It’s Tuesday.
And Tuesday around here means one thing.
LEAF BLOWERS!
For reasons known only to the neighbourhood gardening calendar, every garden in the street seems to be visited between about 2pm and 4pm by someone armed with what sounds suspiciously like a jet engine. Never mind that there are hardly any leaves to blow at this time of year. Peace, quiet and the possibility of enjoying a well-earned cup of tea while writing a new story disappear in a cloud of noise, dust and the stock aroma of petrol.
This isn’t really a story about leaf blowers.
Although I’m delighted to discover they’re finally getting the attention they deserve in this a new BBC Future article on protecting your hearing. Even better, it highlights that many petrol-powered leaf blowers produce noise levels capable of damaging hearing (not to mention irritating the neighbours), despite quieter electric alternatives being widely available.
The BBC article is a great reminder that hearing damage doesn’t just happen at rock concerts or on airport runways. It can build up gradually through everyday activities like gardening, DIY, power tools, sporting events and listening to music too loudly through headphones. Once the delicate hair cells inside the inner ear are damaged, they cannot be repaired, which is why prevention is so important.
At Hearing Healthcare Practice, protecting hearing has always been one of our key messages. A good pair of ear defenders or properly fitted hearing protection is a small investment that can help preserve your hearing for years to come. You can get in touch HERE.
It’s 2pm and they’ve arrived… I’m off to stick my head under a pillow while you catch up on what the BBC has to say.
Read the full BBC article here: BBC Future: Before it’s too late: Simple ways to protect your hearing for life