Noise Pollution

Brick "USC University of Southenr California"  sign at entrance to campus

Berkeley Noise Pollution Precedent Blocks Los Angeles Housing

Opponents to a new university housing project cited a recent Berkeley case in which noise pollution was successfully used to deny an exemption from environmental review.

August 17, 2023 - The Daily Californian

Young bull moose stands in grassy field in Bridger-Teton National Forest

How Noise Pollution Impacts Nature

Overly loud noise isn’t just a public health risk for humans.

July 11, 2023 - High Country News

Close-up of hand holding up decibel meter with blurred highway with traffic in background

The Case Against Noise Pollution

A detailed description of how noise impacts health and wellbeing.

June 12, 2023 - The New York Times

Aerial view of pickleball court with players illuminated for nighttime play

Addressing the Noise Impacts of Pickleball

Pickleball may be America's fastest growing sport, but it is not universally loved because of the noise it causes. Learn one expert's ideas for mitigating the noise impacts.

June 7, 2023 - The Hustle

Helicopter flying over New York City with Empire State Building visible on left

Helicopter Noise Complaints Surge in New York

Residents argue the city and state must do more to regulate the hundreds of flights that criss-cross the area on a daily basis.

December 13, 2022 - StreetsBlog NYC

"QUIET Please be considerate of our neighbors" sign on outside of building with dim light

Houston Doubles Noise Violation Fine

In response to a spike in complaints from people living near bars and clubs, Houston has updated its noise ordinance to raise fines and require additional permits for amplified sound.

September 8, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

portrait of woman walking on the city street covering her ears

California Bill Proposes Automated Noise Pollution Enforcement

If signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, a new bill would use automated sensors and cameras to enforce decibel limits on cars and motorcycles.

May 12, 2022 - AutoWeek

LAX Cars

Car Noise Is Killing Us

It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.

May 6, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Amazon Warehouse

The Impact of Amazon Warehouses on Communities

Often located in low-income communities of color, Amazon's warehouses contribute to public health impacts like poor air quality, noise pollution, and traffic congestion.

December 16, 2021 - Consumer Reports

Noise

Using Tech to Control Noise Pollution

Several cities are piloting programs that use machine learning to identify and understand urban noise patterns and enforce noise ordinances.

December 13, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Emergency Response

Sirens May Do 'More Harm Than Good,' Research Shows

The ear-piercing sirens used by emergency vehicles are shown to have little impact on patient outcomes while contributing to more dangerous road conditions, experts say.

October 21, 2021 - The New York Times

Noise

Study Links Transportation Noise to High Rates of Dementia and Alzheimer's

A large nationwide cohort study in Denmark found "transportation noise from road traffic and railways to be associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia and dementia subtypes, especially Alzheimer’s disease."

September 14, 2021 - The Guardian

Street Traffic in Manhattan

Opinion: Loud Driving is a Public Health Threat

As more research demonstrates the negative health and environmental impacts of excessive traffic noise, the New York state legislature has passed a bill prohibiting the sale of muffler modification devices.

July 13, 2021 - Streetsblog New York City

West 72nd Street

Learning About the City by Running for Office

When you are trying to get people's attention, a city feels very different.

June 2, 2021 - Michael Lewyn

Plane and Train

Noise Pollution Harms the Heart, Too

New research shows that excessive noise levels have significant negative impacts on heart health.

February 28, 2021 - The Atlantic

Helicopter New York City

What About all the Helicopter Noise?

New York's busy airspace can be an inescapable nightmare for residents who experience noise pollution on a daily basis.

February 26, 2021 - StreetsBlog NYC

California Shelter-in-Place

Recording the Quiet of Cities During the Pandemic

The usual sounds of the city have subsided, replaced by birds and quiet that at times can be eery and unsettling.

May 25, 2020 - The New York Times

Mumbai Traffic

To Curb the Honking, Mumbai’s 'Punishing Signal'

Incessant honking just adds to the chaos on city streets, so Mumbai police put up a clever device to remind drivers that making noise will not ease traffic woes.

February 20, 2020 - The New York Times

Helicopters

Noise Complaints Spike in Brooklyn After Uber Launches Helicopter Service to JFK

One person's ticket out of traffic and transit is another person's recurring headache.

December 13, 2019 - New York Post

Sound Audio Waves

When Noise Is a Matter of Life and Death

The world is noisier than ever, and the long-term effects of exposure are serious. Still, noise pollution isn’t considered a legitimate environmental hazard.

October 31, 2019 - The Atlantic

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