The noise of summer
NATURAL PERSPECTIVES
It’s summertime and the living is easy. It’s warm. We open our
windows and patio sliders to let in a cooling breeze. And when we do,
we also let in the noise of summer.
Banner-towing airplanes are only a small part of the noise
pollution we’re faced with on a daily basis. Nearly a third of police
calls on summer weekend nights are due to loud parties. But there are
other noises in the air.
Seems like everyone has a gardener on a different day. The air
fills with the sounds of leaf blowers, lawn mowers, chain saws and
wood chippers. Finally, they finish their rounds. But other noises
take their place.
Some of us are treated to the sounds of commercial aircraft
landing in Long Beach. Notice how many more flights there are since
Meadowlark Airport closed? At least commercial flights are banned
from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Not the military flights from Los Alamitos Air
Station. We can have jet flyovers at any time of the day or night.
Same with police helicopters. These are a source of security for
some, but irritation for others.
Many people in town live near main roads and are bombarded with a
cacophony of motorcycles, trucks and autos roaring by at all hours of
the day and night. And there’s no escaping the sounds of emergency
vehicles. When the alarm sounds, the fire trucks roll and we cover
our ears against the insistent wailing.
There is a difference between noise and sound. Noise is defined as
any sound that is irritating. People differ in their response to
noise. Sounds that some may find soothing or pleasant, others find
grating and irritating. Take small aircraft. We don’t live under the
flight path of the banner-towing airplanes that ply the beaches with
messages of pizzas, beer and abortions. Their sound doesn’t bother
us. But for some of those who live underneath the flight path, the
noise is beyond endurance.
The irritation factor associated with noise pollution isn’t just
related to decibels, which is a measure of loudness. The quality of
the sound, the pitch, the source, the predictability and the ability
to control it all contribute to the irritation that sounds can
induce, say psychologists.
Rustling leaves and babbling brooks make noises in the range of 15
decibels. So does a dripping faucet. Normal conversation ranges from
45 to 60 decibels. So does residential traffic noise. A hair dryer
can blast your ears with sounds of 80 to 95 decibels, right up there
with food processors, garbage disposals and blenders. How irritating
are those sounds compared to the sound of a neighbor’s power lawn
mower when you’re trying to watch TV? The decibel levels are the
same.
If sounds are too loud, they can result in hearing loss. Exposure
to sounds of 85 decibels for more than eight hours can damage your
hearing. That’s less than the sound level of a noisy restaurant.
Exposure to sounds of 110 decibels for more than one and a half
minutes can damage your hearing. That’s the sound level of a power
saw, leaf blower, car horn, rock concert or crying baby. Beyond
damage to hearing, exposure to irritating noise can raise blood
pressure, cause the heart rate to accelerate, cause gastrointestinal
disturbances and interfere with memory.
For many, nothing beats the irritation factor of a barking dog --
especially the high-pitched yappers. If it isn’t your dog, you can’t
control the sound, which really adds to the irritation factor. You
never know when they’re going to start barking and you have no way to
make them stop. Some dogs bark only occasionally, but others bark
constantly. Maybe they’re lonesome, or frightened, or they hear a
cat, a possum, another dog.
Some dogs in our neighborhood bark all day long, sometimes
non-stop for two to three hours. They can begin their barking
marathons very early morning and can continue until after midnight.
It seems that one of them is always barking. Silence is a rare
commodity. A barking dog emits sounds from 60 to 95 decibels, but the
irritation level goes well beyond mere volume. Some days it’s nearly
impossible to work due to the barking.
There are ordinances in our town regarding sound. Noise more than
55 decibels is prohibited in residential areas from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Noise more than 55 decibels is prohibited in the daytime for more
than 30 minutes in any hour, with many exceptions, including noise
associated with construction, repair and remodeling. There is another
exception. Noise associated with maintenance of property, such as
gardening, is limited to the period between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on
weekdays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and Federal
holidays.
Barking dogs sure exceed that limit. But just try to get any
enforcement of those noise laws. The police will tell you they don’t
respond to barking dog complaints. Makes you wonder why we even have
those noise ordinances on the books. We wonder if imposing fines on
banner airplanes will be any more effective than the other noise
ordinances.
If you’re fed up with noise pollution, sound off. Let our editor
and the City Council know what noises disturb you and tell them what
should be done about it.
* VIC LEIPZIG PhD and LOU MURRAY PhD are Huntington Beach
residents and environmentalists. They can be reached at
vicleipzig@aol.com.
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