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ONSERVE-ENERGY-FUTURE

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Wind
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Global Warming
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Share

Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life. Loud
music, the television, people talking on their phone, the traffic and even
pets barking in the middle of the night. All of these have become a part of
the urban culture and rarely disturb us. However, when the sound of the
television keeps you from sleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you
a headache, it stops becoming just noise and start turning into noise
pollution. For many of us, the concept ofpollution is limited to nature and
resources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of life
makes for one solid pollutant.
By definition, noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive
amount of noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruption
in the natural balance. This definition is usually applicable to sounds or
noises that are unnatural in either their volume or their production. Our
environment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise. Even
electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beeping sound. By
and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure to unwanted

sounds. This is why understanding noise pollution is necessary to curb it in

time.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various
equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also
participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers
in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect
of noise.
2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poor
urban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, large families
sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic
amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of
society.
3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in
the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which

makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you
can see people selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the
attention of people.
4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities like mining,
construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take
place in almost every part of the world. These construction activities take
place everyday as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these
construction equipments are too noisy.
6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets and use
them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile , mixer grinder,
pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine and dryer, cooler,
air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of your neighborhood in a bad
way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are
quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution,
humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been
built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a
certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such
as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be
too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise
can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It
also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously
to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension

can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more
severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping
pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a
good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your
performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore
recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.
4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease
and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that
high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat
rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable
level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may
not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb
your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals
develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on
it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more
aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems.
In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy
prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at
hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system.
Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to hear
these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they are unable
to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others require sound waves
to echo-locate and find their way when migrating. Disturbing their sound
signals means they get lost easily and do not migrate when they should.
To cope up with the increasing sound around them, animals are becoming
louder, which may further add to the pollution levels. This is why
understanding noise pollution can help us lower the impact it has on the
environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution. On
a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their homes by

lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the television.
Listening to music without headphones is also a good step forward.
Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the pollution can
be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos. Better
urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where honking and
industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our understanding noise
pollution is complete, can we take steps to eradicate it completely.
Image credit: Trent Rocks Visual Vices
RELATED POSTS -

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Sources and Causes of Water Pollution

Issues

10 Current Environmental

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Causes and Effects of Soil Pollution

Causes and

Effects of Thermal Pollution

40 Facts About Air Pollution

What is Environmental Engineering, Who are Environmental

Engineers, and Scope of Environmental ...

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Australian Researchers Transform Solar Power to Electricity

What is Environmental Education and What are its Components?

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Features and Stages of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

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Medical Waste Disposal and Companies Involved in it

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What is Tundra and How is Tundra Climate?

Various Facts About Tundra Biome

Select Language

SITES WE LIKE
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Care2
Renewable Energy World
Tree Hugger
Cleantech News

TOP RATED POSTS

Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Overpopulation
151 Ways to Save Energy
Causes of Land Pollution
Types of Pollution
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion

ABOUT US
Over the last few years I have grown increasingly concerned about our
dependence on foreign energy and the impact it is having on our
economy, and the potential threat to our national security. Instead of just
worrying about the problem, I decided to do whatever I could do to help
others. Please read more about me here.
Conserve-Energy-Future Copyright 2014.
About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Advertise | Site
Map | Contact Us Back to Top

You may also like-

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

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C
ONSERVE-ENERGY-FUTURE

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Wind

Geothermal

Global Warming

Recycling

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Fossil Fuels

Pollution

Energy Articles
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397
Share

Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life. Loud
music, the television, people talking on their phone, the traffic and even
pets barking in the middle of the night. All of these have become a part of
the urban culture and rarely disturb us. However, when the sound of the
television keeps you from sleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you
a headache, it stops becoming just noise and start turning into noise
pollution. For many of us, the concept ofpollution is limited to nature and
resources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of life
makes for one solid pollutant.
By definition, noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive
amount of noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruption
in the natural balance. This definition is usually applicable to sounds or
noises that are unnatural in either their volume or their production. Our
environment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise. Even
electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beeping sound. By
and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure to unwanted

sounds. This is why understanding noise pollution is necessary to curb it in

time.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various
equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also
participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers
in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect
of noise.
2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poor
urban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, large families
sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic
amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of
society.
3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in
the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which

makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you
can see people selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the
attention of people.
4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities like mining,
construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take
place in almost every part of the world. These construction activities take
place everyday as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these
construction equipments are too noisy.
6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets and use
them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile , mixer grinder,
pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine and dryer, cooler,
air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of your neighborhood in a bad
way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are
quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution,
humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been
built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a
certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such
as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be
too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise
can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It
also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously
to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension

can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more
severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping
pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a
good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your
performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore
recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.
4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease
and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that
high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat
rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable
level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may
not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb
your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals
develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on
it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more
aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems.
In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy
prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at
hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system.
Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to hear
these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they are unable
to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others require sound waves
to echo-locate and find their way when migrating. Disturbing their sound
signals means they get lost easily and do not migrate when they should.
To cope up with the increasing sound around them, animals are becoming
louder, which may further add to the pollution levels. This is why
understanding noise pollution can help us lower the impact it has on the
environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution. On
a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their homes by

lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the television.
Listening to music without headphones is also a good step forward.
Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the pollution can
be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos. Better
urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where honking and
industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our understanding noise
pollution is complete, can we take steps to eradicate it completely.
Image credit: Trent Rocks Visual Vices
RELATED POSTS -

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Sources and Causes of Water Pollution

Issues

10 Current Environmental

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Causes and Effects of Soil Pollution

Causes and

Effects of Thermal Pollution

40 Facts About Air Pollution

What is Environmental Engineering, Who are Environmental

Engineers, and Scope of Environmental ...

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Your email Address...

Subscribe

RECENT POSTS

Australian Researchers Transform Solar Power to Electricity

What is Environmental Education and What are its Components?

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Features and Stages of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

What are Most Common Energy Efficient Lighting Types?

Various Facts About Fossil Fuels

Medical Waste Disposal and Companies Involved in it

What is Energy Conservation and List Few Energy Conservation

Techniques?

List Top 10 Natural Resources in the World

What is Being Eco-friendly and 10 Steps to Become Eco-friendly?

What is Environmental Law and its Components

Causes and Solutions to the Global Energy Crisis

15 Easy Ways to Become Environmentally Friendly

What is Tundra and How is Tundra Climate?

Various Facts About Tundra Biome

Select Language

SITES WE LIKE
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Care2
Renewable Energy World
Tree Hugger
Cleantech News

TOP RATED POSTS

Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Overpopulation
151 Ways to Save Energy
Causes of Land Pollution
Types of Pollution
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion

ABOUT US
Over the last few years I have grown increasingly concerned about our dependence
on foreign energy and the impact it is having on our economy, and the potential
threat to our national security. Instead of just worrying about the problem, I decided
to do whatever I could do to help others. Please read more about me here.
Conserve-Energy-Future Copyright 2014.
About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Advertise | Site Map | Contact
Us Back to Top

You may also like-

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Close

C
ONSERVE-ENERGY-FUTURE

Solar

Wind

Geothermal

Global Warming

Recycling

Nuclear

Fossil Fuels

Pollution

Energy Articles
Go to...

397
Share

Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life. Loud
music, the television, people talking on their phone, the traffic and even
pets barking in the middle of the night. All of these have become a part of
the urban culture and rarely disturb us. However, when the sound of the
television keeps you from sleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you
a headache, it stops becoming just noise and start turning into noise
pollution. For many of us, the concept ofpollution is limited to nature and
resources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of life
makes for one solid pollutant.

By definition, noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive

amount of noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruption
in the natural balance. This definition is usually applicable to sounds or
noises that are unnatural in either their volume or their production. Our
environment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise. Even
electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beeping sound. By
and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure to unwanted
sounds. This is why understanding noise pollution is necessary to curb it in
time.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various
equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also
participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers
in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect
of noise.
2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poor
urban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, large families

sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic
amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of
society.
3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in
the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which
makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you
can see people selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the
attention of people.
4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities like mining,
construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take
place in almost every part of the world. These construction activities take
place everyday as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these
construction equipments are too noisy.
6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets and use
them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile , mixer grinder,
pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine and dryer, cooler,
air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of your neighborhood in a bad
way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are
quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution,
humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been
built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a
certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such
as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be
too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise

can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It
also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously
to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension
can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more
severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping
pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a
good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your
performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore
recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.
4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease
and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that
high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat
rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable
level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may
not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb
your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals
develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on
it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more
aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems.
In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy
prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at
hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system.
Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to hear
these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they are unable
to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others require sound waves
to echo-locate and find their way when migrating. Disturbing their sound
signals means they get lost easily and do not migrate when they should.

To cope up with the increasing sound around them, animals are becoming
louder, which may further add to the pollution levels. This is why
understanding noise pollution can help us lower the impact it has on the
environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution. On
a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their homes by
lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the television.
Listening to music without headphones is also a good step forward.
Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the pollution can
be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos. Better
urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where honking and
industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our understanding noise
pollution is complete, can we take steps to eradicate it completely.
Image credit: Trent Rocks Visual Vices
RELATED POSTS -

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Sources and Causes of Water Pollution

Issues

10 Current Environmental

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Causes and Effects of Soil Pollution

Effects of Thermal Pollution

Causes and

40 Facts About Air Pollution

What is Environmental Engineering, Who are Environmental

Engineers, and Scope of Environmental ...

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Your email Address...

Subscribe

RECENT POSTS

Australian Researchers Transform Solar Power to Electricity

What is Environmental Education and What are its Components?

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Features and Stages of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

What are Most Common Energy Efficient Lighting Types?

Various Facts About Fossil Fuels

Medical Waste Disposal and Companies Involved in it

What is Energy Conservation and List Few Energy Conservation

Techniques?

List Top 10 Natural Resources in the World

What is Being Eco-friendly and 10 Steps to Become Eco-friendly?

What is Environmental Law and its Components

Causes and Solutions to the Global Energy Crisis

15 Easy Ways to Become Environmentally Friendly

What is Tundra and How is Tundra Climate?

Various Facts About Tundra Biome

Select Language

SITES WE LIKE
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Care2
Renewable Energy World
Tree Hugger
Cleantech News

TOP RATED POSTS

Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Overpopulation
151 Ways to Save Energy
Causes of Land Pollution
Types of Pollution
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion

ABOUT US
Over the last few years I have grown increasingly concerned about our dependence
on foreign energy and the impact it is having on our economy, and the potential
threat to our national security. Instead of just worrying about the problem, I decided
to do whatever I could do to help others. Please read more about me here.
Conserve-Energy-Future Copyright 2014.
About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Advertise | Site Map | Contact
Us Back to Top

You may also like-

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Close

C
ONSERVE-ENERGY-FUTURE

Solar

Wind

Geothermal

Global Warming

Recycling

Nuclear

Fossil Fuels

Pollution

Energy Articles
Go to...

397
Share

Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life. Loud
music, the television, people talking on their phone, the traffic and even
pets barking in the middle of the night. All of these have become a part of
the urban culture and rarely disturb us. However, when the sound of the
television keeps you from sleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you
a headache, it stops becoming just noise and start turning into noise
pollution. For many of us, the concept ofpollution is limited to nature and

resources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of life
makes for one solid pollutant.
By definition, noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive
amount of noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruption
in the natural balance. This definition is usually applicable to sounds or
noises that are unnatural in either their volume or their production. Our
environment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise. Even
electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beeping sound. By
and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure to unwanted
sounds. This is why understanding noise pollution is necessary to curb it in
time.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various
equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also
participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers
in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect
of noise.

2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poor

urban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, large families
sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic
amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of
society.
3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in
the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which
makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you
can see people selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the
attention of people.
4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities like mining,
construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take
place in almost every part of the world. These construction activities take
place everyday as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these
construction equipments are too noisy.
6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets and use
them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile , mixer grinder,
pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine and dryer, cooler,
air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of your neighborhood in a bad
way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are
quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution,
humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been
built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a
certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such

as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be

too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise
can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It
also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously
to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension
can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more
severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping
pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a
good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your
performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore
recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.
4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease
and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that
high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat
rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable
level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may
not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb
your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals
develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on
it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more
aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems.
In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy
prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at
hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system.
Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to hear
these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they are unable
to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others require sound waves

to echo-locate and find their way when migrating. Disturbing their sound
signals means they get lost easily and do not migrate when they should.
To cope up with the increasing sound around them, animals are becoming
louder, which may further add to the pollution levels. This is why
understanding noise pollution can help us lower the impact it has on the
environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution. On
a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their homes by
lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the television.
Listening to music without headphones is also a good step forward.
Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the pollution can
be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos. Better
urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where honking and
industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our understanding noise
pollution is complete, can we take steps to eradicate it completely.
Image credit: Trent Rocks Visual Vices
RELATED POSTS -

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Sources and Causes of Water Pollution

10 Current Environmental

Issues

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Effects of Thermal Pollution

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Various Facts About Tundra Biome

Select Language

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U.S. Energy Information Administration
Care2
Renewable Energy World
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Cleantech News

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Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Overpopulation
151 Ways to Save Energy
Causes of Land Pollution
Types of Pollution
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion

ABOUT US
Over the last few years I have grown increasingly concerned about our dependence
on foreign energy and the impact it is having on our economy, and the potential

threat to our national security. Instead of just worrying about the problem, I decided
to do whatever I could do to help others. Please read more about me here.
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Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life. Loud
music, the television, people talking on their phone, the traffic and even
pets barking in the middle of the night. All of these have become a part of

the urban culture and rarely disturb us. However, when the sound of the
television keeps you from sleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you
a headache, it stops becoming just noise and start turning into noise
pollution. For many of us, the concept ofpollution is limited to nature and
resources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of life
makes for one solid pollutant.
By definition, noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive
amount of noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruption
in the natural balance. This definition is usually applicable to sounds or
noises that are unnatural in either their volume or their production. Our
environment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise. Even
electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beeping sound. By
and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure to unwanted
sounds. This is why understanding noise pollution is necessary to curb it in
time.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various

equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also

participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers
in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect
of noise.
2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poor
urban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, large families
sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic
amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of
society.
3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in
the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which
makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you
can see people selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the
attention of people.
4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities like mining,
construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take
place in almost every part of the world. These construction activities take
place everyday as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these
construction equipments are too noisy.
6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets and use
them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile , mixer grinder,
pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine and dryer, cooler,
air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of your neighborhood in a bad
way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are
quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution,
humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been
built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a
certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such
as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be
too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise
can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It
also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously
to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension
can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more
severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping
pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a
good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your
performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore
recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.
4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease
and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that
high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat
rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable
level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may
not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb
your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals
develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on
it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more
aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems.
In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy
prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at
hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system.

Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to hear
these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they are unable
to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others require sound waves
to echo-locate and find their way when migrating. Disturbing their sound
signals means they get lost easily and do not migrate when they should.
To cope up with the increasing sound around them, animals are becoming
louder, which may further add to the pollution levels. This is why
understanding noise pollution can help us lower the impact it has on the
environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution. On
a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their homes by
lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the television.
Listening to music without headphones is also a good step forward.
Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the pollution can
be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos. Better
urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where honking and
industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our understanding noise
pollution is complete, can we take steps to eradicate it completely.
Image credit: Trent Rocks Visual Vices
RELATED POSTS -

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Sources and Causes of Water Pollution

10 Current Environmental

Issues

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Causes and Effects of Soil Pollution

Effects of Thermal Pollution

Causes and

40 Facts About Air Pollution

What is Environmental Engineering, Who are Environmental

Engineers, and Scope of Environmental ...

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Your email Address...

Subscribe

RECENT POSTS

Australian Researchers Transform Solar Power to Electricity

What is Environmental Education and What are its Components?

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Features and Stages of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

What are Most Common Energy Efficient Lighting Types?

Various Facts About Fossil Fuels

Medical Waste Disposal and Companies Involved in it

What is Energy Conservation and List Few Energy Conservation

Techniques?

List Top 10 Natural Resources in the World

What is Being Eco-friendly and 10 Steps to Become Eco-friendly?

What is Environmental Law and its Components

Causes and Solutions to the Global Energy Crisis

15 Easy Ways to Become Environmentally Friendly

What is Tundra and How is Tundra Climate?

Various Facts About Tundra Biome

Select Language

SITES WE LIKE
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Care2
Renewable Energy World
Tree Hugger
Cleantech News

TOP RATED POSTS

Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Overpopulation
151 Ways to Save Energy
Causes of Land Pollution
Types of Pollution
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion

ABOUT US
Over the last few years I have grown increasingly concerned about our dependence
on foreign energy and the impact it is having on our economy, and the potential

threat to our national security. Instead of just worrying about the problem, I decided
to do whatever I could do to help others. Please read more about me here.
Conserve-Energy-Future Copyright 2014.
About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Advertise | Site Map | Contact
Us Back to Top

You may also like-

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Close

C
ONSERVE-ENERGY-FUTURE

Solar

Wind

Geothermal

Global Warming

Recycling

Nuclear

Fossil Fuels

Pollution

Energy Articles
Go to...

397
Share

Understanding Noise Pollution

Most of us are very used to the sounds we hear in everyday life. Loud
music, the television, people talking on their phone, the traffic and even
pets barking in the middle of the night. All of these have become a part of

the urban culture and rarely disturb us. However, when the sound of the
television keeps you from sleeping all night or the traffic starts to give you
a headache, it stops becoming just noise and start turning into noise
pollution. For many of us, the concept ofpollution is limited to nature and
resources. However, noise that tends to disrupt the natural rhythm of life
makes for one solid pollutant.
By definition, noise pollution takes place when there is either excessive
amount of noise or an unpleasant sound that causes temporary disruption
in the natural balance. This definition is usually applicable to sounds or
noises that are unnatural in either their volume or their production. Our
environment is such that it has become difficult to escape noise. Even
electrical appliances at home have a constant hum or beeping sound. By
and large, lack of urban planning increases the exposure to unwanted
sounds. This is why understanding noise pollution is necessary to curb it in
time.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various

equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also

participate in producing big noise. Therefore, you must have seen workers
in these factories and industries wearing ear plugs to minimize the effect
of noise.
2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing countries, poor
urban planning also play a vital role. Congested houses, large families
sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over basic
amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of
society.
3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance in
the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which
makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you
can see people selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the
attention of people.
4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Under construction activities like mining,
construction of bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take
place in almost every part of the world. These construction activities take
place everyday as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these
construction equipments are too noisy.
6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by gadgets and use
them extensively in our daily life. Gadgets like TV, mobile , mixer grinder,
pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners , washing machine and dryer, cooler,
air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of your neighborhood in a bad
way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are
quite severe. Not only is the local wildlife affected by the pollution,
humans also face a number of problems due to it.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Hearing Problems: Any unwanted sound that our ears have not been
built to filter can cause problems within the body. Our ears can take in a
certain range of sounds without getting damaged. Man made noises such
as jackhammers, horns, machinery, airplanes and even vehicles can be
too loud for our hearing range. Constant exposure to loud levels of noise
can easily result in the damage of our ear drums and loss of hearing. It
also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously
to regulate our bodys rhythm.
2. Health Issues: Excessive noise pollution in working areas such as
offices, construction sites, bars and even in our homes can influence
psychological health. Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive
behavior, disturbance of sleep, constant stress, fatigue and hypertension
can be linked to excessive noise levels. These in turn can cause more
severe and chronic health issues later in life.
3. Sleeping Disorders: Loud noise can certainly hamper your sleeping
pattern and may lead to irritation and uncomfortable situations. Without a
good night sleep, it may lead to problems related to fatigue and your
performance may go down in office as well as at home. It is therefore
recommended to take a sound sleep to give your body proper rest.
4. Cardiovascular Issues: Blood pressure levels, cardio-vascular disease
and stress related heart problems are on the rise. Studies suggest that
high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat
rate as it disrupts the normal blood flow. Bringing them to a manageable
level depends on our understanding noise pollution and how we tackle it.
5. Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may
not allow two people to communicate freely. This may lead to
misunderstanding and you may get difficult understanding the other
person. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb
your emotional balance.
6. Effect on Wildlife: Wildlife faces far more problems than humans
because noise pollution since they are more dependent on sound. Animals
develop a better sense of hearing than us since their survival depends on
it. The ill effects of excessive noise begin at home. Pets react more
aggressively in households where there is constant noise.
They become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems.
In nature, animals may suffer from hearing loss, which makes them easy
prey and leads to dwindling populations. Others become inefficient at
hunting, disturbing the balance of the eco-system.

Species that depend on mating calls to reproduce are often unable to hear
these calls due to excessive man made noise. As a result, they are unable
to reproduce and cause declining populations. Others require sound waves
to echo-locate and find their way when migrating. Disturbing their sound
signals means they get lost easily and do not migrate when they should.
To cope up with the increasing sound around them, animals are becoming
louder, which may further add to the pollution levels. This is why
understanding noise pollution can help us lower the impact it has on the
environment.
As of now, there do not exist many solutions to reduce sound pollution. On
a personal level, everybody can help reducing the noise in their homes by
lowering the volume of the radio, music system and the television.
Listening to music without headphones is also a good step forward.
Removal of public loudspeakers is another way in which the pollution can
be countered.
As is controlling the sound levels in clubs, bars, parties and discos. Better
urban planning can help in creating No-Noise zones, where honking and
industrial noise are not tolerated. It is only when our understanding noise
pollution is complete, can we take steps to eradicate it completely.
Image credit: Trent Rocks Visual Vices
RELATED POSTS -

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Sources and Causes of Water Pollution

10 Current Environmental

Issues

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Causes and Effects of Soil Pollution

Effects of Thermal Pollution

Causes and

40 Facts About Air Pollution

What is Environmental Engineering, Who are Environmental

Engineers, and Scope of Environmental ...

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Your email Address...

Subscribe

RECENT POSTS

Australian Researchers Transform Solar Power to Electricity

What is Environmental Education and What are its Components?

What are Top 25 Environmental Concerns?

Features and Stages of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

What are Most Common Energy Efficient Lighting Types?

Various Facts About Fossil Fuels

Medical Waste Disposal and Companies Involved in it

What is Energy Conservation and List Few Energy Conservation

Techniques?

List Top 10 Natural Resources in the World

What is Being Eco-friendly and 10 Steps to Become Eco-friendly?

What is Environmental Law and its Components

Causes and Solutions to the Global Energy Crisis

15 Easy Ways to Become Environmentally Friendly

What is Tundra and How is Tundra Climate?

Various Facts About Tundra Biome

Select Language

SITES WE LIKE
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Care2
Renewable Energy World
Tree Hugger
Cleantech News

TOP RATED POSTS

Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Overpopulation
151 Ways to Save Energy
Causes of Land Pollution
Types of Pollution
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion

ABOUT US
Over the last few years I have grown increasingly concerned about our dependence
on foreign energy and the impact it is having on our economy, and the potential

threat to our national security. Instead of just worrying about the problem, I decided
to do whatever I could do to help others. Please read more about me here.
Conserve-Energy-Future Copyright 2014.
About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Advertise | Site Map | Contact
Us Back to Top

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