The national government is about to impose regulations on electric and hybrid cars requiring them to be louder to increase safety in crowded areas such as parking lots, where they tend to sneak up on unsuspecting pedestrians. People, however, are not the only ones affected by the noise of cars. In a study conducted by Boise State University, birds where found to greatly reduce fat gains before migration season which weakens the birds and reduces spring breeding chances. Many birds also left the area surrounding noisy roads. Bird populations are hurt by road noise in their vicinity, yet new policies will enforce an increase in road noise. Birds are adversely affected by road noise. New hybrid and |
electric cars are nearly silent. New automotive technology seems to be a solution to the effects of road noise on birds. It seems so obvious, yet policies are put in place to reverse innovation. There is a very slight increase in safety by adding noise to electric cars; these cars are not invisible after all. The effects on the environment are atrocious, considering that they are unnecessary. Usually to solve problems of environmental disruption, changes must be made and inconveniences need to be tolerated, but in this exceptional case, helping the environment requires that things stay the same and no policies are put in place. It is absolutely ludicrous to put a policy in place that enforces the disruption of nature.
Original National Geographic Article (link)
Original National Geographic Article (link)