“Calling noise a nuisance is like calling smog an inconvenience. Noise must be considered a hazard to the health of people everywhere.”
— Dr. William H. Stewart, former Surgeon General of the United States

Quotes from FaceBook conversations…

I have no idea how I came to this site, but here it is:http://www.quiet.org/index.htm

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Terrific to see this. Thanks!
I’ve been so annoyed with the intrusions of noise. I’m a musician and sensitive and have to protect my hearing.
In a city it’s a constant 24/7 disturbance.

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I live near a navy air base and they fly F18 fighter jets over my house nonstop…. some days as much as 12 hours..pure torture.

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I bought a rechargeable non gas powered weed wacker…for the small lawn a push mower, but when you’ve got lots of landscape…what to do.
It’s the leaf blowers that seem useless as stuff just blows into your neighbors yard.
I know machines are necessary. Hey I’m sitting in snowplow city.
But the snow quiets the place down.

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I must also add this observation: I feed the birds. A LOT of birds. Our yard is set up as a sanctuary. I pay attention to their behaviors and I’ve noticed that living in town they are unbothered by cars, the train, even sirens. But let a motorcycle roar up the road, a block away, and they scatter as fast as if a predator just flew in the yard. I’d fly too, but alas, am tethered by gravity so must endure 🙂

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I used to look at Consumer Reports for noise ratings on everything I had to buy for house and property. The day I sold my house during the downturned market I threw open the door and blasted Led Zeppelin….oops blew a nice speaker. Have to keep some decibels dedicated to jubilance .

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My daughter played in a punk band, rehearsing at the house. Kept adding baffles to the room..Talk about a padded room! I have a DB meter and it was 114 DBs on my side of the door.
Here’s a chart of how loud things are and potential damage.
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/loudness.html

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Great link Vicki!! When we were having all the work done on our house, all the workmen wore ear plugs. Important for them and glad to see it. But WE were exposed to that noise all day, for many, many days.

I think people adapt, for example those living in big cities. But I wonder if that is an adaptation that means they suffer consequences down the road and never know the cause. Just a thought.

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Good thought Bonnie. I know I am working hard to ignore the chaos in large cities. Working to keep focused. So many people don’t understand this effort. I’ve observed that in people I know that seem to speak loudly and don’t hear as well as I do.

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Oh here’s something. At a Percussive Arts Convention I went to an ear plug booth. There were several sizes. I was told I have large ear canals. Maybe more sound is getting in there. Any studies out there? My hearing was checked and I’ve got good hearing, nothing exceptional. It’s the volume I suspect.
Is there a page for “What size is your Auditory Canal” ?
I don’t know if this might be attached to the “You’ve got large feet” site.

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Vicki: :-))) So there was an ear plug booth at PASIC? I find that hilarious! 

I have noise canceling headphones that I have to use in order to fly. I use to carry earplugs with me at all times. There are restaurants I can’t eat in because of the noise level. If I have to go there I have to wear earplugs. This is viewed as totally neurotic by the 80% who don’t have this trait.

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Yes, the environment is noisier, brighter, smellier, more crowded, more frenetic. No doubt about it. So it’s both. HSP’s experience sensory assault just about daily, just about everywhere, and coupled with how much more sensory stimulation there is we have to take strategic, thoughtful and decisive actions to deal with it.

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Oh yikes…I’m stressed imagining this. Wait a minute…I was just in that kind of environment!
getting sleeping pills seems one way to deal, eye shades, room darkening shades, insulated baffled curtains.
Is there something in the consitution about the pursuit of Life, Liberty (from what?) and the pursuit of happiness (definition might include not having to arm ourselves against the intrusions of this age of technology)

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