FREE ESSAY ON NOISE POLLUTION CAUSING DEAFNESS

NOISE POLLUTION CAUSING DEAFNESS

Noise pollution causing deafness
World became more and more civilized during past centuries and noise pollution became a
serious problem our days. It is a huge issue to everyone and especially for people who
live in big and crowded cities. It is not only airports, cars or factories that pollute
noise, but also such things as computers or printers can distract people. Even
pleasurable things, such as listening to loud music, can damage our hearing. It is proven
that noise has different negative influences on people. It not only damages our hearing
but also affects our behaviour. In this research I will try to prove that noise pollution
is a very dangerous thing that can not only distract people but also make them deaf.
According Encyclopaedia, noise is "sound that interferes with other sound that are being
listened to". Every day we hear different noises. Big cities are the main sources of
noise pollution. People invented engines, amplifiers, speakers and other things to make
our life easier and more pleasurable. Noise from "road traffic, jet planes, jet skis,
garbage trucks, construction equipment, manufacturing processes, lawn mowers, leaf
blowers, and boom boxes, to name a few, are among unwanted sounds that are routinely
broadcasted into the air"(Clearinghouse, web). However, these inventions not only help us
but also make damage to our ears and behaviour. It is obvious, that noise pollution
reached the enormous level now and there is no way we can stop it. It is impossible to
stop factories, planes or cars. According T.J. Winpenny in his book Values of the
Environment, we have to choose between health and well being on the one hand, and the
commercial and public services, on the other. Generally, it is very important to know how
noise affects us and how can we protect ourselves from the harm it is doing.
No matter what kind of noise it is, it still affects us in a similar way. It is
scientifically proved that the noise level of 85 decibels can damage hearing if the noise
continues for eight hours or more (Noise watch, web.) Loud noise wrecks hearing by
damaging the delicate mechanisms of the inner ear that convert sound information into
nerve signals. The most common thing for people who are often exposed to loud noise is
tinnitus or ringing in the ears. Reports of tinnitus experienced by young people exposed
to loud music have increased three times since the early 1980s. The report found that
"6.8% of people not regularly exposed to loud music of 85 decibels or over suffer from
tinnitus compared to 20% of people who are".(Noise watch, web) Symptoms in some cases
last only a few hours, but they are a sign that damage to hearing has occurred. However,
many people lack this information or look at these facts not enough seriously. They
believe that such pleasurable thing as listening to music cannot do anything wrong to
their hearing. It is very wrong opinion. Research from Australia suggests children aged
between 10 and 15 who listen to loud personal stereos for more than six hours a week may
be damaging their hearing so badly they could suffer hearing problems 30 years early.
They also say stereo noise is equivalent to listening to a pneumatic drill for eight
hours a day (Noise watch, web). Even more, it is true that in some clubs, cinemas and
restaurants noise level reaches 100 or more decibels. It became a threat for outgoing
people, because long exposure to such noise may seriously damage the ear. A recent survey
showed that eight out of ten young club goers were unconcerned about potential damage to
their hearing. This is despite the fact that 62% of regular clubbers and 72% of regular
concertgoers report problems with their hearing. Concerts and nightclubs produce sounds
that can register up to 120 decibels, louder than a pneumatic drill.(Clearinghouse, web)
In the workplace employees are required to wear hearing protection when levels exceed 85
decibels. . However, noise affects not only our hearing but also our behaviour. Mostly
people who experience high amount of noise (for example, those who live near train
stations) "suffer elevated rates of stress-related disorders; high blood pressure,
anxiety, and feeling of helplessness" (Myers,166). Depression, anxiety, loss of hearing,
and other effects on behaviour are only few influences that noises do on people. Web site
in UK publishes the research results, which say: children brought in noisy areas have
poorer reading skills than those bought in quieter areas. Obviously, these different
vibrations, carried to our nerve and brain cell, have mostly negative impact on us.
Finally I would like to talk about how humanity is preventing noise pollution. It is
impossible to stop the noise pollution completely, but to reduce amount of it is
possible. The biggest problems in the cities are cars, factories and clubs. For that
reason some cities have quiet hours or special walls that protect people from the car
noise. It became popular now to measure if noise level especially near the clubs or pubs
is not too high. From technical perspective, humans have done a lot to reduce noise of
the engines. Most of the new cars have noise reduction systems and many modern aircrafts
have special engines, which reduce noise. Moreover, there are lots of ear protections
made for people who work in noisy factories. In conclusion, I would like to say that
noise pollution will be reduced in future and now we just have to understand that noise
pollution is still a serious issue and try to protect ourselves. 
Bibliography
Works Cite Page
Myers, David G. Psychology. New York: Worth, 1998
"Noise" Encyclopaedia Britannica 8 vol., Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc, 1990 
Winpenny, J.T. Values for the Environment. Welington: Shropshire, 1991
"Noise watch on line". Online. Available http://www3.sympatico.ca/noise
"About noise and NPC". Online. Available http://www.clearinghouse.org