An environmental engineer would surely agree that when it comes to public health, noise pollution is a dangerous threat to a person’s wellbeing. It has been well researched and proven that citizens of a country who live near airports have higher blood pressures than those who live elsewhere. People’s health is directly affected by noisy engineering design.
The Federal Aviation Authority says that an aircraft’s noise output should, at maximum, be 65dBA, observed at ground-level. Gas-powered leaf blowers emit 90 to 102 dBA and generate their own carbon footprint – which has captured the attention of the environmentalists. A town in California named Sonoma, in the United States, has banned the use of gas-powered leaf blowers around the city. Citizens have expressed that they look forward to the “restoration of the quality of life” now that the blowers have been banned.
Thanks to engineering ingenuity a new battalion of leaf blowers are making their way to the markets – some have already arrived. The leaf blowers are battery operated and only emit 65dBA of noise. The newer blowers will also outclass plug-in blowers due to their wireless capabilities. However, with the cheaper gas alternatives, I’m sure some countries will still stick to these tried-and-tested blowers until proper bans are put in place.
More engineering ingenuity is, arguably, needed in all engineering industries, so that noise levels can be driven down.
Steve Mackay tends to agree: “In your next engineering design, think about noise. Think about how to reduce the effect on your wonderful clients. You will probably have a far happier client.”
Works Cited
“Acute Effects of Night-time Noise Exposure on Blood Pressure in Populations Living near Airports.” European Heart Journal. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 16 Jan. 2017.
EngInstTech. “ENN41 Noise and Audio.” YouTube. YouTube, 30 June 2016. Web. 16 Jan. 2017.
“Gas Leaf Blowers Banned in Sonoma.” Sonoma Index Tribune. 01 Dec. 2016. Web. 16 Jan. 2017.
