A measure of peace amid urban hubbub

RE “A Challenge, Loud and Clear,” and “When the World Roars by Your Door,” [Nov. 9]: Your articles today acknowledge how urbanites are increasingly living in noisy environments -- busy surface streets, airports, train tracks, freeways. We often forget that we live in noisy environments. I live in Santa Barbara near Highway 101 and the train tracks.

I chose the location of my home because it is one to two miles from everything I do -- work, swim, run -- and it is within walking distance of downtown. I do not have to drive my car but the drawback is noise (and air pollution). However, I find living next to the freeway is better than a residential or commercial street with a lot of stop-and-go traffic. (Short bursts of sound can be worse than white noise.)

I had soundproof windows installed -- an extra set of windows that further enhance the sound-reducing quality of double windows. They are custom-made and -installed and work great. You might consider an article on windows that reduce noise.

ELIZA IRWIN

Santa Barbara

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BOTH the articles dealt well with the noise of living in Southern California. However, there is another consideration that needs even more attention, and that is the exposure to the toxins that our citizens face when they live near freeways and airports, in addition to just living in smog as we all do. It seems to be the elephant in the living room that does not get addressed. What are designers and just plain folks doing about it?

SHARON LINNENKOHL

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