
The fight to preserve the last quiet places on a noisy planet
CNN
Grassroots movement Quiet Parks International wants to protect natural environments from man-made noise.
(CNN) — Natural silence -- the kind when you hear nothing but the sound of nature around you -- is becoming increasingly scarce. The rumblings of man-made noise can be heard even in the remote corners of national parks and deep in the Arctic Ocean. This is having a troubling effect. In humans, noise pollution has been linked to cardiovascular disease, mental health problems and cognitive impairment in children. In wildlife, it's disrupting navigation, mating rituals, communication and can cause hearing loss. "We're losing the ability to listen to nature without noise pollution," says sound recordist Matt Mikkelsen. He's part of the non-profit organization Quiet Parks International, which aims to identify and preserve the planet's last quiet places.More Related News