Having grown up in the Southeast, I’ve always loved a good summer thunderstorm. Sure, thunder can be loud and sometimes scary, but I associate storms with a feeling of coziness. We would seek shelter in the safety of our home, me and my brother hoping the power would go out (it often did) so we’d have an excuse to light candles and eat ice cream before it melted.

Fireworks, on the other hand, I have come to loathe. Now, living in a city, each 4th of July I feel hostage to the relentless booms and the trail of smoke they leave behind.

“Noise” is generally defined as any unwanted sound, or sound that interferes with our ability to hear other things — and it is a form of pollution associated with myriad health impacts. I’m sure many of you will relate to the feeling of annoyance, stress, ev

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