Excessive noise is an environmental issue

April 22 is Earth Day, a time to celebrate nature and to protect the earth against pollution. Excessive noise is an often-neglected form of environmental pollution. Most Americans are constantly bombarded by excessive noise — from gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers, motorcycles, loud car stereos, barking dogs, helicopters, airplanes, noisy neighbors, car traffic, helicopters, raucous restaurants, back-up beepers, honking horns tied to keyless entry systems, train horns, car alarms, and numerous other sources.

All this acoustic chaos is very harmful. High noise levels are associated with heart disease, elevated blood pressure, hearing loss, sleep deprivation, ringing of the ears, headaches, and chronic fatigue. Excessive noise is also a cause of reduced property values and decreased job and academic performance.

Noise is also a climate change issue. Lawn and garden equipment is responsible for around 5% of the nation’s air pollution. An EPA study indicates that a gas-powered leaf blower creates as much nitrogen oxide emissions and volatile organic compounds in one hour as 11 cars being driven for one hour.

Further, noise is an ecosystem issue. High-intensity sound can induce fear, causing species to abandon their habitat. Birds are having to chirp louder because of the constant din. Since the 1960s, there has been a 16-fold increase in ocean noise, posing a threat to fish, dolphins, and other marine life.

What can be done? Municipalities should ban gas-powered leaf blowers. The police should vigorously enforce noise ordinances. Congress should fully fund the federal noise pollution control office. Individuals should join Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet.

Dariusz Gulanczyk, Elgin

Save Chicago’s vintage businesses

I was sorry to see the editorial saying goodbye to 100-year-old Dinkel’s Bakery. I’ve seen similar pieces in the past lamenting the closing of vintage Chicago businesses.

Why not publish such pieces before the vintage businesses close? You could have a regular column on vintage businesses. If such articles increased the businesses’ number of customers, they might be less likely to close. If the owners are retiring, they might be more likely to sell the business to someone else. At least, even if they did close, more customers could enjoy them while they are here.

Eleanor Hall, Hyde Park

Lollapalooza at Soldier Field

The recent article about Mayor Lori Lightfoot looking at various alternatives for the 56-acre Soldier Field-Museum Campus was right on.

Indeed it would be perfect for Lollapalooza. It offers more than enough space for the 100,000 attendees and avoids Lollapalooza colonizing Grant Park, destroying the softball fields and denying Chicago the grass area for weeks.

But, sadly with Lollapalooza appealing to Chicago’s 1%, that is not likely to happen!

James Murray, Loop