Noise Pollution:
A very real threat to many species
Noise pollution degrades natural soundscapes, like air pollution degrades natural landscapes, by disrupting and overpowering sounds that would otherwise be heard. “If a tree falls in the woods while airplanes take off overhead, would anyone hear it?” Other forms of pollution are closely regulated, but noise pollution is barely understood. Yet, most people know intuitively that noise pollution is detrimental.
Everglades Betrayal - The Issue that Defeated Al Gore is a story about the proposed development of an airport in the greater Everglades ecosystem that would have degraded the natural soundscapes of two national parks: Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. The first analysis of probable impacts from the proposed airport did not mention noise pollution; the second analysis concluded that over 200,000 flights a year would not impact the two national parks. The environmental community erupted.
Everglades Betrayal describes the efforts of many organizations and individuals to reject the analysis and protect the greater Everglades ecosystem from harm caused by noise and other types of pollution. It includes twists and turns in a politically charged arena with a presidential election on the horizon. Underlying the political struggles was the science of noise pollution and the lack of understanding, much less agreement, on when sounds become noise pollution.
Everglades Betrayal is an interesting tale for readers interested in protecting our natural resources, land use planning, politics, and an untold situation that may have affected the outcome of the Florida 2000 presidential election. It involves the complicated science of noise pollution and grassroots strategies to influence decisions affecting our natural treasures. In the future, trees may fall, but noise pollution will not muffle the sound of them falling.
The Everglades Betrayal – The Issue that Defeated Al Gore is now available to you online.
