In the wake of the Asian tsunami disaster, it seems callous to talk about other issues. I’ve put this post off for the last several days, as talking about hybrids becomes a little meaningless when considering the enormous impact of the tsunami, both the cost and the incredible number of lives lost. However, maybe this will give everyone a welcome distraction from the worsening news in Asia.

Okay, so I bought my hybrid (Toyota Prius) back in October, and have loved it ever since. It may be the most fun I’ve ever had while driving a car. And that’s even in rush hour traffic. Now, I’m assuming everyone knows about the great fuel economy; officially rated at 55 mpg, though I’m getting more like 50 mpg. It’s the reason I bought the car, after all women having sex with dolphins.

But it’s not why I love it now. No, I love it because of how freakin’ quiet it is. When the engine turns off at stop lights, or even in traffic, it can be a little creepy. But once you get used to it, it’s hard to imagine a “normal” car. Just too damn loud!

So maybe this is a trivial post, but noise pollution is a serious issue, despite the lack of attention it typically receives, even from environmental groups. Urban noise can cause a number of health problems, including permanent hearing loss and increased risk of heart attacks. Studies have even showed an impact on cognitive development for children exposed to high levels of noise. Exposure to noise levels over 85 dB is considered dangerous by most doctors pet sex tales. Traffic is rated at about 70 dB, but keep in mind that noise exposure is cumulative. In other words, even being in traffic for a few hours a day can cause damage if you are also exposed to loud noise in other ways.

Beyond the health issues, a constant level of urban noise leads to elevated levels of stress and loss of sleep. It’s one of the reasons us urban dwellers are always complaining of headaches. We may not realize it, but the feelings of stress are at least partially due to the constant levels of noise we are exposed to in our daily lives. Most of us are so inured to it, we may not even notice how loud city life really is. It’s like background noise; you don’t notice it until it goes off. Trust me, once you’ve driven a hybrid, you will quickly notice just how much noise is created by normal traffic european bestiality. Now imagine if half the cars on the road today were hybrids, and thus had no engine noise during traffic. The resulting reduction in noise would have a great improvement on the quality of city life. Less noise would lead to less stress, more sleep, and more productive, happier lives.

So do yourself a favor, and buy a hybrid! Like many environmental efforts, it will have a beneficial impact beyond its immediate purpose of saving gas. It just may make traffic a less painful experience.