台灣這處登全球最安靜景點 美籍科學家曝背後原因

【看CP學英文】當近半成世界人口皆住在都市環境的情況下，毫無噪音污染的「安靜區」更為難能可貴。

With more than half of the world population living in urban areas, “quiet places,” meaning locations void of man-made noises, are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

因此，美國科學家Gordon Hempton於2018年決定創辦「全球安靜園區」(QPI) 指標，而台灣的陽明山國家公園也於今(2020)年成為「世界第一個都市安靜園區」。

For this reason, American scientist Gordon Hempton decided to launch the “Quiet Parks International” (QPI) in 2018, with Taiwan’s Yangmingshan National Park awarded the “World’s first Urban Quiet Park” in 2020.

Hempton表示，QPI主要是透過噪音計、錄音檔和兩位專業人員在此地從早到晚總共觀察三天，目的為將沒有受到噪音污染的地區紀錄及保存。

According to Hempton, by “using sound level meters, sound recordings and two trained observers for three days, 24/7,” QPI aims to identify places free of man-made noise to certify and preserve them.

根據QPI網站，「安靜園區」總共分為六大類：野外安靜園區、都市安靜園區、安靜步道、海洋安靜園區、安靜社區以及安靜旅舍。

The “Quiet Places” are compiled into six categories: Wilderness quiet parks, urban quiet parks, quiet trails, marine quiet parks, quiet residences and communities and quiet stays.

在2003年至2004年之間，Hemptom經歷了失聰的恐懼，在聽力漸漸恢復後便開始思索世界若沒有「安靜」會變得如何。

After losing and regaining his hearing between 2003 and 2004, Hempton became extremely aware of what the world would be like if “quiet” disappeared.

「我知道這聽起來很奇怪，不過我回去請教『安靜』，而『安靜』也給我答案。它告訴我『安靜』是大家都應有的。」Hempton解釋。於是，QPI就此誕生。

“I know it sounds strange but I went back to the quiet to ask questions and for advice. The quiet immediately answered. It told me that quiet should be for everyone,” he says. Thus, QPI was born.

新加坡部落客Michelle Lim也表示，在都市環境中尋求安靜的場所變得越來越重要，而陽明山正是一個不需要跑太遠就能享有一份寂靜的清幽之地。

The need for quiet spaces in urban areas has become increasingly important, according to Singapore-based blogger Michelle Lim, who deem Yangmingshan a sanctuary where one doesn’t have to travel far to “head to somewhere peaceful and quiet.”

目前，QPI已認證262個安靜園區，也有許多其他地區尚待檢核。

As of press time, QPI has identified 262 spaces across the world with many still awaiting evaluation and protection from noise.