Municipalities around the world have taken on the issue of noise. Noise level standards are in effect in many cities, and noise abatement is routine in highway and airport planning.

The Acoustic Ecology Institute focuses mostly on the impacts of human noise on wildlife, with less comprehensive coverage of effects on humans. We've chosen this focus largely because humans are already better protected from noise than the wild is, as well as the fact that the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse [GO TO NPC WEBSITE] and a few smaller organizations already offer comprehensive resources on how our noise affects our communities.

The one key exception, in which AEI has devoted significant attention, is the noise impacts of terrestrial wind farms on neighboring residents. [SEE AEI SPECIAL REPORT: WIND TURBINES]

This section of AcousticEcology.org includes a few examples of urban noise planning, as well as links to general information on the effects of noise on human health.

Representative News Items

Also, see Urban Issues News Archive [GO THERE]

Boeing Project Aims to Quiet Jets - Boeing and several industry partners are designing new technologies to reduce the noise levels of jet engines. The Quiet Technology Demonstrator 2 used Boeing 777-300ER with GE90-115B engines, already the quietest airplane in its class; it was fitted with eight different noise-reduction engine inlet and exhaust combinations on the right wing, and the baseline production engine on the left wing. The most striking improvements came from a sound-absorbing liner on the engine intake, which reduced fan tones heard in the front of the aircraft by up to 15 decibels. Source: Azom.com, 11/15/05 [READ ARTICLE] GE News Release, 11/05 [READ PRESS RELEASE]

Railroad Noise and Vibration Assessments - The US Federal Railroad Administration prepares environmental assessments of new rail projets, including analysis of noise and vibration. For more info, see:
EFRA Current Environmental Assessments [WEBPAGE]
High-speed Rail Noise and Vibration Assessment Manual [WEBPAGE]

Noise Awareness Day - Each April, the League for the Hard of Hearing sponsors a nationwide Noise Awareness Day. While the League offers many resources regarding hearing loss, this annual event raises awareness about noise pollution on the local level in many areas. For more info, including tools to help you organize a simple event and contact newspapers in your town, see their [WEBSITE]

Quiet Lawns Project - The Noise Pollution Clearinghouse has begun a project to encourage the use of electric and hand-powered lawn equipment. [WEBSITE]

Cities Around US Crack Down on Noise - A surge of crackdowns on urban noise is sweeping the country. Police departments and city governments have announced new initiatives to enforce noise ordinances, with targets ranging from boom cars to illegally modified motorcycles. The surge may be related to a recent Justice Department study citing public safety dangers of boom cars; a new national organization, Noise Free America, has also raised awareness with its monthly "award" to noisy cities, and formation of local affiliates. One related trend is the creation of "Livibility Courts" or "Quality of Life" courts, which handle citations for noise infractions and other quality of life infractions that the normal court system often considered too trivial and were summarily dismissed as being not worth spending scarse docket time on. Source: Assorted media reports, 2002.
[READ JUSTICE DEPARTMENT STUDY (PDF)] [VISIT NOISE FREE AMERICA WEBSITE]
Press Reports from various cities:
Portland ME targets illegal motorcycles [READ ARTICLE]
Rochester NY group addresses noise [READ ARTICLE]
Charlotte SC Livibility Court Sentences Boom Cars [READ ARTICLE] [CS MONITOR ARTICLE]
Hear NPR interview with Charlotte SC Livibility Court Judge [HEAR SEGMENT]
Durham NC Community Life Court is model for many others [READ ARTICLE]
Freehold NJ forms Quality of Life Enforcement Team [READ ARTICLE]
Jacksonville FL considers Livibility Court [READ ARTICLE]
New York NY launches Silent Night initiative [READ PRESS RELEASE]
Press Coverage: [READ AP STORY] [READ NEWSDAY STORY] [READ NY TIMES EDITORIAL]
On a Ligher Note: Tom Tomorrow ("This Modern World") has a solution for curbing out of control car alarms [SEE CARTOON]

Hear the sounds of London - US National Public Radio feature on Peter Cusaks' recent sound survey of London, highlighting the favorite sounds of Londoners. This four minute feature is available for listening via RealAudio. Source: NPR All Things Considered, 1/28/02 [LISTEN] [WEBSITE]

European Union Parliament Passes Noise Pollution Directive - In the first step aimed to bring the many differing noise standards throughout Europe into more cohesive form, the EU parliament passed a measure that contains a binding commitment to and a clear timetable for follow-up legislation to tackle the major sources of noise pollution across the EU, in particular rail, road and air traffic and building sites. Source: MP Press Release, GreenSkies website, 5/15/02 [WEBSITE] [DOWNLOAD PR(doc)] [DOWNLOAD 2ND PR(doc)]

Fuel Cell Cars begin to appear - Two recent news items signal the emergence of fuel cell technology into the automotive market. In Manchester, England, the Commonwealth Games has contracted for 30 small "microcab" vehicles to be used for transporting athletes on site. Designer John Jostins said: "I have a vision that within the next five to ten years every urban centre in the world will have vehicles like the Microcab doing the work of normal city vehicles. The energy use is so low it is the equivalent to 1,000 miles to the gallon, with no emissions and no noise pollution." Source: Annova News 2/20/02 [ARTICLE] And, from Japan comes word that Toyota, leaders in hybrid electric vehicle development, will bring the first commercial fuel cell vehicle to the Japanese market in 2003. The FCHV4, modeled after their Kluger4 (Highlander) SUV, will carry a price tag of about 10 million yen (US$75,000). Source: AP/Bankok Post, 2/25/02 [ARTICLE]

England to Create Country-wide Sound Map - The government of England is initiating the largest-scale sound survey in history. The two-year project, set to begin this summer, aims to develop a sound map of the entire country, from the Scottish border to Land's End. Thirty teams of acoustic specialists will combine data on sound sources from motor vehicles to factories and airplanes, using computer models and mapping to identify both valuable areas of sonic tranquility and sources of extreme noise intrusion. Source: The Independent March 4, 2002
[READ STORY] [VISIT WEB SITE OF SOUND MAP CONSULTING FIRM]

Silencing the PC - Many people long for a way to elimate the drone of personal computer fans. Several web sites include resources and plans for noise dampening devices.
The Silent PC[WEBSITE] Make PCs Become Silent[WEBSITE] 49 Ideas of Silence[WEBSITE]