West Vancouver - Dear Editor: I agree with everything Dwight Jones said in his Sept. 18 letter, Let the Mountain Speak.Something can be done to reduce noise. We have to let our elected representatives know how we feel. The medical and scientific communities could add their support.With respect to the noise from the activation of car door locks while using a remote control, most car remotes can be set to flash the headlights when the remote is activated without the horn sounding. I believe many people opt to have the horn sound because they like to walk away from the car and lock it without having to turn their heads to confirm that the headlights flashed. In other words, they are lazy.With respect to emergency vehicles, a 14-year-old boy in Australia has just won a prizeat the Google Annual International Science Fair for his new signalling device for emergency vehicles. Such a device may help to reduce noise from emergency vehicles.I would add to Dwight's list of noises that create stress and cause loss of sleep: gas-powered leaf blowers; lawn edgers; hedge trimmers; lawn mowers. While I accept that rainy weather may dictate the use of gaspowered lawn mowers, there are lithium batteries to power all of these landscaping tools.The City of Santa Barbara, California has banned the use of gaspowered leaf blowers and has regulations governing the use of electric-powered leaf blowers. Some landscaping contractors appear on a city video saying that they support the city's policies.Robert TaylorWest Vancouver
