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

[email protected].