Sweden sees silent forests as sanctuaries from a noisy world

HOOR, Sweden, Nov 14 (AFP): In a cottage nestled deep in a Swedish forest, three couples recently spent four days whispering and without phones as part of a campaign about the dangers of noise pollution and promoting quiet Scandinavia.
The project arose from the observation that for many tourists, Sweden's appeal lies in its tranquility.
"What are their reasons for choosing Sweden as a travel destination? Relaxation, calm, and to unwind, as well as experiences in nature," Josefine Nordgren, one of the organisers of the "Silent Cabin" project by Visit Skane, which promotes tourism in southern Sweden, told AFP.
"Even in Germany, noise pollution is 10 times higher than in Sweden," she said.
Noise is the second-most detrimental environmental factor affecting Europeans' health after air pollution, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).
This autumn, as the sun began its winter retreat in Sweden, Visit Skane invited three couples to spend four days -- on separate occasions -- in a little green cabin with white trim at the end of a winding forest lane, free of charge on the condition that their conversation remained below 45 decibels.
A normal conversation level is around 60 decibels.
To ensure everybody played by the rules, a sound meter was placed on top of a cupboard.
The unit was connected to the organisers' own system, and if the conversation level remained too high for an extended period, the couple faced eviction.
The couples were all city dwellers charmed by the cosy cabin -- kitted out with a large bed, small table and stove -- tucked in between trees with leaves turning yellow and red near a small brook.
The bathroom and kitchen were located in the owner's main house a short walk away.
The sound meter ensured the visitors stuck to the challenge.
"It's so important that we had this measurement, I think, to take it seriously," Lise Holm, a 26-year-old from Tubingen in Germany who stayed in the cabin with her older sister Johanna, told AFP.