Episode 44 - "Do Not Disturb"

The world is waking up to the negative health consequences of noise pollution. The WHO recognizes noise as a health crisis, and the number of places around the world not devastated by human noise is rapidly depleting. But the problems posed by our traffic noise, our airplane noise, and other anthropogenic intrusions go much deeper than the long list of human health effects like stroke, heart disease, diabetes, mental health problems, and increased general mortality. The natural world organizes itself in large part through sound. Our noise disrupts these delicate systems, breaks down ecosystems, and drives species into confusion, disarray, and death.

Bernie Krause joins us to help illuminate the complexity of natural soundscapes, and the threats to their stability.

Can we relearn how to listen before it's too late?

Chapters

• 06:22 Bernie Krause
• 08:56 Components of a Soundscape
• 11:29 Niche Hypothesis
• 13:02 What are ways animals vocalize to survive?
• 14:52 The sound of habitat destruction
• 24:41 Beauty of marine environments
• 29:21 Cultural pathology and inattention
• 30:52 Difference between organized and chaotic sound
• 48:50 Loudness wars against our health
• 52:58 Human health consequences of sound
• 58:55 Animal health consequences of sound
• 1:08:08 Going forward

A full transcript is available as well as detailed links and sources (plus credits and more) on our website ashesashes.org.

Find more information along with relevant news and links on your favorite social network @ashesashescast.

CC BY-SA 4.0