Good Research Paper On Noise Pollution

Introduction: Definition of Noise pollution

Facts and Statistics:
World Health Organization’s (WHO) findings on Noise in European Union(EU)
noise levels due to traffic
statistics about noise levels during the day and night.

Noise Pollution in Los Angeles (LA)

intensity of Noise in areas close to traffic routes
promulgation of the ordinance for LA and empowerment of police

Sources of noise pollution

Transport
Construction work and Industrial activities
if construction work is a regulated impact of noise can be mitigated
impact of industrial units on people of adjacent localities

Household gadgets

gadgets like washing machines produce noise
lack of proper insulation in homes accentuates the noise

Improper town planning

Adverse impact of Noise pollution on Human Beings
Disturbs sleep and causes frustration
Hinders growth and learning capabilities of children
Conclusion
Noise Pollution
There is no blinking the fact that there are always some background sounds in our environment. Some sounds like the chirping of birds is a treat for the ears. However, there are some sounds which disturb and annoy us and we refer to such sounds as noise. The oxford dictionary defines noise as “a sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance”. When the presence of noise in the environment reaches such a level that it becomes unbearable, we refer to the phenomenon as noise pollution.
World Health Organization (WHO) has minced no words while describing the harmful impact of noise pollution. WHO has backed its finding with some statistics about noise pollution in European Union (EU) countries? According to WHO, about 40% of the population in EU is exposed to road traffic noise levels of 55 A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) (“Data and Statistics”, 2009). Furthermore, approximately 20% of the people of EU are exposed to levels exceeding 65 dB(A) during daytime. WHO also collected statistics for night time and found out that more than 30% of the people of EU are exposed to levels exceeding 55 dB(A)? These statistics are evidence of the fact that noise pollution has become a major issue in Europe.
Los Angeles (L.A.) is one of the major cities of United States of America (USA). Noise pollution has become a major issue for the inhabitants of L.A. United States(U.S.) environment protection agency has drawn a relationship between health issues like high blood pressure and noise pollution (David, 2014). The schools in L.A., which are close to freeways, are exposed to noise levels of up to 65 dB(David, 2014). The L.A. police department has a dedicated team for controlling the nuisance of noise pollution. The Noise Ordinance promulgated in 1973 has empowered the police department to keep a check on noise pollution. The fact that laws have been devised to control noise pollution signifies the intensity of the problem in L.A.
Noise has several sources ranging from noise from traffic to noise from gadgets in our house. Traffic is one of the major sources of noise pollution. The noise is produced by car engines and exhaust systems. Larger vehicles produce more noise than the smaller ones. The infrastructure in a particular place also plays a role in augmenting noise pollution. If a car is moving in a narrow street, the reverberations increase the intensity of the noise. Traffic is regarded as one of the major contributors to noise pollution.
Construction and industrial activity are also one of the major sources of noise pollution. We experience the noise produced by heavy machinery during construction work. The Noise Ordinance has enumerated some rules regarding construction activities in L.A. The construction work is carried out during a regulated schedule which allows in mitigating the adverse effects of noise pollution on human health. It is pertinent to mention the impact of noise produced by industry in the adjacent areas. The people who live close to industrial units have to bear noise pollution. Furthermore, the people who work in the industrial sector are exposed to high levels of noise pollution.
With the advent of new technology every household boasts of several gadgets which help the man in everyday chores. Man has been able to perform his tasks more efficiently but has overlooked the adverse impact of using such gadgets. Gadgets like washing machines and air conditioning systems are a source of noise in the house. Both the children and the adults are exposed to noise pollution inside the homes. Lack of proper insulation in building allows external noise to enter the apartment. The aforementioned sources of noise in a house cause noise pollution and adversely impact the peaceful environment of a house.
Noise pollution also depends on the type of city planning. Congested neighborhoods and lack of space don’t allow the noise to spread. If the housing units are constructed very close to each other the sound echoes and cause noise pollution. Several major cities in the world suffer from lack of space. With all the major business activities taking part in a congested locality, the people prefer to live close to their workplace. In such a scenario, it is difficult to control noise pollution.
The impact of noise on a man’s health has become an important area of research. Noise pollution disturbs the sleeping habits of a person (“Night Noise Guidelines for Europe,” 2009). There is a strong relationship between sleep and health. A person is not able to sleep due to noise which in turn adversely impacts his health. Disturbance due to noise causes frustration and influences a person’s behavior during the day. A person is not able to perform his tasks effectively. Children are at a greater risk of being affected by noise pollution during the night. Lack of proper sleep during the night causes stunted growth among children.
The psychological impact of noise pollution on humans is also one of the areas in which research is being carried out. Several psychological disorders like depression and anxiety are a result of noise pollution. A person’s attitude towards work and life changes with time and the person could reach a point where he may resort to drugs to alleviate his condition. Hypertension due to noise pollution could lead to high blood pressure and heart diseases.
Children suffer from several psychological problems due to noise pollution. Noise causes lower attention levels among children at school which shatters their confidence and gives rise to nervousness. A child’s learning capability is hindered due to noise pollution. It has been observed that the children are not able to respond well to the learning environment due to noise pollution. Children are quite sensitive to the surrounding environment. Noise pollution creates an obstacle between the outside world and a child. Several children suffer from speech disorders due to noise pollution as they are not able to grasp the actual pronunciation of words.
There is no denying the fact that noise pollution has several harmful effects on human beings. People are mostly exposed to noise due to traffic and gadgets at home. Sometimes, people remain oblivious to the fact that noise is adversely affecting their lives. Prolonged exposure to noise pollution causes hypertension which in turn takes its toll on the overall health of a person. Children are worst affected by noise pollution and are prone to psychological disorders caused by higher noise levels. The problem-solving and analytical skills of a child are affected by noise pollution. The low-performance level due to noise pollution causes depression among children (Goines&Hagler, 2007). L.A. is one of the cities which are affected by noise pollution. Although some measures have been taken to control noise pollution in L.A. but there is still a long way to go before we have considered L.A. as noise pollution free.

References

Data and Statistics (2009.) Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/en/health- topics/environment-and-health/noise/data-and-statistics
David, H (2014, February 8.) Sound Check: A Study Of L.A. Noise Pollution. Retrieved from http://www.lamag.com/wellbeing/sound-check-a-study-of-la-noise-pollution/
Night Noise Guidelines for Europe (2009.) Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/43316/E92845.pdf
Goines, Lisa&Hagler, Louis (2007). Noise Pollution: A Modern Plague. Southern Medical Journal100(3), 287-294. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nonoise.org/library/smj/smj.htm