When you think of pollution, you likely think of a thick blanket of choking smog looming over an industrial city. But that's not the entire reality. Enter noise pollution: You can't see it, but it can have detrimental impacts on your health and well-being.
That's exactly why one homeowner took to Reddit to seek a creative noise-blocking solution to cope with the loud traffic near their home. The homeowner explained on the r/landscaping subreddit that their backyard faces a busy, often noisy street. Looking for a natural noise-dampening solution, the homeowner questioned what type of trees or shrubs they could plant in their yard for a little reprieve.
"I want to fill the area in the back with a variety of trees that might be well suited for our area to create more of a natural looking staggered green space," the original poster wrote, adding, "[I'm] not afraid to use up a lot of real estate to make our own little woodsy area."
While living near loads of traffic can impact air quality, it can also cause a whole lot of unwelcome noise. And all that noise pollution can be as detrimental to health and well-being as air-based pollution. Studies show that noise pollution — whether from vehicle traffic, industrial activities, or construction — can cause a variety of health impacts from hearing loss to sleep disorders, mental health problems, and developmental delays in children. Noise pollution can even cause cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. And the list goes on.
To help the noise-ridden Redditor, many commenters suggested planting arborvitae, tall pine-like trees often used in North American landscaping. These tall, thin trees are native to much of North America, making them a good choice for maintaining a balanced ecosystem.
"I'm a contractor in Seattle and a popular choice is arborvitae," one commenter advised. "There are dozens of different varieties and almost all of them love our weather. … It lessens the noise, but there isn't much that can be done about a loud street."
However, one commenter cautioned that the rising global temperature has killed off arborvitae in their area, instead suggesting contacting a local university for native plant suggestions.
"Your pines look great but keep in mind how many posts about dead arborvitae there are in the search bar here," they cautioned. "Evergreens and pines are not doing well in the changing climate."
When looking to add plants, shrubs, or trees to your yard, it's essential to make sure these plants are native to your area. Not only do native plants hold up better in local weather conditions, but they also support local pollinators and prevent invasive plant life from interfering with native plant species.
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Another commenter suggested a plantless solution to noise pollution — a waterfall feature that uses natural noise to counteract all the hustle and bustle.
"You may want to look into a pondless waterfall," another commenter added. "The sound of the water splashing off the rocks will lessen the sound of the cars, and they are inches deep so safer around kids."
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