Crowdsourcing Noise Measurements Across the United States
The goal of the Noise Across America Study is to compile a large amount of noise measurements collected and contributed by the public during the Summer of 2023 across the United States. The measurements will be used to document the types of sounds that contribute to the lived experience of noise in American communities. The noise data will also be used to better understand when and where noise is experienced.
The study is being launched alongside of a story about noise pollution in the United States in the New York Times, "Noise Could Take Years Off Your Life. Here's How."
In a companion piece, readers of the Times will have instructions for using their iPhone and a noise app to collect noise measurements, "Are You Exposed to Too Much Noise? Here’s How to Check."
But even it you're not a reader of the New York Times, you're welcome to participate.
To learn how to use your iOS device to collect a noise measurement, we've created this simple 4-step guide here.
For this initial phase of the study we are only collecting noise level measurements (a 15-minute average sound level measurement in decibels). It's best if you're able to take the noise measurement outside/outdoors. These are not audio recordings. In a subsequent phase, we may reach out to participants for soundscape recordings.
After collecting a noise measurement, it can then be submitted online here:
https://redcap.link/noiseamerica
The online survey asks when and where the noise measurement was collected, and the characteristics of noise that was heard.
Readers can collect and submit as many noise measurements as they would like. However, the study does require the use of a validated noise app that is only available for iOS devices.
Noisy vs quiet and restorative soundscapes
Not all environments are noisy, and it is just as important for the Noise Across America Study to document quiet spaces within communities. Some sounds may not be that quiet, but can make people feel rested and relaxed, such as the sounds experienced in natural environments.
Learning more about noise by participating in the study
When submitting noise measurements to the Noise Across America study, people will be given the option of receiving a summary of noise study findings. If they've selected that option, at the end of the study in late Summer-early Fall, they will receive a summary of the noise data collected for their area and for the study, and resources to help manage noise pollution.
Improving noise maps across the US
This study complements the National Transportation Noise Exposure Map -- a map overlay of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics noise model on census data to estimate the numbers of persons exposed to aviation, roadway, and rail noise in the US. The map provides open access to tract-level noise exposure data for use in population health studies.
Crowdsourced noise data from the Noise Across America Study will be used to improve upon modeled noise estimates, such as those available from the National Transportation Noise Exposure. Additionally, the crowdsourced data will also tell us a lot about the many important types of noise that aren't transportation-related.
This is just the start. Stay tuned for the next wave of the Noise Across America Study.
When submitting noise measurements, people will have the option to select if they'd be open to us contacting them for future related research. Depending on the results of the initial study, there will be opportunities to collect more detailed soundscape measurements and to learn more about people's experiences with different types of noise, how it affects them, and how they cope.
Study Team
The Noise Across America Study is led by Dr. Edmund Seto, faculty member in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington. Dr. Seto serves as Director of the UW Center for Environmental Health Equity, an US EPA Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center for Region 10 states (AK, ID, OR, WA).
For questions about this study, and assistance with noise exposures contact Dr. Seto at eseto@uw.edu.
Related work
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Noise Map. [ link ]
Seto, E., & Huang, C. H. (2023). The National Transportation Noise Exposure Map. medRxiv, 2023-02. [ link ]
Lee, E. Y., Jerrett, M., Ross, Z., Coogan, P. F., & Seto, E. Y. (2014). Assessment of traffic-related noise in three cities in the United States. Environmental research, 132, 182-189. [ link ]
UW Population Health Initiative Study on Human Health and Well-being Implications of Pervasive Navy Aircraft Noise Pollution [ link ] and community partners COER/SDA's website [ link ]
Seto, E. Y. W., Holt, A., Rivard, T., & Bhatia, R. (2007). Spatial distribution of traffic induced noise exposures in a US city: an analytic tool for assessing the health impacts of urban planning decisions. International journal of health geographics, 6, 1-16. [ link ]
Casey, J. A., Morello-Frosch, R., Mennitt, D. J., Fristrup, K., Ogburn, E. L., & James, P. (2017). Race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, residential segregation, and spatial variation in noise exposure in the contiguous United States. Environmental health perspectives, 125(7), 077017. [ link ]
NIOSH Sound Level Meter App [ link ]
Photos by Edmund Seto.