Environmental issues are very important for modern people, because the future of humanity fairly depends on natural conditions. One of the most serious environmental problems nowadays is noise pollution. Noise pollution occurs in the area where the excessive amount of unpleasant sound is produced. Environmental noises are widespread all over the world and are particularly typical for densely populated cities. It is essential to understand the reasons of sound pollution, because this can help to find an effective solution to this problem. There are various factors that can cause noise pollution, among the most significant are numerous types of transport, industrial activity and bustling “city life”.
A Closer Look at the Problem
It may seem unnecessary to pay so much attention to the rate of noise. However, it is proved that the “sound background” deeply influences the life of people. Living in areas of noise pollution can cause serious health problems. Loud or unpleasant sounds could be used as torture methods in some cultures along with physical violence, as they can cause serious damage as well. People who live in noisy areas are more likely to have problems with cardio-vascular system, mental health or sleep (Singh & Davar, 2004). Besides, environmental noises can hurt animals and even cause deaths. For example, they have a proved harmful impact on marine animals and fauna (Erbe et al., 2018). These facts demonstrate that sound pollution is a dangerous problem and has to be studied and solved. A close examination of factors which because environmental noises can help to find a way to reduce their harmful impact.
Transport noise
Transport system has extremely developed and expanded during last years. Nowadays it is quite easy to travel not only inside one’s native country, but also all over the world. However, there are serious downsides about this fact-all types of transport are quite harmful for the environment and lead to the increase of noise pollution. Airplanes, trains, vehicles, and ships, along with public transport, produce a huge amount of sound (Singh & Davar, 2004). Highways and busy roads are extremely noisy, as every vehicle makes sounds while moving. According to the poll led by Singh & Davar, automobiles are regarded as one of the principal sources of noise pollution (2004). Every person, who has ever stood on the side of the road or who has visited a building near a similar kind of road, would understand the amount of noise pollution it causes. Even the soundproof panels along both sides of the highways do not fully suppress these sounds.
Noises produced by the moving trains are as loud and dangerous as vehicle traffic noises are. Areas of cities and villages that are situated near the railroads are usually not quiet, that is why railways are more likely to be located far from residential areas. Sea vehicles are noisy as well, although these noises affect marine animals instead of people. The noise pollution in the oceans is caused not only by the sounds of ship engines, but also by the sounds of arms placed on these ships. Loud noises of shots scare animals and can even cause movements of the soil.
Sounds, produced by airplanes and helicopters, are probably ones of the loudest, as aircrafts have powerful turbines. The noise is so loud that airport workers use ear protectors, and it is also usual to avoid construction of houses near the airports. Moreover, according to the research by Erbe et al., “airplane noise may be more audible underwater than commonly expected” (2018, p. 660). That means that turbine sounds are so loud that they can possibly affect marine animals, not only land creatures. If there would be no improvement in transport construction to reduce the noise levels, it would be impossible to decrease sound pollution.
Industrial noise
A second significant cause of environmental noises is industrial development all over the world. Numerous factories, producing enormous amounts of goods, create an impressive amount of sounds at the same time. Heavy industry plants are particularly noisy, as they consist of large metal machine tools. These machine tools forge, sew, cut, or perform other actions that are fairly impossible to be proceeded silently. Moreover, if the factory uses such natural resources as water, fire, or wind to make machines work, the process of production becomes even more noisy. In addition to these sounds, factories pollute the environment with sounds of conversations in the crowd of workers, sounds of announcements throughout the loudspeakers and plenty of harmful emissions. It would be very difficult to find a method to make the process of industrial production noiseless. However, it would be impossible to solve the problem of sound pollution without eliminating this cause. That is why it is important to work on making factories less dangerous for the environment.
“City life” noises
Loud music outdoors, traffic of public and personal transport, lawn mowers and garbage trucks, conversations of passers-by and dog barking- these are the sounds, familiar to every town-dweller. And all together they form one of the principal causes of noise pollution- sounds of the city. This cause affects people directly, as it makes their habitual environment uncomfortable and harmful. Besides, city noises are also harmful for pets, birds and other animals inside the populated area or around it. It is believed that megapolises suffer from sound pollution more than smaller towns. This statement is generally true- if, sure, there is no factory, railroad or airport near the small town. “City life” noises consist of a wide range of sounds, which makes them incredibly changeable and inconstant. They can be different in volume or intenseness, but their main danger is in their ubiquity and inevitability. Even if the sounds of repairing in the neighbours’ house or the traffic on the street are not dangerously loud, they will affect human health, especially if these sounds are permanent and noisy.
Conclusion
The significant causes of sound pollution are noisy transport, high industrial activity and bustling “city life”. It is important to attempt to find a proper solution to this problem. According to the research by Singh & Davar (2004), most people questioned in India consider that the problem of noise pollution could be solved if a public education on the topic was provided and if government paid more attention to the problem. It is actually important to educate people on the topic of noise pollution, as it can help to reduce noise production and let people know how to protect their health. Governmental support and membership is crucial to make any kind if social program work effectively. However, it seems that reducing the causes of noise pollution could help to eliminate the problem itself. New types of quieter mechanisms must be introduced to factories, transportation system and city model of living to make them less noisy. To stop sound pollution, people should make the transport, factories and everyday city life quieter and more conscious.
References
Erbe, C., Williams, R., Parsons, M., Parsons, S., Hendrawan, I., & Dewantama, I. (2018). Underwater Noise from Airplanes: an Overlooked Source of Ocean Noise. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 137, 656-661, Web.
Singh N., & Davar S. C. (2004). Noise Pollution-Sources, Effects and Control. Journal of Human Ecology, 16(3), 181-187, Web.