Preserving Natural Quiet in an Ever-Louder World
Preserving Natural Quiet in an Ever-Louder World I n 2020, when a global pandemic silenced the drone of aircraft and drum of traffic, a new soundtrack of birdsong, rain falling and the buzz of bees traveling from plant to plant emerged. This lack of man-made noise is what natural silence sounds like. “It was a turning point for our cause,” says Matt Mikkelsen, executive director of wilderness parks for Quiet Parks International (QPI), a nonprofit founded in 2018. “Although eerie, it showed us all what we’d been missing.” QPI’s parks, trails and wilderness areas offer places to escape noise pollution and experience the restorative power of natural silence. The organization’s mission to save quiet for the benefit of all life is part of a broader effort to combat the increasing noise of our world. A 2023 hearing study conducted by Apple in partnership with the University of Michigan confirms the cacophony of man-made noise has indeed made the world louder. Using data from iPhones and Apple …
