We live in the world of the hearing. Each sound we hear signifies an important activity in our daily lives. These are the sounds that we consider so significant to our existence that we do not stop to think about whether these sounds we hear have an adverse effect on our health. Indeed, we never stop to consider that the health-threatening effects of noise pollution exist in our daily lives and we simply take it for granted and consider it a part of our lives. We can no longer discern between the necessary sounds and those which are simply noise.
Samples of noise pollution include, but are not limited to, street noise, traffic noise, noise in public places, and noise in public airports. According to Neil Valentine D’Silva:
Though there is no fixed particular decibel limit to decide when sound becomes noise, it is understood that a continuously high decibel limit will constitute noise pollution… In the United States, most states have a sound limit of 65 dB in the daytime and 55 dB in the nighttime, applicable to the streets. Anyone crossing this limit would be causing noise pollution.
Generally, though, we can find that street noise is not the biggest noise pollution contributor. Rather, it is the things we take for granted, such as our home appliances and workplace equipment which contribute the most to the problem of noise pollution because the equipment and appliances used in these places usually exceed the preset decibel standards. Take for example the lowly vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dishwasher, which create noises far beyond the decibel standards. Since we need and use these in our daily lives, we unconsciously block these sounds out and do not register them as noise pollution.
It is highly unfortunate that we neglect to also recognize that noise pollution has a long-reaching effect on our way of life which, usually results in health deterioration. One noticeable effect of noise pollution is on the disposition of a person. It can cause grumpiness, frustration, or even panic attacks. These emotional reactions cause a person to eventually lose his concentration and focus when faced with situations that require utmost concentration because he is expecting certain noises to constantly interrupt his train of thought. Noise pollution also causes deafness, elevated heartbeats, breathlessness, and even seizures in some cases. All of these effects lead up to a shortened lifespan in a person so it can also be said that noise pollution causes a person to have a shorter lifespan than usual.
Curbing noise pollution is not only the task of the local and national governments. It is also not an easy task to accomplish because of the way that technology and all that accompanies it seems to dictate what direction our lives will take us in. Noise pollution then becomes a permanent problem even though we can, as individuals, take precautionary measures in order to lessen its effects on our daily lives and health.
It is important for one to understand that noise pollution is man-made and can be controlled by simply making small adjustments in our daily lives. We can use appliances with rubber insulations to lessen the sound of the appliances we use. Growing trees will also create buffers that can absorb the excess sound or noise that travels through the air.
In the end, the cause of noise pollution can be controlled and avoided. Provided that people will be willing to make the necessary adjustments in their lives.
References
D’Silva, Neil Valentine. “Noise Pollution”. Buzzle.com. 2007. Buzzle.com Intelligent Life on the Web.