News and Resources

Public health, Aircraft noise Marina Jokic Public health, Aircraft noise Marina Jokic

QC Newsletter: Small local action, big impact

The Quiet Communities newsletter introduces a hyperlocal campaign to raise awareness about noise pollution and its health impacts, particularly from gas leaf blowers. It highlights upcoming events and initiatives focused on addressing noise issues and encourages community participation by posting flyers. The organization aims to promote quiet as a valuable resource and improve public health.

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Public health, Landcare Marina Jokic Public health, Landcare Marina Jokic

QC Newsletter: It’s time to kick the noise habit

The Quiet Communities newsletter emphasizes the urgent need to tackle noise pollution, comparing it to "the new secondhand smoke." It highlights a new campaign for raising awareness and celebrates receiving a Phase 2 award for promoting sustainable landscaping practices. The newsletter includes updates on community initiatives, expert insights into noise health impacts, and encourages member participation, offering a complimentary book on noise awareness for members.

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Why scientists who study noise pollution are calling for more regulation

The NPR article written by Joanne Silberner, emphasizes the need for stricter noise pollution regulation due to its documented health effects, such as increased risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Despite the Noise Control Act of 1972, noise regulation has been underfunded and understudied, evident with the closure of the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement and Control in 1981. Quiet Communities recently sued the EPA to encourage enforcement of noise regulations.

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What is the safe noise exposure level to prevent noise-induced hearing loss?

The article by QC’s Daniel Fink in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology discusses the safe noise exposure levels needed to prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). It emphasizes that prolonged or excessive noise exposure can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis.

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Quiet! Our Loud World Is Making Us Sick

The Scientific American article discusses the health risks of noise pollution, including heart disease and diabetes, caused by disruptions to sleep and increased stress. Jamie Banks, who founded Quiet Communities to advocate for noise regulation after experiencing excessive landscaping noise, remains hopeful for future federal action to address and regulate harmful noise levels.

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Noise Is the New Secondhand Smoke

Noise is not just a source of annoyance. It is also a public health crisis. Nighttime aviation noise is particularly harmful to your cardiovascular system and sleep hygiene. This episode features Dr. Mathias Basher talking about his ongoing FAA-funded research on sleep and health; Dr. Peter James discussing his just-published research on noise and cardiovascular health; and Quiet Communities founder Dr. Jamie Banks speaking about their efforts to revive the EPA Office of Noise Control and Abatement.

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Landcare, Public health, Emissions, Leaf blowers Marina Jokic Landcare, Public health, Emissions, Leaf blowers Marina Jokic

The problem with gas-powered leaf blowers

The article addresses the environmental and health issues of gas-powered leaf blowers, which emit significant pollutants and produce disruptive noise affecting communities and wildlife. A MASSPIRG report highlights their carbon emissions, equivalent to pollution from 135,000 cars in Massachusetts in 2020. Many cities, alongside advocacy groups like Quiet Communities, are pushing for a shift to quieter, electric models. Restrictions are increasing, with California set to ban new gas-powered tools next year.

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Public health Marina Jokic Public health Marina Jokic

Fighting noise pollution

The NPR interview addresses noise pollution as a significant health risk, causing issues like heart disease and hypertension. Jamie Banks, founder of Quiet Communities, and Erica Walker discuss its impact, particularly in minority communities, and emphasize the need for better awareness and regulation. While Europe has effective noise-reduction strategies, the U.S. lacks a comprehensive approach. The goal is to promote quiet as essential for health and learning, encouraging communities to mitigate excessive noise.

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Public health Marina Jokic Public health Marina Jokic

Are You Exposed to Too Much Noise? Here’s How to Check.

Noise exposure poses significant health risks, including cardiovascular issues. The New York Times explored these effects, measuring noise levels across the U.S. using professional devices. An online noise map can provide insights, but a more accurate assessment can be done using the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app for iOS. This app helps measure personal noise exposure.

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Public health Marina Jokic Public health Marina Jokic

Does Noise Affect Your Life? We Want to Know.

The New York Times is exploring the impact of noise on health and seeking personal stories from readers. The initiative aims to understand how different noise levels affect daily life and long-term well-being. Readers are invited to share their experiences, including noise sources and how they cope. This project aims to uncover the often overlooked threat noise poses to health.

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Yards on Fire- Gas Powered Lawn Equipment & Health

This podcast episode discusses the health and environmental impacts of gas-powered lawn equipment, focusing on emissions from two-stroke engines and noise pollution. Hosts and guest experts, pediatricians Dr. Elliot Krane and Dr. David Axelrod from Stanford University, highlight how these small engines generate significant pollution, comparable to driving a Ford F150 truck over long distances. The episode explores health implications, particularly on children, and suggests electric or manual alternatives. It encourages community actions for cleaner air and advocates for policies to transition away from gas-powered tools.

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Characteristics of Lawn and Garden Equipment Sound: A Community Pilot Study

The study examines noise pollution from over 11 million gas-powered leaf blowers in the U.S., which often exceed WHO noise standards up to 800 feet. The noise, surpassing 100 decibels due to low-frequency sound, affects health and communities. These findings support noise restrictions and suggest that standard decibel measurements are more accurate than A-weighted ones.

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Landcare, Leaf blowers, Public health Marina Jokic Landcare, Leaf blowers, Public health Marina Jokic

Noisy, but that’s not all: the health threat posed by leaf blowers

The article highlights the health risks and pollution from gas-powered leaf blowers, which emit toxic pollutants. Workers face health issues from exposure, and despite regulations pushing for electric alternatives, industry resistance persists. Advocacy groups like Quiet Communities, founded by Jamie Banks, are working to promote the transition to electric equipment to reduce health and environmental impacts.

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Public health, Landcare, Leaf blowers, Emissions Marina Jokic Public health, Landcare, Leaf blowers, Emissions Marina Jokic

Noisy, but that’s not all: the health threat posed by leaf blowers

The article by Stuart Silverstein and Anne Boiko-Weyrauch discusses the pollution and health risks from gas-powered leaf blowers, highlighting emissions of toxic substances like benzene and ultrafine particles that pose serious health risks, particularly to landscaping workers. Jamie Banks, founder of Quiet Communities, is mentioned for advocating against noise and emissions from such equipment. Efforts to switch to electric equipment are growing, supported by incentives in some regions to promote cleaner alternatives.

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Emissions, Landcare, Public health Marina Jokic Emissions, Landcare, Public health Marina Jokic

Small Off-Road Engines in California

Small off-road engines (SORE), used primarily for lawn, garden, and other equipment, have a population in California comparable to that of passenger cars. Despite making up only 8% of SORE, commercial lawn equipment accounts for 20% of smog emissions during summer. Running a commercial mower for an hour emits pollution equal to driving a new car 300 miles, while a leaf blower equates to 1,100 miles. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has significantly reduced SORE emissions since 1990 but projects that by 2031, SORE emissions will double those of passenger cars. To address this, CARB aims for zero emissions from off-road equipment by 2035, with new standards and incentives in development.

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