It is known that this small town, with 149 residents, is located within a 34,000 square kilometer National Radio Quiet Zone.
Green Bank is situated in West Virginia. Here, Wi-Fi and cell phone signals are completely prohibited. Residents and visitors cannot use smartphones, radios, or any wireless electronic devices.
Vehicles in Green Bank are exclusively diesel-powered to minimize energy from engine ignition. The area predominantly grows coniferous trees to help absorb noise. True to its reputation as a “quiet town,” it attracts many tourists seeking relaxation.
This place was formerly the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, established in 1956. Just two years later, the Federal Communications Commission decided to designate the area as a “quiet zone.” This designation was made because the town is home to several large radio telescopes aimed at observing the universe, and thus, no electronic devices are allowed in this area! Any type of signal could interfere and disrupt the performance of the observatories.
Scientists utilize this space to launch satellites into space for research, and they cannot allow signals from personal electronic devices to disrupt their signals. This means no radio, TV, Wi-Fi, mobile phones, or Bluetooth.
Green Bank is also home to the massive Green Bank Telescope.
To ensure that astronomical activities are not affected by noise, the town has strictly enforced a ban on the use of electronic transmission devices, and a police officer is assigned to patrol the streets to detect any radio signals.
Therefore, if you visit this town, you will certainly not find: Wi-Fi signals, cell phone signals,… Even microwaves are prohibited!
Described as “having a frequency spectrum that runs from the lowest to the highest levels,” the observatories in Green Bank can detect sounds emitted from space. In fact, they are so sensitive that they can “hear” a dying star. Thus, the observatories and all types of signals, in essence, “do not belong together!”
Emergency response personnel are the only citizens allowed to use radio receivers. The entire area has only one landline phone. Residents can still use the internet but without Wi-Fi.
There is still a public radio channel called Allegheny Mountain Radio that is permitted to broadcast because its frequency is low enough to not “disturb” the observatories!
Many people flocked to Green Bank in the 2000s to escape the technology world.
So, you can imagine that life in Green Bank is certainly “out of sync” with the rest of the world, right?
Clearly, these conditions make daily life for the residents of the town quite challenging, but many people flocked to Green Bank in the 2000s to escape the technology world.
Many new citizens claim they suffer from electromagnetic sensitivity (EHS), a condition not recognized by medical science. Some, like Diane Schou, believe that electromagnetic fields make them fatigued, similar to food allergies, and that Green Bank is one of the few places where they can live healthily.
“Life here is not perfect,” Schou says. “There are no grocery stores, no restaurants, no hospitals. But at least, here I am healthy. I don’t have to struggle with headaches all day.”
According to The Observer, children living around this town cannot connect their iPads to the internet. And if they live within ten miles of the observatory, they are not allowed to own any electronic devices!
Children’s lives in Green Bank are not burdened by technology.
This, inadvertently, has led the residents of Green Bank to have a rather beautiful lifestyle in the 4.0 era. They do not bury their faces in their phones every time they hang out with friends, and they know how to enjoy their meals without taking pictures to… please the Facebook gods before they can eat!
It is difficult to live without the internet, but if you are tired of reading toxic news, witnessing online drama, or simply do not want to “reply” to messages from someone, then Green Bank is always open to welcome you!
