As explained in the other items you'll find on this site, the most compelling new evidence for a shift away from two-stroke gas-powered leaf blowers and related equipment is the outsized environmental damage they do (according to California's air-quality authorities, soon more ozone pollution than all the cars in the state) and the public health risks they pose for communities and, especially, the often low-paid, often non-English-speaking crews who operate them for hours at a time.

But these machines are also incredibly (and even dangerously) noisy. A film being shown at 6:30pm tonight, March 17, at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, as part of the Environmental Film Festival, goes into meanings of noise and quiet in modern life.

Here the trailer:

From the description at the Film Festival's site:

In Pursuit of Silence

In our race towards modernity, amidst all the technological innovation and the rapid growth of our cities, silence is now quickly passing into legend. Beginning with an ode to John Cage’s seminal silent composition 4’33, the sights and sounds of this film delicately interweave with silence to create a contemplative and cinematic experience that works its way through frantic minds and into the quiet spaces of hearts. As much a work of devotion as it is a documentary, In Pursuit of Silence is a meditative exploration of our relationship with silence, sound, and the impact of noise on our lives. Directed by Patrick Shen. Produced by Patrick Shen, Andrew Brumme, and Brandon Vedder; Co-produced by Cassidy Hall.

There's much more about the film, which has a wide screening schedule and has received impressive praise, at its own site. By all means check it out.