By Brandon

Bavongkhoun

NOISE POLLUTION:
WHAT IS THIS
UNDERLYING
PROBLEM?
A problem that has been below the radar for many years.
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History of Noise Pollution

N
Noise pollution is a
Oise pollution is a relative thing. In a city, its
relative thing. In a city, a jet taking off. In a
its a jet taking off. In
monastery, its a pen that
scratches. Robert Orben
a monastery, its a pen

that scratches. An issue under our radars,

something that we havent noticed until it has

its been a part of lives as of now. Along with
taken a big effect on some of the lives around
the fact that people believe that
us. The sources of this
there are no detrimental
problem are essential to
effects to it.
us humans today,
Unfortunately, society will
from things like
not put in any effort into
ships to airplanes.
solving a problem that isnt
So the real question is, how
as noticeable as some other
we can reduce noise
Figure 1 Noise can come from anything and is global. global issues.
pollution while (Akush Kupta, 2015)
A researcher states, 7 million people
keeping our precious tools that keep our
die around the globe each year from heart
society going.
disease, would put the toll from exposure to
Noise pollution or harmful levels of
noise pollution around 210,000 deaths,
noise, as from airplanes and ships, has dated
(Andy Coghan, 2016). Although a lot of
back to the time of Ancient Rome. The fact
people have lost their lives through heart
that most people dont notice the effects that it
disease, a portion of the people was still
is having on our lives as well as other life
exposed to noise pollution as illustrated from
living on the planet. The controversy in this
the quote. Regular exposure to elevated
issue isnt too prominent due to the fact that
environmental and work noise can inflict
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many health issues and risks. Along with that, One argument says that yes noise

more than 9 million U.S. workers are exposed pollution is bad however, we have much

to hazardous levels of noise on the job. It is bigger problems to look at then the rather

not uncommon for small noise pollution issue. Someone

young workers to enter a who agrees with this state's, Noise

production plant with pollution isn't nearly as bad of a

perfect hearing and problem as air or water pollution.

come out 25 years later If noise pollution is such a big deal,

nearly deaf, Figure 2 stop the noise pollution (Conserve Energy then someone should move
Future, 2016)

(Alice, 1999). The to the country. There are

world is having issues plenty of things that cause a

recognizing the little noise like trains, cars, and

issues, and with that, airplanes. To get away from

they dont notice the these things, people should

big side effects that move away from the noise

are waiting for them pollution. From looking at

in the future. this, we can see that in their

Different eyes, you can just do

something as simple as
Viewpoints
moving to the country. The

Figure 3 The decibel or noise levels of specific other types of pollution are
objects (Visually, 2016)
a bigger threat to our environment than noise

pollution, so once the larger threats are taken

care of, we can focus more on the minor ones

such as the ones that deal with sound. What

is the point of spending money on a problem

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when we are dying from a greater problem Right whales are also uniquely disposed to

simultaneously? collisions with ships. By nature, they swim

The issue is that we should toward boat noises, which often leads to

reduce the effects of gruesome accidents.

noise pollution, while still (Warford, 2014) This quote

keeping the important illustrates that by nature, they will

devices that keep our society swim toward the sound, hoping that it

running. From marine life animals to health from a fellow whale however, they are

issues of a in for a big

Figure 4 Whales being harmed by noise pollution (Marine Environment,
2016)
human being surprise when

affected, noise pollution does indeed have they find out that it is a ship. The oceans are

enough effects that we definitely should not being harmed by non-expectant forces of

ignore it totally. However, they still arent as sound. Ocean noise can affect marine animals

major as some other in a variety of ways, some of

complications which scientists are just

perhaps we beginning to understand.

shouldnt focus all Research has suggested

of our attention on that noise from ships can

Figure 5 How a whale communicates (Science Tech,
it. 2014)
decrease the ability of

endangered right whales to communicate with

one another, for instance, and that noise from

seismic surveying can change the behavior of

Whats happening to Whales? blue whales. (Chelsea, 2016)

Whales are one of the major animals Communication is one of the key things that a

being harmed. A large number of these whales species need and for whales, it happens to be

are being harmed by ships because of sound. through sound. Think about what would
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happen if one person and another couldnt The right whale species, which are

communicate with each other, or what if a now endangered are left at 500 whales. 8 out

group of people couldnt. This would be very of 10 right whales bear the scars left behind

frustrating however for the whales, it would by accidental encounters with fishing rope,

be worse as they dont have hands or anything one Georgia wildlife official told Newsweek.

to try and give gestures to. They literally cant (Ben, 2014). This quote illustrates that the

talk to each other in any sense whatsoever. whale species is being heavily affected by

ships if they are dying at an 80% rate, which

is an extremely high rate of death. This is a

problem due to the difficulty in

communication within the whales. If they

Figure 6 The noise ecosystem (Discard

Studies, 2016)
were able to communicate with each other,

they would let each other know where

possible dangers await. Since they dont have

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this privilege, it makes it easier for them to Noise Pollution Affects Health
fall into the wrong hands. Noise pollution also affects health as shown

in this quote, One of the key ways is by

elevating stress hormones such as cortisol,

adrenaline, and noradrenaline, which, over

time, can lead to high blood pressure, stroke

and heart failure. (Mercola, 2015). As we

can see from the quote, heart problems may

arise from the exposure to noise which can

cause more moralities within the already

dying population. A professor from the

University of London states, Many people

become habituated to noise over time The

Figure 7 The many causes of noise pollution (Tutor
Vista, 2017)

biological effects are imperceptible so that

even as you become accustomed to the noise,

adverse physiological changes are

nevertheless taking place, with potentially

serious consequences to human

health.(Mercola, 2015) While you are getting

used to worse levels of noise, not only do you

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feel as if its not hurting you however, it is other species. People dont attempt to treat the

doing more damage by the fact that you dont invisible dangers that await them.

even know its bad. As you slightly get more Recourses We Need
and more deaf from noise, listening to things
Now, as there are many issues being
like music for leisure,
caused by noise, the
youll have the urge to
causes of them are
crank up the volume.
actually things that we
By cranking up the
humans might actually
volume to almost max,
need. Arguments
you are blowing out
against the noise
your already worn out
pollution epidemic say

Figure 8 Statistics of heart disease in the U.S. (CDC, that we need resources like ships, planes,
2010)
ear drums. There is also the issue of sleep construction, and many other loud things for
disturbances, which is why nighttime noise our everyday lives to be able to operate. If
pollution is thought to be worse than daytime you take out ships, the cargo traveling
exposures. If you cant sleep because of noise, internationally will stop, this will kill the
it can cause a lot of negative health market and economy of most countries,
repercussions. Research has even shown that leaving a worldwide problem for everyone.
chronic noise exposure of about 100 decibels Construction of buildings needs to be made
leads to a significant reduction in testosterone because as the old ones fall, we need to find a
levels in male rodents. Whether its waking spot to replace the old buildings to create
up in the middle of the night, being unable to better ones for everyone. Almost everything
attend sleeping matters, or even having that creates noise pollution can be considered
diseases that are related to lower levels of valuable to us humans, so the answer isnt
testosterone, chronic noise exposure can actually to take these things the sources away,
cause these effects on not just humans, but but to perhaps alter them in a way that
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reduces the noise. that are occurring and to possibly create tools

Solutions and How We Can Fix that dont produce as much sound to prevent

the death of marine life animals and the risk

This Issue
of bad health towards society. All in all, lets
Some possible ways to reduce the issue of
all work together to take down a formidable
noise

pollution

is to create

ships that

planes that

can create

less noise.

For people
Figure 9 A ship that carries cargo, very important for the
economy (ABC News, 2015)
working

near noisy
problem, while paying attention to the other
jobs, like construction sites, they should use
dangers that await us in the depths of time.
earplugs and other things to prevent them

from having hearing problems and possibly

other disorders along with that. Some aspects

of noise pollution arent too difficult to fix at

all, the only hard part is for people to realize

that this issue isnt indeed the biggest,

however it isnt the way to go. How can we

reduce noise pollution without removing

ships, planes, or hurting our economy? The

answer is to get people aware of these issues

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References:

Coghlan, A.
Figure 10 A future that awaits us in the future, if we don't
solve the issue of pollution. (Conserve Energy Future,
2016) (2007,

Aug). Dying for some peace and quiet.

New Scientist (London, England)

Vol.195, no.2618, , 6-9. Retrieved

from [Link]

Harvey, C. (2016, 07 Jun). New NOAA

strategy aims to curb devastating

ocean-noise pollution. Washington

Post Retrieved from

[Link]

Wolford, B. (2014, Apr). Whales are being

killed by noise pollution. Newsweek,

Retrieved from [Link]

Mercola, D. (2015, 20 Jun.). The effects of

noise pollution to your health.

Articles, Retrieved from

[Link]

s/archive/2015/06/20/noise-

[Link]