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Home Health Noise Pollution

Noise Levels of Urban America – Why the City Soundscape Needs to be Transformed

Magnus Kähler by Magnus Kähler
June 28, 2014 - Updated on April 23, 2020
in Noise Pollution, Soundscape, Urban Soundscape
Reading Time: 2 mins read
3
Urban Decibel Levels
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The fast-paced urbanization across the world is a fact and society faces a great challenge in terms of managing the urban soundscape. There is indeed a lot of beauty in the eclectic sounds of city life, but the noise levels have unfortunately gotten out of hand. And it’s detrimental to our well-being.

Soundhawk, a company set out to reimagine the listening experience, has compiled data on some decibel levels in the American cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and Boston:

These noise levels can certainly have a negative impact on the citizens’ quality of life in these cities. Commuters of New York City have to face 106 decibels in the subway. And 92 decibels at an average Boston restaurant does not call for a relaxing dining experience. It’s interesting to note that restaurant reviews are increasingly factoring in the sound experience as part of the review. And it’s getting more common for people to avoid certain restaurants because of the noise level.

While there are a lot of great challenges in terms of taking measures to reduce the noise pollution in urban centers, there is a growing movement of people and institutions alike speaking up against noise. It’s essential that this dialogue about sound and noise in our society is not only kept alive, but also intensified.

If you wish to join the movement, it is recommended that you get a sound meter/decibel meter to be able to do your own noise measurements in local environments that you find uncomfortable. Hard decibel data makes the case more credible when you then contact whoever is in charge and start a dialogue about how things can be improved.

The growing grass-roots movement against noise pollution has every opportunity to influence, and even drive, a transformation of society. However, we have to become even better at seeking the empathy of others – hearing-related issues are strangely enough still very underestimated and lacks the ‘status’ of other health conditions – and we have to put forth arguments that are supported by solid data.

Tags: city noisedecibelsnoisequality of lifeurban noise
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Magnus Kähler

Magnus Kähler

Swedish founder of Elevating Sound - Your Sound Guide to a Sound World. I have set out to inform and educate about progressive sound thinking, leading sound innovations and issues around noise in society. If you wish to support the initiative and help Elevating Sound increase its impact, please CLICK HERE to become a patron.

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Comments 3

  1. Randy Nelson says:
    7 years ago

    I have felt the same way for the last few years. After a head injury, I was left with hearing only in my right ear… profound loss in the left ear with significant tinnitus. I’ve become progressively sensitive to noise over the past few years

    and have downloaded a decibel app on my phone to better understand my enviroment – and when i should wear hearing protection. I was very surprised at the noise levels… of life. I travel a good bit, so I’ve logged sound levels on many commercial aircraft types (and wear hearing protection on most as they exceed 85-95 decibels). Cities in general are becoming very noisy – as this article illustrates… at points we are doing it to ourselves. I attend a church where the band exceeds 95-100 decibels and the speaker over 85! Why? Most of the audience is within 75 feet and could hear clearly at a lower range. Airports are an experience as well. Good times! It seems the levels of stress would reduce for the population if sound dampening was commonly considered.

    Reply
    • kjellX says:
      4 years ago

      Can surely understand as I’ve developed hyperacusis myself which makes the world quite intolerable. But seems the key here is not to avoid sounds (even the noisy ones) as it only makes it worse (obviously at your own pace). I’ve not even attempted flying since this, it’s one of those things i guess you have to just try out.

      Reply
  2. Alex Sergay says:
    8 years ago

    Of course you can get a sound pressure meter app for your phone, even the free ones work pretty well.

    Reply

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