Seattle Now: An escape to one square inch of silence
Looking for some peace and quiet away from city life? From our friends at KUOW's The Wild, we’ll meet a Washingtonian who’s made it his life’s mission to preserve the sounds of nature.
Noise pollution. It is all around us...constantly.
Our cities seem to never give us a moment of peace. And that’s not good for our health. Aside from keeping you up at night, continual noise sets off the body’s stress response, which raises blood pressure and heart rate. One study ranked noise pollution the second biggest threat to public health, the first being air pollution.
So where can you find a moment of peace and quiet? Gordon Hempton has found the answer for you. Gordon calls himself The Sound Tracker. He is an audio engineer obsessed with recording the sounds of nature with no human interference.
Our friends over at The Wild podcast, told Gordons story and his effort to preserve one square inch of silence in Washington’s rainforest.
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Diana Opong
Reporter & Host
Diana Opong is a general assignment reporter at KUOW, committed to illuminating impactful stories throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her journalistic lens spans between environmental phenomena like invasive green crabs to transformative milestones in ballet. Rooted in curiosity, Diana's approach to reporting blends meticulous research with collaborative storytelling, ensuring her work resonates deeply with audiences. She has also showcased her expertise as a freelance host for NPR's Life Kit and as a spot news reporter for NPR News, consistently delivering insightful narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
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Kristin Leong More stories from Kristin Leong »
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Matt Martin
Podcast Producer
Matt Martin is a podcast producer who has worked on many different show for KUOW. He pitched and created THE WILD with Chris Morgan, a rich and experiential podcast about ecology and conservation. Matt also produced the Seattle music history podcast Let the Kids Dance and the award-winning Ghost Herd. Before moving to the on-demand side of the station, Matt worked as a producer on The Record, KUOW's local news show. He has also worked as a general assignment reporter and host for public radio stations in upstate New York and rural Alaska. Matt got his start in media as an intern with StoryCorps and Aljazeera America.
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