What is noise pollution? Noise pollution is not technically pollution such as air pollution, which contaminates our air and then has a knock on effect towards global warming. It may not be a really pollution technically but it is still very bothersome and has negative effects. So what is it really? Noise pollution are sounds that are very irritating but are usually created by people, animals or machine (kinds of sources include all transportation systems, factories, audio entertainment systems, probably anywhere that has a device that gives of loud sound) .
Noise is measured in decibels (db). Humans can hear sounds from 20 to 20,000 decibels. Noise under 20 decibels is called infrasonic, and sounds above 20,000 are called ultrasonic. Yet a sound over 90 decibels can do damage to hearing and can be painful to the ear. This table show relatively the relation between actual sounds and decibels:
So when you watch the video below and you see that the average sound height in Mumbai is about 80 decibels, which is like a cell phone ringing repeatedly, it is easy to understand how it can be bothersome and effects can be sometimes worse then they are thought to be.
This can affect people hearing and can be very displeasing to live in an area with noise pollution. It is something that is prevalent around the globe, especially in urban areas. Yet some people only think of its effects on people, but noise pollution can affect many different kinds of organisms in many different habitats. For example, noise pollution from a boat may affect some animals under the sea, or if machines are digging into the ground this can disturb animals that burrow under the ground. There are a few different levels of noise pollution kinds that can damage mental and physical health and then a level that doesn't really affect the health of the person but is simply very bothersome.
So what are the in-depth effects of noise pollution? One effect is human health; noise pollution disturbs human health in a number of ways. Some of the effects include deafness (from extreme noise pollution), lack of sleep, irritably, indigestion, heartburn, and high blood pressure. Usually one short explosive sound can alter the neurological and cardiovascular system. So imagine if this kind of noise is is over a longer period of time, this can then do more severe damage.
Another effect of noise pollution is annoyance, there is no doubt about it noise pollution is definitely annoying. The level of the noise definitely decides how annoying the noise is. Also we tend to find natural sounds to be much less frustrating then those that are not able to be controlled , an example is that rain falling can be less frustrating then water dripping from a tap. This is probably the most annoying of all the effects, sleep interference. Noise pollution can cause people that are sleeping to wake up or not be able to go to sleep. Not being able to sleep can disturb the sleep pattern of the person making the cranky and tired the next day.
Last but not least noise pollution can make the performance of the person decrease. When there is noise pollution it can affect the concentration and accuracy of the person, making their performance in work go down. Sometimes this can cause the person to have an accident because he/she was not able to pay attention or concentrate. So how can you avoid the possibility of living in an area with noise pollution? Find an area away from a busy highways, intersection, road shopping centers or sporting areas. If your neighbor is a dog owner make sure you know how much their dog barks. Make sure when buying a home it is not close to any airports and places where aircrafts land or take off.
Noise pollution can sometimes be resolved by communicating, so if it is a neighbor who is simply playing music to loud voice your concern. Probably one thing that would make people who are hard of hearing and deaf feel more accepted is attempting to communicate with them. Here are some tips:
Choose a quiet environment, not one that has a lot of noise.
Try to avoid standing in front of a light source when you are speak, instead stand so the light is shining on your face, this makes your face easier to see.
Allow the person to choose their seat first.
Make sure you have the person’s attention before you start.
Stand a normal distance from the person.
Maintain eye contact.
Make sure the topic is clear before starting.
Use open ended questions to check understanding.
Use facial expressions, body posture and gestures to help with communicating.
Communicating is very tiring for people with hearing loss or who are deaf so do not tire the person out.
There are also people who campaign against sound pollution, and there are a few websites about this to. One is http://www.noiseoff.org/ this organization talks about noise pollution in different states in the U.S and a few other countries around the world. As an organization they work towards trying to pass laws that will restrict amounts of noise pollutions. Such as certain caps on motorcycle engines that allow the sound to be muffled. This organization does a lot of work with the people of India, because there is a big problem with noise pollution there as seen in the video below. They are creating posters creating awareness about noise pollution and efforts to get rid of it. You are able to print these posters and are encouraged to put them up if your local neighborhood is having trouble with noise pollution, the posters come in both English and Hindi.
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