Introduction
Environmental issues are particularly serious and urgent in the modern world. A broad range of environmental concerns includes such problems as climate change, waste disposal, and various types of pollution. Sound pollution is not the most popular topic among them, although it is a serious concern that mostly affects populous cities along with highway and airport areas. However, nowadays it is difficult to find a place which does not suffer from noise. The development of civilization and technologies, the growth of inhabited areas make it difficult to improve the ecological situation and reduce the number of harmful sounds. Nevertheless, there are still methods to decrease the negative impact of sound pollution on nature. These methods are diverse and require a lot of attention and resources, but they have to be applied to improve the situation. Ameliorating the environmental situation is one of the main concerns of humanity, as it is the only way to preserve our planet for future generations.
Governmental Responsibility
The problem of noise pollution is quite serious, as harmful sounds have a negative impact on human health. Excessive noise affects the cardiovascular system, sleeping habits, and mental health adversely. It can even lead to memory loss or serious psychiatric disorders (Singh & Davar, 2004). Produced by transport, industrial factories, and city routine, environmental sounds can also harm animals. For example, water transport and military maneuvers scare marine wildlife and can cause deaths. All these factors make noise pollution a problem that requires an immediate and decisive solution. One of the easiest and the most efficient strategies to do so is introducing an official governmental campaign. Official bodies are capable of controlling and supervising the program of reducing the amount of noise. Moreover, they have sources to engage people in participating in the program.
Measurements and Research
Research and measurements are the principal methods to study the problem. It is important to calculate the noise level to determine whether it is above the regulation or not. The regulations indicate the amount of sound which is safe for human and animal health. If measurement results exceed the norm, arrangements should be made to decrease the amount of noise or to minimize its harmful effects. Research on this matter help to find causes of the problem and offer proper solutions.
Nowadays measurements are implemented mostly by volunteering individuals or organizations. If government encourages researches of that sort, it will make them more popular among specialists and the general public. Moreover, an introduction of an appropriate governmental program would make compilation and comparison of the results easier and more detailed, which would facilitate the researches and make the “whole picture” more coherent. Finally, the support of official bodies usually helps to attract investors and developers to facilitate the process of solving the problem.
Ways to Regulate the Noise Level
Measurements by themselves do not solve the problem, but they are crucial to finding the right solution. There is a wide range of research-based proposals on how to reduce the noise level. For example, such sound mitigation devices as noise barriers are well-known and broadly used. However, they are not flawless, as they can limit the field of the driver’s view and lessen the amount of light. Some alternatives are being introduced to avoid these disadvantages, such as sonic crystals and low emission pavements (Licitra & Vogiatzis, 2019). These kinds of inventions need governmental support to be implemented and used.
Besides, in some situations, special laws should be introduced to reduce the number of environmental noises. For instance, the problem of marine noise pollution, which is regarded as particularly dangerous for animals, has both technical and legal solutions. It is because “speed restrictions can reduce noise levels” along with the adoption of “ship-quieting technologies” (Merchant, 2019, p.118). Governmental management is essential in these situations, therefore solving the problem of noise pollution could become easier if there was a special governmental program.
Engaging People
Along with measuring the noise level and introducing new technologies, it is very important to engage people in participating in the campaign. Educating people on the problem of sound pollution is important because the more people know about its causes and ways to prevent the pollution, the less of it they pollute the environment. Mass education to provide this result can be organized properly only under governmental management. It could include lectures in educational institutions, short video clips on official channels, and thematic events.
Moreover, governmental programs on reducing noise pollution could include additional regulations on encouraging people to contribute to this affair. Mass campaigns of temporal silence (i.e. time when there is no music on the streets, no loud advertisement, and so on), similar to the Earth Hour, could motivate people to decrease the number of sounds produced. All these activities would become easier to organize under governmental support.
Obstacles
Obviously, all these initiatives require planning, long-term support, and investment. The program on reducing noise pollution has to be carefully considered in advance, attentively monitored in the implementation, and regarded as an unending procedure. The cost and the continuance of the project can make it unattractive for governmental bodies to manage. However, it seems that the target of the campaign, which is nothing less than the health of people and animals, can persuade the administration to participate in it.
At the same time, there are other concerns that governmental bodies have to interact with. Healthcare, criminal activity, state educational institutions, and other issues require their attention and funding. Contrarily, the problem of environmental noises does not appear to be very evident or urgent. However, sound pollution is, along with other environmental problems, serious and important. Noises affect human health directly and can lead to various physical and mental diseases. Moreover, they are dangerous for animals and may cause their deaths. That is why dealing with sound pollution is not less important than dealing with other problems of modern society.
Conclusion
Consequently, a governmental program aimed to reduce noise pollution can be an effective solution to this problem. The administration is thought to have enough power and resources to implement necessary activities to reduce the amount of noise pollution. By a certain amount of people, governmental authority is regarded as one of the key solutions to this problem. Support and management of official bodies can facilitate the implementation of the problem and improve its results. A carefully planned governmental program should include measurements of the noise level, researches on the matter, application of new ways of minimizing the amount of sound, and educational activities to encourage citizens to participate. This kind of campaign would contribute to reducing sound pollution and making the environment a safer place for both humans and animals.
References
Licitra, G., Vogiatzis, K. (2019). Preface: New solutions mitigating environmental noise pollution. Environments, 6(11), 1-4.
Merchant, N. D. (2019). Underwater noise abatement: Economic factors and policy options. Environmental Science & Policy, 92, 116-123.
Singh, N., & Davar, S. C. (2004). Noise pollution – Sources, effects and control. Journal of Human Ecology, 16(3), 181-187.