Noise Pollution

There are many different ways to define noise pollution, but a general definition would be any irksome sound from anywhere from 45 decibels to 120 decibels, which is the threshold of pain. Noise pollution can be caused by many different things – cars, loud and busy places, heavy street traffic, trains and subways, boiler factories, thunderclaps, jet engines, and music. It causes hearing damage, prevents sleep, and affects your environment. Extreme losses of sleep can cause health issues such as heart disease and mental instability. Transportation is often the cause of these health issues, which is why hybrid vehicles are a good choice to prevent noise pollution. Their engine is so different that it is nearly silent.

Noise pollution affects most living things, not just humans. Noise pollution has made Earth unpleasant for animals too. When animals are exposed to high decibel levels, there is always a reaction, often in the form of trembling. For example, terrible noise levels can cause the milk production of a cow to decrease. A calm, relaxed, and relatively quiet environment is needed.

Also, underwater animals such as dolphins and whales become uncomfortable because of noise pollution from submarines, ships, and sonars. Other sea animals communicate with each other by producing different sound levels too each other. The noise of other ships and commercial ships doesn’t allow them to communicate well, so both the reproduction and the ability to feed are wrecked. One of the reasons why certain species of birds have become extinct is because of noise pollution. Very often, birds detect and hunt their prey using their sharp hearing. When the birds live in urban areas, their hearing is so disrupted that they are often unable to find and catch their prey.

Hearing problems, cardiovascular issues, sleep disturbances, interference in verbal communication, and mental health problems are all ways that noise pollution affects humans. Noise pollution nearly always causes hearing problems. When the sound level goes above 80 decibels, there are damaging effects to the ear. Over 100 decibels can cause irreparable damage and maybe even permanent hearing loss. A noisy environment can also cause cardiovascular issues, or heart problems. Sound causes weird changes in blood pressure when it is of a high intensity, and the sudden changes in the blood increase the likelihood of heart disease in the long run.

Overall well-being can be affected by noise pollution, too. Sleep disturbances are one of the major things that cause a person to have less energy and work less efficiently. People with constantly interrupted sleep often have extreme fatigue, which causes a huge dip in their energy level. To think that something as simple as noise could cause all of these problems!

There are several small but effective steps one can take to prevent noise pollution.

1. Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, cars, and chainsaws can be quieted down by buying mufflers .

2. For that matter, you should rake leaves by hand instead of using a noisy leaf blower and trim your bushes by hand.

3. Put curtains, window inserts, and carpeting inside of rooms with loud music in order to sound proof them.

4. Don’t blast music louder than you have to. It’s just plain inconsiderate of your ears and the others around you.

5. Don’t slam doors!

6. Turn off the TV when you aren’t watching it, or turn it down.

7. Trees and bushes help absorb sound, so plant some around your house.

8. If you have a dog, train it not to bark too much.

9. Don’t yell across the street, call the person!

10. Don’t beep your car horn unless absolutely necessary.

There are many different ways that science and technology have helped to try and lower the effects of noise pollution. Hybrid cars are an example. They are friendly to the environment in several different ways! Not only do they save natural resources and energy, but they also make much less noise. If everybody drove hybrid cars, our environment would be a much nicer and quieter one, not to mention we would cut down normal pollution by a lot.

For the everyday citizen, listening to an Ipod is a big factor of their life. Therefore, headphones have been created which send the sound to your head and no one else’s. Headphones have also been created to protect your own ears. For example, if you play the drums, you definitely need ear protection. There are certain sound-proof headphones that let just enough sound through as is comfortable. These are all ways that science and technology have helped lessen the effects of noise pollution.

Still, there are some things that technology and science simply can’t do. This means that we can try to lessen the effects of noise pollution, but we can’t completely remove them. It’s all about being smart and making the right decisions for both your ears and your neighbor’s. Sound will reach you no matter what, and you just have to be ready to protect your ears.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

"What Is Noise Pollution? - What Noise Pollution Is, What Causes Noise Pollution, and Who Regulates It." Recent Questions: - Questions Recently Asked on What-Is-What.com. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. .

J, Nicks. "Noise Pollution Effects." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. Web. 28 Mar. 2011.

"Answers.com - What Measures Taken to Prevent Noise Pollution." WikiAnswers - The Q&A Wiki. Web. 01 Apr. 2011.