Hustle and Bustle
There is absolutely no place on Earth that is completely free, at all times, from human noise. Not one. Even the most desolate environments imaginable are no exceptions to this unfortunate truth. It is quite sobering to realize that no matter where you travel, there is not one place that can provide total refuge from the sound of the Anthropocene.
While constant auditory stimulation is inevitable, we have learned to love the chaos. Buzzing alarm clocks dictate our mornings while podcasts and new music albums accompany us on the drive to work. Even little tunes hold our hands through the phone when we are put “on hold”.
Noise, Shmoise
What’s so bad about a life full of sound? After all, some of the most beautiful things in life are auditory experiences: laughter, rainfall, live music. To advocate for the eradication of sound would be to deny life itself. To be clear, this is not what this piece is about, because the problem is not so much about sound as it is about noise: the unwanted, unpleasant or disruptive sounds we encounter. Traffic, sirens and horns echo constantly outside our windows while the low hum from electronics and appliances murmur inside. It’s not always apparent how polluted our lives are by noise, but once we realize it, it can quickly become overwhelming.
There’s more to noise pollution than a little annoyance too. Constant noise pollution, even at low decibels, can directly impact human health through cognitive impairment, increased stress hormone production and sleep disturbance. A 2019 review article summarizes findings that suggest noise pollution’s association with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular issues. The review also referenced studies that associated noise pollution with mental health issues such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression.
Sound Bites from Nature and City
In an effort to explore the concept of noise and sound, I decided to take sound bites of various environments in and around Salt Lake. Initially, I intended to use more high-tech audio gear, however technical difficulties won this battle. I had to resort to the good old Voice Memos app.
Cutline: Light wind and heavy thrum of passing cars, West Yellowstone near Canyon Junction, Oct 11, 2025
Cutline: Faint calls of Red-winged Blackbirds, Antelope Island near GSL, Nov 8, 2025
Cutline: Big Cottonwood Creek, Knudsen Park in Holladay, Nov 18, 2025
Cutline: Dogs barking, Millcreek, Nov 18, 2025
You may find that some clips were more pleasant to listen to than others, which reflects the distinction between sound and noise. Even so, attentive listeners might catch the drone of an airplane in the third sound bite–one that was intended to capture only a flowing creek. Even in a brief attempt to record naturescapes, interruptions persist, a fitting testament to the epidemic of noise.
Tuning in to Nature
There is no grand solution to this problem. The relentless cacophony of modern life permeates every corner. But so do sounds, and sounds can be wonderful and healing. Bernie Krause, an American musician and soundscape ecologist, has dedicated his life to recording and archiving natural sounds. Krause’s work suggests that soundscapes can indicate the health of an ecosystem through analysis of the density and diversity of the area’s biophony: the collective sound of non-human organisms. The ecosystems with more active biophonies, Krause found, were the ones that were the healthiest.
Beyond the health of ecosystems themselves, natural sounds have been linked to having numerous benefits on human health including decreased blood pressure, heart rate, and stress-hormone production. These effects are likely attributed to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, Attention Restoration Theory and reduction of noise-related stress. Bringing awareness to this area of our lives can help us distinguish between what in our surroundings is harmful noise or restorative sound. We begin to notice, and in doing so, deepen our sense of presence and connection to the Earth.