislation that would increase the fine for modifying vehicle mufflers from $150 to $1,000. Senator Gounardes’ bill would also provide police cars with decibel readers to - [3 ear pathologies cause difficulty understanding speech in a noisy environment](https://quietcoalition.org/3-ear-pathologies-cause-difficulty-understanding-speech-in-a-noisy-environment/) - Photo credit: Maurício Mascaro from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The “speech in noise” or “hearing in noise” problem is one that has long bedeviled both middle-aged people and their audiologists and physicians. Many people in mid-to-late life complain that they can’t follow one conversation among many in a noisy environment, - [Do we need to relearn how to converse in noisy places?](https://quietcoalition.org/do-we-need-to-relearn-how-to-converse-in-noisy-places/) - Photo credit: Lorenzo Messina from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition One of the benefits of the COVID-19 lockdowns was that the world became quieter. That included restaurant noise. In most parts of the world, when restaurants reopened, it was outdoor dining only. As the pandemic subsided further, indoor dining was allowed, - [Underground announcements bombard Tube riders](https://quietcoalition.org/underground-announcements-bombard-tube-riders/) - Photo credit: Kira Gallagher licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition John Stewart, lead author of our book “Why Noise Matters,” has long been an advocate for a quieter society. He has been most supportive of London’s transport system but lately while riding the - [Noise takes on growing importance in NYC mayor's race](https://quietcoalition.org/noise-takes-on-growing-importance-in-nyc-mayors-race/) - Photo credit: Vova Krasilnikov from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition The New York Times in a recent column on New York City mayor’s race notes that “quality-of-life issues take on growing importance,” concluding that it is likely that this issue “will be a growing focus - [People can learn echolocation in just 10 weeks](https://quietcoalition.org/people-can-learn-echolocation-in-just-10-weeks/) - Photo credit: Michael Pennay licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition This fascinating report in Smithsonian Magazine reports on a study showing that people can learn to echolocate just like bats do. Of course, people can’t do it as well as bats, but whether we can see or not, we - [Loud motorcycles ignored by NYC cops](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-motorcycles-ignored-by-nyc-cops/) - Photo credit: Nicolas Mirguet licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Since last spring, I have been working with two community groups in Inwood/Washington Heights who are complaining about the increasing noise in their communities. One of their major complaints has centered around - [Loud marine safaris may be banned from the sea](https://quietcoalition.org/loud-marine-safaris-may-be-banned-from-the-sea/) - Photo credit: ArtHouse Studio from Pexels by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Daily Beast reports that marine safaris are so loud underwater that they might soon be on land. Actually, in countries from Scotland to South Africa to New Zealand, a variety of local groups have already developed trails or bike paths - [Representatives target helicopter noise](https://quietcoalition.org/congress-members-target-helicopter-noise/) - Photo credit: Jess Vide from Pexels by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition A while back, I reported on legislation introduced by the New York City Council to amend the city's administrative code to reduce noise from chartered helicopters. I had noted in that blog that such legislation - [Airplanes, helicopters far more annoying than other sources of noise](https://quietcoalition.org/airplanes-helicopters-far-more-annoying-than-other-sources-of-noise/) - by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition In responding to an Federal Aviation Administration's study that found airplanes and helicopters are “far more annoying than other sources” of noise, Congressman Thomas Suozzi of New York said the FAA survey “tells us what we already knew loud and clear - [Geneva then Zurich. Wait, WHO said What? Where?](https://quietcoalition.org/geneva-zurich-wait-said/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Photo credit: Rick McCharles By David Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition Noise is regarded as a serious public health problem—outside the USA. But it is re-emerging here now after a 35-year hiatus that followed the defunding of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of - [Better Hearing Month 2017: Pondering the problem….](https://quietcoalition.org/better-hearing-month-2017-pondering-problem/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] By David Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition Every year since 1927, May has been designated “Better Hearing Month.” What better time to think about what threatens your hearing health? In fact, if you already have some hearing loss you’re one of about 48 - ["In Pursuit of Silence" opens in NYC and LA](https://quietcoalition.org/coming-theater-near/) - [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.51″] In Pursuit of Silence opens in New York City on June 23rd, and in Los Angeles on June 30th. So, what’s the film about? The producers explain: In Pursuit of Silence is a meditative exploration of our relationship with - [Digital Health Awards Bronze Medal for Publication Excellence](https://quietcoalition.org/digital-health-awards-bronze-medal-for-publication-excellence/) - Photo credit: Brad.K licensed under CC BY 2.0 by David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition The Quiet Coalition’s primary activity is finding, commenting on, and circulating science news stories for use by mainstream media editors and writers. We are, as far as we can tell, the only global science new service focused on community noise - [Bose launches direct-to-consumer sound control hearing aid](https://quietcoalition.org/bose-launches-direct-to-consumer-sound-control-hearing-aid/) - Photo courtesy of Bose by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition Fierce Technology reports on Bose’s launch of its direct-to-consumer sound control hearing aid. This technically isn’t a hearing aid within the federal regulatory scheme, and appears to be placed, both in terms of price and technology, somewhere between traditional hearing aids and newer - [Outdoor eating and neighbor noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/outdoor-eating-and-neighbor-noise-complaints/) - Photo credit: Eden, Janine and Jim licnsed under CC BY 2.0 by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, and Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition Recognizing the difficulties restaurants faced during this horrific pandemic, New York City has provided increased outside dining spaces for these restaurants. Mayor Bill de Blasio has stated that “[t]he success of ## Pages - [Home](https://quietcoalition.org/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” background_image=”https://quietcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Typing_iStock-875247434-2k.jpg” background_blend=”overlay” min_height=”541.7px” custom_margin=”||-123px|||” custom_padding=”200px||200px||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”100px||100px||true|false” custom_padding_phone=”75px||75px||true|false” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|700||on|||||” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”60px” header_letter_spacing=”8px” header_font_size_tablet=”50px” header_font_size_phone=”28px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” text_text_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”] Quiet Coalition [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”] Providing News, Commentary, and - 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[Tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/tinnitus/) - [Design](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/design/) - [Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/noise/) - [Noise and Animals](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/noise-and-wildlife/) - [Weaponized Sound](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/weaponized-sound/) - [Hearing Protection](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/hearing-protection/) - [Silence](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/silence/) - [Sound](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/sound/) - [Motorcycle Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/motorcycle-noise/) - [Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/leaf-blowers/) - [Restaurant Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/restaurant-noise/) - [Hearing Aids and Hearables](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/hearables/) - [Quiet Victory](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/quiet-victory/) - [Medical and scientifc news](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/medical-and-scientifc-news/) - [Intentional Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/intentional-noise/) - [Leaf Blowers](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/leaf-blowers-topic/) - [Misophonia](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/misophonia/) - [Natural sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/natural-sounds/) - [Loud music](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/loud-music/) - [Human-made noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/human-made-noise/) - [Helicopter noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/helicopter-noise/) - [Drones](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/drones/) - [Policy-Regulation](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/policy-regulation-topic/) - [Personal Audio Systems](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/personal-audio-systems/) - [Fireworks](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/fireworks/) - [Soundscapes](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/soundscapes/) - [Noise Cameras](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/noise-cameras/) - [Citizen Science](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/citizen-science/) - [Headphones](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/headphones/) - [Noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/noise-complaints/) - [Musicians](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/musicians/) - [Ocean Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/ocean-noise/) - [Traffic Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/traffic-noise/) - [Electric Vehicles](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/electric-vehicles/) - [Air Pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/air-pollution/) - [History](https://quietcoalition.org/category/history/) - [Animals](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/animals/) - [Deaf community](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/deaf-community/) - [Teaching](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/teaching/) - [Book review](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/book-review/) - [Interview](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/interview/) - [Rural America](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/rural-america/) - [Lawsuit](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/lawsuit/) - [Extractive Industry](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/extractive-industry/) - [Pickleball](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/pickleball/) - [Military](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/military/) - [Speech-in-noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/speech-in-noise/) - [Traffic Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/traffic-noise-topic/) - [Crypto-mining](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/crypto-mining/) - [Entertainment](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/entertainment/) - [Renewable Energy](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/renewable-energy/) - [Data Centers](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/data-centers/) - [Sleep](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/sleep/) - [Construction Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/construction-noise/) - [Disability Rights](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/disability-rights/) - [Earplugs](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/earplugs/) - [AI](https://quietcoalition.org/category/topic/ai/) ## Tags - [Coalition](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/coalition/) - [Outdoors](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/outdoors/) - [Conversation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/conversation/) - [Healthcare](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/healthcare/) - [Happy New Year!](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/happy-new-year/) - [ban|Dr. Daniel Fink|James Fallows|leaf blowers|Washington DC](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bandr-daniel-finkjames-fallowsleaf-blowerswashington-dc/) - [Happy Thanksgiving](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/happy-thanksgiving/) - [Happy Holidays](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/happy-holidays/) - [co-founder](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/co-founder/) - [Noise Exposures In America](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-exposures-in-america/) - [on demand](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/on-demand/) - [professor](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/professor/) - [Quiet Coalition](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-coalition/) - [Rick Neitzel](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rick-neitzel/) - [University of Michigan School of Public Health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-michigan-school-of-public-health/) - [webinar](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/webinar/) - [balloons](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/balloons/) - [Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/canadian-centre-for-occupational-health-and-safety/) - [decibel levels](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/decibel-levels/) - [hearing damage](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-damage/) - [maximum impulse level noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/maximum-impulse-level-noise/) - [noise exposure danger](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-exposure-danger/) - [CDC](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cdc/) - [nois-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nois-induced-hearing-loss/) - [Vital Signs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/vital-signs/) - [concentration](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/concentration/) - [Consumer Reports](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/consumer-reports/) - [dementia](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dementia/) - [depression](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/depression/) - [Doppler Labs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/doppler-labs/) - [health insurance](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-insurance/) - [hearables](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearables/) - [hearing aid alternatives](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-aid-alternatives/) - [hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-loss/) - [HERE One](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/here-one/) - [IQbuds](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/iqbuds/) - [Julia Calderone](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/julia-calderone/) - [Medicare](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/medicare/) - [memory decline](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/memory-decline/) - [noise-induced hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-induced-hearing-loss/) - [Nuheara](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nuheara/) - [serious health problems](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/serious-health-problems/) - [chewing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/chewing/) - [clicking](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/clicking/) - [critical brain changes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/critical-brain-changes/) - [disorder](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/disorder/) - [Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-sukhbinder-kumar/) - [eating](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/eating/) - [enraged](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/enraged/) - [enraging](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/enraging/) - [evidence](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/evidence/) - [Institute of Neuroscience](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/institute-of-neuroscience/) - [misophonia](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/misophonia/) - [Newcastle University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/newcastle-university/) - [noises](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noises/) - [researchers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/researchers/) - [skeptical](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/skeptical/) - [University College London Wellcome Centre for NeuroImaging](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-college-london-wellcome-centre-for-neuroimaging/) - [Autobytel.com](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/autobytel-com/) - [automobile makers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/automobile-makers/) - [automobiles](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/automobiles/) - [Brüel & Kjær](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bruel-kjaer/) - [Buick Division](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/buick-division/) - [cars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cars/) - [Dr. Daniel Fink](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-daniel-fink/) - [GM](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gm/) - [interior](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/interior/) - [quietest](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quietest/) - [alarms](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/alarms/) - [alert](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/alert/) - [beeping](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/beeping/) - [beeps](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/beeps/) - [exterior sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/exterior-sounds/) - [horn](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/horn/) - [interior sound](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/interior-sound/) - [key location](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/key-location/) - [noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise/) - [parking lot](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/parking-lot/) - [pedestrian](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pedestrian/) - [Buildingomics](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/buildingomics/) - [General Services Administration](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/general-services-administration/) - [Harvard’s School of Public Health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/harvards-school-of-public-health/) - [open plan office](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/open-plan-office/) - [alarmed medical devices](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/alarmed-medical-devices/) - [David Sykes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/david-sykes/) - [healthcare facilities](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/healthcare-facilities/) - [hospital](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hospital/) - [indoor noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/indoor-noise/) - [noise control criteria](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-control-criteria/) - [autistic customers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/autistic-customers/) - [pilot scheme](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pilot-scheme/) - [quiet hour](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-hour/) - [shopping](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/shopping/) - [Tesco](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/tesco/) - [auditory damage](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/auditory-damage/) - [competition](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/competition/) - [Guinness Book of World Records](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/guinness-book-of-world-records/) - [loudest crowd roar](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loudest-crowd-roar/) - [number one complaint](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/number-one-complaint/) - [restaurant noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/restaurant-noise/) - [economic impact](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/economic-impact/) - [World Health Organization](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/world-health-organization/) - [World Hearing Day](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/world-hearing-day/) - [quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet/) - [video game](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/video-game/) - [Walden](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/walden/) - [brain](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/brain/) - [Dr. Nina Kraus](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-nina-kraus/) - [Northwestern](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/northwestern/) - [sound](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound/) - [debilitating](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/debilitating/) - [hyperacusis](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hyperacusis/) - [pain](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pain/) - [severe](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/severe/) - [doubling](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/doubling/) - [Johns Hopkins University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/johns-hopkins-university/) - [Daniel Fink MD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/daniel-fink-md/) - [Geneva](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/geneva/) - [public health problem](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/public-health-problem/) - [Rick Neitzel PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rick-neitzel-phd/) - [WHO](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/who/) - [Zurich](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/zurich/) - [NASA](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nasa/) - [supersonic jet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/supersonic-jet/) - [damage](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/damage/) - [hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing/) - [subway noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/subway-noise/) - [Brexit](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/brexit/) - [EU](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/eu/) - [policies](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/policies/) - [UK](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/uk/) - [Bryan Pollard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bryan-pollard/) - [Hyperacusis Research](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hyperacusis-research/) - [severe form](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/severe-form/) - [Huffington Post](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/huffington-post/) - [noise debate](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-debate/) - [noise pollution](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-pollution/) - [airport noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/airport-noise/) - [damaging noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/damaging-noise/) - [East Hampton](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/east-hampton/) - [Supreme Court](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/supreme-court/) - [acoustics](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/acoustics/) - [home](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/home/) - [Kate Wagner](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kate-wagner/) - [noisy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisy/) - [sound quality](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-quality/) - [airplanes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/airplanes/) - [LaGuardia Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/laguardia-airport/) - [quieter](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quieter/) - [cochlear hair cells](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cochlear-hair-cells/) - [Harvard Stem Cell Institute](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/harvard-stem-cell-institute/) - [David M. Sykes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/david-m-sykes/) - [Jamie Banks](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jamie-banks/) - [Jeanine Botta](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jeanine-botta/) - [posters](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/posters/) - [presentations](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/presentations/) - [The Quiet Coalition](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-quiet-coalition/) - [Arline Bronzaft PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/arline-bronzaft-phd/) - [effect of noise on health and wellbeing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/effect-of-noise-on-health-and-wellbeing/) - [noise control](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-control/) - [ARO](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/aro/) - [difficulty hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/difficulty-hearing/) - [hidden hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hidden-hearing-loss/) - [M. Charles Liberman](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/m-charles-liberman/) - [noisy spaces](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisy-spaces/) - [airplane](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/airplane/) - [highway](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/highway/) - [noise map](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-map/) - [distraction](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/distraction/) - [open plan offices](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/open-plan-offices/) - [ban](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ban/) - [Dr. Jamie Banks](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-jamie-banks/) - [leaf blowers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/leaf-blowers/) - [Maplewood New Jersey](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/maplewood-new-jersey/) - [noxious](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noxious/) - [city dwellers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/city-dwellers/) - [Mimi Hearing Technologies](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mimi-hearing-technologies/) - [World Hearing Index](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/world-hearing-index/) - [Center of Hearing and Communication](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/center-of-hearing-and-communication/) - [International Noise Awareness Day](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/international-noise-awareness-day/) - [Nancy Nadler](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nancy-nadler/) - [court](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/court/) - [Jeanne Kempthorne](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jeanne-kempthorne/) - [NY village](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ny-village/) - [precedent](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/precedent/) - [Quiet Communities](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-communities/) - [Dr. Arline Bronzaft](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-arline-bronzaft/) - [GrowNYC](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/grownyc/) - [noise code](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-code/) - [noise complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-complaints/) - [David Owen](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/david-owen/) - [The New Yorker](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-new-yorker/) - [tinnitus](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/tinnitus/) - [John Eichwald](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/john-eichwald/) - [non-occupational noise exposure](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/non-occupational-noise-exposure/) - [Yulia Carroll MD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/yulia-carroll-md/) - [concerts](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/concerts/) - [David Browne](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/david-browne/) - [music journalist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/music-journalist/) - [ear](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ear/) - [health hearing injury](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-hearing-injury/) - [Rebecca S. Dewey](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rebecca-s-dewey/) - [University of Nottingham](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-nottingham/) - [20th Anniversary](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/20th-anniversary/) - [gala](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gala/) - [Les Blomberg](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/les-blomberg/) - [New York City](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-city/) - [Noise Pollution Clearinghouse](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-pollution-clearinghouse/) - [writers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/writers/) - [national parks](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/national-parks/) - [Vice Chair](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/vice-chair/) - [Panera](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/panera/) - [restaurant](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/restaurant/) - [Wall Street](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wall-street/) - [adults](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/adults/) - [American Speech-Language Hearing Association](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/american-speech-language-hearing-association/) - [concern](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/concern/) - [effects](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/effects/) - [dolphins](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dolphins/) - [human activity](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/human-activity/) - [oceans](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/oceans/) - [seals](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/seals/) - [whales](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/whales/) - [education](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/education/) - [message](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/message/) - [outreach](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/outreach/) - [Better Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/better-hearing-month/) - [health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health/) - [policy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/policy/) - [science](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/science/) - [Antonella Radicchi](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/antonella-radicchi/) - [Berlin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/berlin/) - [Beyond the Noise: Open Source Soundscapes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/beyond-the-noise-open-source-soundscapes/) - [citizen scientist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/citizen-scientist/) - [Everyday Quiet Areas](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/everyday-quiet-areas/) - [HUSH CITY app](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hush-city-app/) - [registered architect](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/registered-architect/) - [soundscape researcher](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soundscape-researcher/) - [Urban Design](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/urban-design/) - [hearing exam](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-exam/) - [recommendation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/recommendation/) - [regular testing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/regular-testing/) - [birthday present](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/birthday-present/) - [Dutch](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dutch/) - [earplugs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/earplugs/) - [hearing health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-health/) - [uncommon sense](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/uncommon-sense/) - [against](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/against/) - [gas-powered leaf blowers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gas-powered-leaf-blowers/) - [Jamie L. Banks PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jamie-l-banks-phd/) - [Massachusetts Medical Association](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/massachusetts-medical-association/) - [night club](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/night-club/) - [one-time exposure](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/one-time-exposure/) - [teenagers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/teenagers/) - [cities](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cities/) - [citizen activism](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/citizen-activism/) - [electric vehicles](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/electric-vehicles/) - [health threat](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-threat/) - [physical harm](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/physical-harm/) - [quiet revolution](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-revolution/) - [Robert Bright](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/robert-bright/) - [The Huffington Post](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-huffington-post/) - [loud sound](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud-sound/) - [musicians](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/musicians/) - [pop stars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pop-stars/) - [ANSI Classroom Acoustics Standard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ansi-classroom-acoustics-standard/) - [classrooms](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/classrooms/) - [Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinsville](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/edouard-leon-scott-de-martinsville/) - [invention](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/invention/) - [phonograph](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/phonograph/) - [sound recording](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-recording/) - [Thomas Alva Edison](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/thomas-alva-edison/) - [Melanie Campbell](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/melanie-campbell/) - [NIHL](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nihl/) - [rise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rise/) - [young adults](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/young-adults/) - [Andres Bosshard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/andres-bosshard/) - [Fabian Neuhaus](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fabian-neuhaus/) - [Olga Yurkina](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/olga-yurkina/) - [sound architecture](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-architecture/) - [Trong Maag](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/trong-maag/) - [Worldcrunch](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/worldcrunch/) - [Erica Manfred](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/erica-manfred/) - [hearing aids](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-aids/) - [problems](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/problems/) - [Salon](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/salon/) - [solutions](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/solutions/) - [Barcelona](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/barcelona/) - [city streets](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/city-streets/) - [Urban Mobility Plan](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/urban-mobility-plan/) - [Vox](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/vox/) - [hearing protection](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-protection/) - [city](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/city/) - [city councilman](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/city-councilman/) - [enforcement](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/enforcement/) - [New York Times](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-times/) - [Winnie Hu](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/winnie-hu/) - [70 decibels a day](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/70-decibels-a-day/) - [noise damage](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-damage/) - [University of Rochester Medical Center](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-rochester-medical-center/) - [earsplitting](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/earsplitting/) - [long range acoustic device](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/long-range-acoustic-device/) - [LRAD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/lrad/) - [New York City Police Department NYPD ruling](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-city-police-department-nypd-ruling/) - [activities](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/activities/) - [audiologists](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/audiologists/) - [ear protection](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ear-protection/) - [hazaardous noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hazaardous-noise/) - [summer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/summer/) - [Dr. Paul Barach](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-paul-barach/) - [In Pursuit of Silence](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/in-pursuit-of-silence/) - [silence](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/silence/) - [Anna Hansell](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/anna-hansell/) - [BMJ](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bmj/) - [CTV News](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ctv-news/) - [excessive traffic noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/excessive-traffic-noise/) - [heart disease](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/heart-disease/) - [higher blood sugar levels](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/higher-blood-sugar-levels/) - [higher risk](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/higher-risk/) - [noise pollution study](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-pollution-study/) - [Bernie Krause](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bernie-krause/) - [extinction](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/extinction/) - [Livia Albeck-Ripka](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/livia-albeck-ripka/) - [soundscape ecologist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soundscape-ecologist/) - [Vice](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/vice/) - [luxury](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/luxury/) - [positive impact](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/positive-impact/) - [retreat](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/retreat/) - [spa](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/spa/) - [wellness](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wellness/) - [cheaper](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cheaper/) - [Congress](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/congress/) - [Paula Span](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/paula-span/) - [desert insects](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/desert-insects/) - [disappearing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/disappearing/) - [The Atlantic](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-atlantic/) - [Veronique Greenwood](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/veronique-greenwood/) - [Andrew Mason](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/andrew-mason/) - [biologist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/biologist/) - [fly](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fly/) - [Michelle Pucci](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/michelle-pucci/) - [ormia ochracea](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ormia-ochracea/) - [research](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/research/) - [TVO](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/tvo/) - [University of Toronto](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-toronto/) - [hiking](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hiking/) - [Josh Wennergreen](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/josh-wennergreen/) - [natural landscape](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/natural-landscape/) - [nature](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nature/) - [the Wasatch](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-wasatch/) - [bitcoin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bitcoin/) - [data center](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/data-center/) - [endless](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/endless/) - [loud hum](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud-hum/) - [Blade](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/blade/) - [helicopters](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/helicopters/) - [hell on earth](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hell-on-earth/) - [The Hamptons](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-hamptons/) - [Uber for helicopters](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/uber-for-helicopters/) - [Arthur Ashe Stadium](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/arthur-ashe-stadium/) - [Rafael Nadal](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rafael-nadal/) - [roof](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/roof/) - [U.S. Open](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/u-s-open/) - [Charles Spence](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/charles-spence/) - [food](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/food/) - [gastrophysicist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gastrophysicist/) - [Science of Eating](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/science-of-eating/) - [taste](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/taste/) - [dogs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dogs/) - [fireworks](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fireworks/) - [loud noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud-noise/) - [quiet fireworks](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-fireworks/) - [Trish Hernandez](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/trish-hernandez/) - [Cat Bowen](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cat-bowen/) - [children](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/children/) - [infants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/infants/) - [brain or central processing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/brain-or-central-processing/) - [hearing loss hidden hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-loss-hidden-hearing-loss/) - [problem](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/problem/) - [UK Noise Association](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/uk-noise-association/) - [Being Hear](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/being-hear/) - [Gordon Hempton](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gordon-hempton/) - [Olympia Peninsula](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/olympia-peninsula/) - [rainforest](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rainforest/) - [Washington State](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/washington-state/) - [aircraft](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/aircraft/) - [electric aircraft](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/electric-aircraft/) - [electric helicopters](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/electric-helicopters/) - [FAA](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/faa/) - [NextGen](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nextgen/) - [Alexander von Humboldt](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/alexander-von-humboldt/) - [World Listening Day](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/world-listening-day/) - [cert. denied](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cert-denied/) - [invalidated](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/invalidated/) - [noise restrictions](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-restrictions/) - [Amsterdam](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/amsterdam/) - [Citiscope.org](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/citiscope-org/) - [Gregory Scruggs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gregory-scruggs/) - [night mayor](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/night-mayor/) - [nightlife](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nightlife/) - [bigger boats](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bigger-boats/) - [Catherine Rice](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/catherine-rice/) - [Kate Stafford](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kate-stafford/) - [melting sea ice](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/melting-sea-ice/) - [electric motorcycles](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/electric-motorcycles/) - [motorcycle noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/motorcycle-noise/) - [straight pipes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/straight-pipes/) - [evolution](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/evolution/) - [evolutionary biologist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/evolutionary-biologist/) - [William Shofner PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/william-shofner-phd/) - [100% preventable](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/100-preventable/) - [hair cells](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hair-cells/) - [human](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/human/) - [LRADs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/lrads/) - [New York City Police Department](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-city-police-department/) - [NYPD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nypd/) - [sound cannons](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-cannons/) - [archaeologists](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/archaeologists/) - [experience](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/experience/) - [Kristy Primeau](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kristy-primeau/) - [phenomenology](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/phenomenology/) - [Science Daily](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/science-daily/) - [avoid loud sound](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/avoid-loud-sound/) - [Baby Driver](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/baby-driver/) - [prevention](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/prevention/) - [noise exposure](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-exposure/) - [public health hazard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/public-health-hazard/) - [rat brains](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rat-brains/) - [Gail Richard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gail-richard/) - [noise-induced temporary threshold shift](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-induced-temporary-threshold-shift/) - [temporary threshold shift](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/temporary-threshold-shift/) - [The Lancet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-lancet/) - [New Zealand](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-zealand/) - [risk factor](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/risk-factor/) - [Amazon](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/amazon/) - [buzzing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/buzzing/) - [drone delivery](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/drone-delivery/) - [Not going to happen](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/not-going-to-happen/) - [pipe dream](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pipe-dream/) - [bans](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bans/) - [Massachusetts](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/massachusetts/) - [Newton](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/newton/) - [restrictions](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/restrictions/) - [eardrums](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/eardrums/) - [eyes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/eyes/) - [hearing aid](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-aid/) - [public health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/public-health/) - [health problems](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-problems/) - [ICBEN](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/icben/) - [Switzerland](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/switzerland/) - [transportation noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/transportation-noise/) - [A pocket guide to soundwalking](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/a-pocket-guide-to-soundwalking/) - [soundwalking](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soundwalking/) - [Colorado State University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/colorado-state-university/) - [havoc](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/havoc/) - [humans](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/humans/) - [postdoctoral research fellow](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/postdoctoral-research-fellow/) - [Rachel Buxton](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rachel-buxton/) - [study](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/study/) - [U.S. wildlife](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/u-s-wildlife/) - [ePrix](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/eprix/) - [Formula E](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/formula-e/) - [quiet race cars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-race-cars/) - [how to block noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/how-to-block-noise/) - [Jonathan Wolfe](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jonathan-wolfe/) - [noise-canceling headphones](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-canceling-headphones/) - [NY Times](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ny-times/) - [white noise machine](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/white-noise-machine/) - [Andrea Bartz](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/andrea-bartz/) - [Bart KosKo PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bart-kosko-phd/) - [Harper's Bazaar](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/harpers-bazaar/) - [Eater](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/eater/) - [New York](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york/) - [Quiet City Maps](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-city-maps/) - [quiet restaurants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-restaurants/) - [rich](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rich/) - [bicyclists](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bicyclists/) - [Dr. Michael Seidman](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-michael-seidman/) - [wind](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wind/) - [auditory and neurological signal processing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/auditory-and-neurological-signal-processing/) - [Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/columbia-university-school-of-engineering-and-applied-science/) - [prototype](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/prototype/) - [Apple](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/apple/) - [Steven Levy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/steven-levy/) - [Wired](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wired/) - [marketing ploy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/marketing-ploy/) - [Nissan](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nissan/) - [Silence the Horns](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/silence-the-horns/) - [Cosmopolitan](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cosmopolitan/) - [earbuds](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/earbuds/) - [regulation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/regulation/) - [ASL](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/asl/) - [curse words](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/curse-words/) - [sign language](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sign-language/) - [advice](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/advice/) - [noisy neighbors](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisy-neighbors/) - [decibel limits](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/decibel-limits/) - [European Union](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/european-union/) - [noisy vacuum cleaners](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisy-vacuum-cleaners/) - [Real Simple](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/real-simple/) - [innovation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/innovation/) - [quiet aircraft](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-aircraft/) - [technological solutions](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/technological-solutions/) - [ADA](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ada/) - [Americans with Disabilities Act](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/americans-with-disabilities-act/) - [baby boomers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/baby-boomers/) - [decreased exercise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/decreased-exercise/) - [Denmark](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/denmark/) - [traffic noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/traffic-noise/) - [environmental strategy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/environmental-strategy/) - [London](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/london/) - [occupational health hazard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/occupational-health-hazard/) - [mass transit](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mass-transit/) - [personal listening devices](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/personal-listening-devices/) - [The Hearing Journal](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-hearing-journal/) - [Australia](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/australia/) - [blame](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/blame/) - [noisy restaurants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisy-restaurants/) - [Lilium](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/lilium/) - [chronic illness](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/chronic-illness/) - [Dr. Clayton Dalton](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-clayton-dalton/) - [not inevitable](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/not-inevitable/) - [old age](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/old-age/) - [Jennifer King Lindley](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jennifer-king-lindley/) - [quiet time](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-time/) - [protecting your teen](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/protecting-your-teen/) - [teenager](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/teenager/) - [Austrian Tirol](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/austrian-tirol/) - [Faber Sound Meter 4 app](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/faber-sound-meter-4-app/) - [noise level](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-level/) - [airplane noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/airplane-noise/) - [hazard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hazard/) - [autoplay](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/autoplay/) - [blocked](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/blocked/) - [Google Chrome](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/google-chrome/) - [gadgets](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gadgets/) - [sleep](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sleep/) - [Hear It Now](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hear-it-now/) - [Hoh Rain Forest](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hoh-rain-forest/) - [Meghan O'Rourke](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/meghan-orourke/) - [peace](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/peace/) - [home suppoerters](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/home-suppoerters/) - [intense noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/intense-noise/) - [RB Leipzig’s Champions League](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rb-leipzigs-champions-league/) - [Timo Werner](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/timo-werner/) - [decibel level](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/decibel-level/) - [sleep disruption](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sleep-disruption/) - [bioacoustics](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bioacoustics/) - [Kurt Fristup](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kurt-fristup/) - [UTNE Reader](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/utne-reader/) - [Acoustical Society of America](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/acoustical-society-of-america/) - [coping](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/coping/) - [Dr. Danel Fink](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-danel-fink/) - [heavier burden](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/heavier-burden/) - [minority](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/minority/) - [neighborhoods](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/neighborhoods/) - [poor](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/poor/) - [urban noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/urban-noise/) - [BART](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bart/) - [metal wheels](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/metal-wheels/) - [MTA](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mta/) - [screech](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/screech/) - [subway](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/subway/) - [why?](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/why/) - [canister](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/canister/) - [quieter vacuum cleaners](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quieter-vacuum-cleaners/) - [robot vacuums](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/robot-vacuums/) - [stick](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/stick/) - [upright](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/upright/) - [chain restaurants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/chain-restaurants/) - [complaints](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/complaints/) - [fast food](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fast-food/) - [cheap hearing aid](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cheap-hearing-aid/) - [expensive](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/expensive/) - [preserved natural hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/preserved-natural-hearing/) - [Hawaii](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hawaii/) - [Phys.org](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/phys-org/) - [tsunami](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/tsunami/) - [Hospital Noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hospital-noise/) - [Peace and Quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/peace-and-quiet/) - [Quality of Life Dr. Eileen Busch-Vishniac](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quality-of-life-dr-eileen-busch-vishniac/) - [AgeLab](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/agelab/) - [aging](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/aging/) - [Joseph Coughlin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/joseph-coughlin/) - [MIT](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mit/) - [presbycusis](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/presbycusis/) - [better sleep](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/better-sleep/) - [Bose](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bose/) - [PSAPs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/psaps/) - [best earplugs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/best-earplugs/) - [Bustle](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bustle/) - [concern about cabin noise only](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/concern-about-cabin-noise-only/) - [Mary Grady](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mary-grady/) - [Mecaer Aviation Group](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mecaer-aviation-group/) - [Chicago Tribune](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/chicago-tribune/) - [younger generation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/younger-generation/) - [products](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/products/) - [Futurism.com](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/futurism-com/) - [noise pioneer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-pioneer/) - [public health crisis](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/public-health-crisis/) - [hellish sirens](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hellish-sirens/) - [two-tone siren](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/two-tone-siren/) - [Motherboard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/motherboard/) - [National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/national-park-service-natural-sounds-and-night-skies-division/) - [natural spaces](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/natural-spaces/) - [Samantha Cole](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/samantha-cole/) - [Greg Scott](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/greg-scott/) - [SoundPrint](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soundprint/) - [Acoustic Geometry](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/acoustic-geometry/) - [John Calder](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/john-calder/) - [primer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/primer/) - [rooms](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rooms/) - [horn honking](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/horn-honking/) - [Airbus](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/airbus/) - [BBC](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bbc/) - [Rolls-Royce](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rolls-royce/) - [Siemens](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/siemens/) - [85 decibels](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/85-decibels/) - [headphone for children](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/headphone-for-children/) - [Toronto](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/toronto/) - [transit noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/transit-noise/) - [toys](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/toys/) - [Dr. Erica Walker](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-erica-walker/) - [low frequency noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/low-frequency-noise/) - [Amanda Petrusich](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/amanda-petrusich/) - [I’m worried about my ears](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/im-worried-about-my-ears/) - [American Tinnitus Association](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/american-tinnitus-association/) - [Tinnitus Awareness Week](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/tinnitus-awareness-week/) - [obese](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/obese/) - [young](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/young/) - [anti-social miscreants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/anti-social-miscreants/) - [noisy people](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisy-people/) - [quiet cars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-cars/) - [Dr. Antonella Radicchi](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-antonella-radicchi/) - [Harvard University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/harvard-university/) - [music](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/music/) - [universality](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/universality/) - [daughter](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/daughter/) - [ear protectors](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ear-protectors/) - [Nick Foles](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nick-foles/) - [Super Bowl](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/super-bowl/) - [Pediatrics](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pediatrics/) - [smoking](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/smoking/) - [addictive](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/addictive/) - [loud music](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud-music/) - [brain differences](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/brain-differences/) - [Finnish study](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/finnish-study/) - [noise sensitivity](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-sensitivity/) - [Birkbeck College](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/birkbeck-college/) - [Carnegie-Mellon](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/carnegie-mellon/) - [Frederic Dick](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/frederic-dick/) - [Shilo Rea](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/shilo-rea/) - [University College London](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-college-london/) - [Access + Ability](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/access-ability/) - [Cooper Hewitt](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cooper-hewitt/) - [SoundPrint app](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soundprint-app/) - [Teterboro Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/teterboro-airport/) - [aircraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/aircraft-noise/) - [Germany](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/germany/) - [Volocopter](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/volocopter/) - [acoustic designer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/acoustic-designer/) - [bars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bars/) - [noise on taste](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-on-taste/) - [restaurants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/restaurants/) - [Susan Shore PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/susan-shore-phd/) - [treatment](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/treatment/) - [1 in 10](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/1-in-10/) - [Macquarie University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/macquarie-university/) - [censorship](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/censorship/) - [information](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/information/) - [Cleveland Clinic](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cleveland-clinic/) - [PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/phd/) - [Sharon A. Sandridge](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sharon-a-sandridge/) - [gene therapy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gene-therapy/) - [new treatments](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-treatments/) - [pricey](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pricey/) - [University of Michigan](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-michigan/) - [clubbing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/clubbing/) - [rings ears](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rings-ears/) - [Glen Watson PhD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/glen-watson-phd/) - [sea anemones](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sea-anemones/) - [University of Louisiana at Lafayette](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/) - [London Underground](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/london-underground/) - [India](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/india/) - [Pune](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pune/) - [traffic police](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/traffic-police/) - [Charles Spencer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/charles-spencer/) - [turn it down](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/turn-it-down/) - [acoustic shock](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/acoustic-shock/) - [compensation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/compensation/) - [viola player](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/viola-player/) - [work injury](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/work-injury/) - [aricraft noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/aricraft-noise/) - [measuring](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/measuring/) - [New York Quiet Caucus](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-quiet-caucus/) - [omnibus bill](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/omnibus-bill/) - [health claims](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-claims/) - [quack cures](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quack-cures/) - [apps](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/apps/) - [measure noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/measure-noise/) - [urban soundscapes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/urban-soundscapes/) - [challenge](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/challenge/) - [New York City noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-city-noise/) - [New York Comptroller](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-comptroller/) - [serious](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/serious/) - [Thomas P. DiNapoli](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/thomas-p-dinapoli/) - [Teddy Wayne](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/teddy-wayne/) - [New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-comptroller-thomas-p-dinapoli/) - [noise and crime](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-and-crime/) - [personal audio devices](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/personal-audio-devices/) - [Radio New Zealand](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/radio-new-zealand/) - [Teresa Cowie](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/teresa-cowie/) - [young people](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/young-people/) - [Dr. Thomas Münzel](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-thomas-munzel/) - [heart](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/heart/) - [stress](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/stress/) - [early indicator](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/early-indicator/) - [health hazard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-hazard/) - [definition](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/definition/) - [redefining noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/redefining-noise/) - [Grand Rounds](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/grand-rounds/) - [blood pressure](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/blood-pressure/) - [cholesterol](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cholesterol/) - [occuaption noise exposure](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/occuaption-noise-exposure/) - [American Psychological Association](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/american-psychological-association/) - [Citizen Psychologist Presidential Citation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/citizen-psychologist-presidential-citation/) - [Dr. Arline L. Bronzaft](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-arline-l-bronzaft/) - [power tool noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/power-tool-noise/) - [Dr. Richard Neitzel](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-richard-neitzel/) - [non-auditory health effects](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/non-auditory-health-effects/) - [Cindy Redmond](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cindy-redmond/) - [Chris Berdik](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/chris-berdik/) - [NoiseScore](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisescore/) - [The Boston Globe](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-boston-globe/) - [right to quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/right-to-quiet/) - [outer ear](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/outer-ear/) - [The New York Times](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-new-york-times/) - [Matthew Keegan](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/matthew-keegan/) - [noise and health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-and-health/) - [The Guardian](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-guardian/) - [nightclubs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nightclubs/) - [Nightlife Mayor](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nightlife-mayor/) - [bananas](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bananas/) - [accidental injury](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/accidental-injury/) - [JAMA Otolaryngology](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jama-otolaryngology/) - [Denver Post](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/denver-post/) - [Dr. Daniel Fin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-daniel-fin/) - [MRIs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mris/) - [A Quiet Place](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/a-quiet-place/) - [Gary Thompson](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/gary-thompson/) - [popcorn](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/popcorn/) - [The Philadelphia Inquirer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-philadelphia-inquirer/) - [autoplay videos](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/autoplay-videos/) - [hope](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hope/) - [prestin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/prestin/) - [University of Connecticut](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-connecticut/) - [Krakatoa](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/krakatoa/) - [loudest noise ever](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loudest-noise-ever/) - [shattered ear drums](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/shattered-ear-drums/) - [secondhand noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/secondhand-noise/) - [loud](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud/) - [portable listening devices](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/portable-listening-devices/) - [Placa del Sol](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/placa-del-sol/) - [thick data](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/thick-data/) - ["prank"](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/prank/) - [air horn](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/air-horn/) - [miscreant](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/miscreant/) - [minimize hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/minimize-hearing-loss/) - [simple treatment](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/simple-treatment/) - [4th of July](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/4th-of-july/) - [Richard Godwin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/richard-godwin/) - [higher calorie food.](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/higher-calorie-food/) - [restuarant noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/restuarant-noise/) - [Harley-Davidson](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/harley-davidson/) - [Milwaukee](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/milwaukee/) - [Wisconsin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wisconsin/) - [Duke University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/duke-university/) - [music students](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/music-students/) - [decibels](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/decibels/) - [spin class](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/spin-class/) - [detective](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/detective/) - [Mona Hanna-Attisha MD](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mona-hanna-attisha-md/) - [public health activist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/public-health-activist/) - [311 calls](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/311-calls/) - [data visualization](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/data-visualization/) - [maps](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/maps/) - [New York City Council](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-city-council/) - [noise kills](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-kills/) - [Florida](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/florida/) - [Jupiter](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/jupiter/) - [noise ordinance](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-ordinance/) - [dangerous](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dangerous/) - [pollutants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/pollutants/) - [why do we do this?](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/why-do-we-do-this/) - [hearing-related problems](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-related-problems/) - [preschool teachers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/preschool-teachers/) - [Sweden](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sweden/) - [need for quiet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/need-for-quiet/) - [today.com](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/today-com/) - [how loud is too loud](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/how-loud-is-too-loud/) - [Business Standard](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/business-standard/) - [Cory Rosenberg](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cory-rosenberg/) - [Mother Nature Network](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mother-nature-network/) - [music festival](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/music-festival/) - [don’t be that guy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dont-be-that-guy/) - [scourge](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/scourge/) - [soldiers’ brains](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soldiers-brains/) - [sound waves](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-waves/) - [autism](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/autism/) - [Morrisons](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/morrisons/) - [headphones](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/headphones/) - [destroying hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/destroying-hearing/) - [cochlear implants](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cochlear-implants/) - [Kajitsu](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kajitsu/) - [playlist](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/playlist/) - [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ryuichi-sakamoto/) - [Meredith Goad](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/meredith-goad/) - [Portland Press-Herald](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/portland-press-herald/) - [babies](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/babies/) - [Fatherly](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fatherly/) - [toddlers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/toddlers/) - [Ariel Palitz](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ariel-palitz/) - [Brooklyn](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/brooklyn/) - [noisiest bars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisiest-bars/) - [microarousals](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/microarousals/) - [adverse health outcomes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/adverse-health-outcomes/) - [Columbia University](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/columbia-university/) - [La Guardia Airport](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/la-guardia-airport/) - [measuring sound](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/measuring-sound/) - [sound meter](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-meter/) - [noise health](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-health/) - [Rep. Jackie Speier](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rep-jackie-speier/) - [San Francisco](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/san-francisco/) - [anti-social behavior](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/anti-social-behavior/) - [Bill Reader](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bill-reader/) - [intentional noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/intentional-noise/) - [Marcus Gee](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/marcus-gee/) - [Dr. Frank Lin](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-frank-lin/) - [preventing hearing loss](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/preventing-hearing-loss/) - [Bradley Vite](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bradley-vite/) - [The Toronto Star](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-toronto-star/) - [cancel](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cancel/) - [ear-blocking headphones](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ear-blocking-headphones/) - [University of Illinois Coordinated Science laboratory](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/university-of-illinois-coordinated-science-laboratory/) - [Care2](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/care2/) - [hike](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hike/) - [noise vacation](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-vacation/) - [children’s hearing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/childrens-hearing/) - [protect](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/protect/) - [U.S. News](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/u-s-news/) - [Dennis Follensbee](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dennis-follensbee/) - [quest](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quest/) - [quiet spaces](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-spaces/) - [kids](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kids/) - [workout](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/workout/) - [Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/congressional-quiet-skies-caucus/) - [National Quiet Skies Coalition](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/national-quiet-skies-coalition/) - [death](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/death/) - [diabetes](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/diabetes/) - [National Protect Your Hearing Month](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/national-protect-your-hearing-month/) - [ducks](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ducks/) - [hear](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hear/) - [living things](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/living-things/) - [Journal of the Acoustical Society of America](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/journal-of-the-acoustical-society-of-america/) - [Guantánamo](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/guantanamo/) - [Literary Hub](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/literary-hub/) - [music as a weapon](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/music-as-a-weapon/) - [The Noise Curmudgeon](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-noise-curmudgeon/) - [Quality of Life John Stewart](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quality-of-life-john-stewart/) - [recommendations](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/recommendations/) - [Americans](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/americans/) - [quality of life](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quality-of-life/) - [birdwatching](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/birdwatching/) - [rambling](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rambling/) - [Scottish doctors](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/scottish-doctors/) - [Shetland Islands](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/shetland-islands/) - [newly identified gene](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/newly-identified-gene/) - [Girl Scouts](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/girl-scouts/) - [Kelly Culhane](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/kelly-culhane/) - [National Gold Award Girl Scout](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/national-gold-award-girl-scout/) - [health impacts](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/health-impacts/) - [wind turbines](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wind-turbines/) - [Heathrow](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/heathrow/) - [can’t close your ears](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cant-close-your-ears/) - [Peter Sagal](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/peter-sagal/) - [running](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/running/) - [better hearing and sight](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/better-hearing-and-sight/) - [memory](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/memory/) - [Harvard Medical School](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/harvard-medical-school/) - [Edmonton](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/edmonton/) - [Neil Donnenfeld](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/neil-donnenfeld/) - [technology](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/technology/) - [soothing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soothing/) - [sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sounds/) - [middle-aged](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/middle-aged/) - [older adults](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/older-adults/) - [screening](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/screening/) - [iHEARu](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ihearu/) - [affect](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/affect/) - [desert](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/desert/) - [Robert Twdesert](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/robert-twdesert/) - [Robert Twigger](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/robert-twigger/) - [soul](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/soul/) - [souligger](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/souligger/) - [obesity](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/obesity/) - [design](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/design/) - [restaurateurs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/restaurateurs/) - [Cities and Memory](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cities-and-memory/) - [natural sounds](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/natural-sounds/) - [sound art](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-art/) - [commuter train noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/commuter-train-noise/) - [InSight lander](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/insight-lander/) - [Mars](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mars/) - [Calgary](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/calgary/) - [noise monitors](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-monitors/) - [noise polluters](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-polluters/) - [Dr. Sandra Sandridge](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-sandra-sandridge/) - [NPR](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/npr/) - [Rolling Thunder](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rolling-thunder/) - [calms](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/calms/) - [drug](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/drug/) - [FDA](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fda/) - [loud noises](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud-noises/) - [chronic noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/chronic-noise/) - [Dr. Mathias Basner](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-mathias-basner/) - [stroke](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/stroke/) - [Type 1 nerve fibers](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/type-1-nerve-fibers/) - [anechoic chamber](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/anechoic-chamber/) - [Steve Orfield](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/steve-orfield/) - [Trevor Hancock](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/trevor-hancock/) - [85db is not safe](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/85db-is-not-safe/) - [hearing disorders](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-disorders/) - [unknown sound](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/unknown-sound/) - [Airnoise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/airnoise/) - [aviation noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/aviation-noise/) - [Arrowhead Stadium](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/arrowhead-stadium/) - [crowd noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/crowd-noise/) - [football game](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/football-game/) - [explosions](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/explosions/) - [Galapagos](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/galapagos/) - [hearing disabled](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/hearing-disabled/) - [unemployed](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/unemployed/) - [bike noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/bike-noise/) - [motorcyclists](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/motorcyclists/) - [Penelope Green](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/penelope-green/) - [sound machines](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-machines/) - [Cremona](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cremona/) - [Italy](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/italy/) - [Max Paradiso](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/max-paradiso/) - [violins](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/violins/) - [noise reduction](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noise-reduction/) - [NRR](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/nrr/) - [Michael J. Coren](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/michael-j-coren/) - [Quartz](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quartz/) - [rainforests](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/rainforests/) - [cochlea](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/cochlea/) - [MachineDesign](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/machinedesign/) - [Stephen Mraz](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/stephen-mraz/) - [Alphabet](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/alphabet/) - [delivery drones](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/delivery-drones/) - [Engadget](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/engadget/) - [Mariella Moon](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/mariella-moon/) - [Wing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/wing/) - [winter](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/winter/) - [human noise](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/human-noise/) - [marine life](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/marine-life/) - [threat](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/threat/) - [Dr. Susan E. Mazer](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/dr-susan-e-mazer/) - [Buffalo News](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/buffalo-news/) - [Paul Battaglia](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/paul-battaglia/) - [ear muffs](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/ear-muffs/) - [NoisyWorld](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/noisyworld/) - [sea organ](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sea-organ/) - [waves](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/waves/) - [limited announcements](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/limited-announcements/) - [silent airports](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/silent-airports/) - [car races](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/car-races/) - [football](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/football/) - [sports](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sports/) - [Croatia](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/croatia/) - [Sound Tourism](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/sound-tourism/) - [Zadar](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/zadar/) - [acoustic panels](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/acoustic-panels/) - [BAUX](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/baux/) - [Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/corinna-da-fonseca-wollheim/) - [loud playing](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/loud-playing/) - [New York Philharmonic](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-york-philharmonic/) - [Anne Wellman](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/anne-wellman/) - [campaign against loud background music](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/campaign-against-loud-background-music/) - [Quiet Scotland](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/quiet-scotland/) - [The Herald](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/the-herald/) - [Tony Diver](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/tony-diver/) - [engineered](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/engineered/) - [FDA Commissioner](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/fda-commissioner/) - [Surgeon General](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/surgeon-general/) - [Debra Pressey](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/debra-pressey/) - [Professor Pasquale Bottalico](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/professor-pasquale-bottalico/) - [app](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/app/) - [captioning](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/captioning/) - [new technology](https://quietcoalition.org/tag/new-technology/)