I first became interested in silence over 15 years ago when an overdose of New York City noise got me wondering if and how I could find refuge in its opposite, in absolute quiet-something that was not merely a reduction in or lack of noise, but a vibrant counterpoint to the sounds which we assume define and shape our lives.
Every day. Nearly. Every. Damn. Day. Maybe twice a day. Shooting rigidly awake from blissful sleep into the literal warzone of bleating death engines. My complex is surrounded sometimes by several dudes just running their nozzles over the same already clean patch of grass. It sends my dog into a mania. It sends me into a depression. Running a commercial gas-powered leaf blower for one hour
Residents of Zurich decided Sunday to severely restrict the use of leaf blowers and leaf vacuums. More than 61% of voters supported the restrictive rules, which authorities said would limit noise and dust pollution. Gas-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums will be fully banned in Zurich, Switzerland's most populous city. Only electric devices will be used to blow away dirt and debris.
Noise pollution impacts our health by keeping our bodies in a constant state of fight or flight, which can lead to harmful physiological responses such as inflammation and oxidative stress.
The helicopter that broke apart mid-flight and plunged into the Hudson near Jersey City last week, killing the pilot and a family of five, flew more than 8,000 missions in the New York area during the last five and a half years, according to a flight history database compiled by the aviation consultancy FlightAware.