Noise pollution

Noise pollution

1. Noise Pollution

2. What is Noise Pollution? The word noise is derived from a Latin word ‘Nausea’ which means sickness in which one feels to vomit. Noise pollution is an invisible danger. It cannot be seen, but it is present Noise pollution can cause health problems for people and wildlife, both on land and in the sea. From traffic noise to rock concerts, loud or inescapable sounds can cause hearing loss, stress, and high blood pressure.

3. Types of Noise Pollution Noise Pollution is of the following types: - Transport Noise- It mainly consists of traffic noise which has increased in recent years with the increase in the number of vehicles. The increase in noise pollution leads to deafening of older people, headache, hypertension, etc. Neighbourhood Noise- The noise from gadgets, household utensils etc. Some of the main sources are musical instruments, transistors, loudspeakers etc. Industrial Noise- It is the high-intensity sound which is caused by heavy industrial machines. According to many researches, industrial noise pollution damages the hearing ability to around 20%.

4. Noise Pollution Sources and their Noise Levels

5. Some Examples of Noise Pollution Unnecessary usage of horns Using loudspeakers either for religious functions or for political purposes Unnecessary usage of fireworks Industrial noise Construction noise Noise from transportation such as railway and aircraft

6. Effects of Noise on Humans Noise pollution impacts millions of people on a daily basis. The most common health problem it causes is Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Exposure to loud noise can also cause high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress. Many children who live near noisy airports or streets have been found to suffer from stress and other problems, such as impairments in memory, attention level, and reading skill.

7. This article here tells us about the effects of Noise on a human heart. There are statements from two cardiologists too at the bottom

8. Effects of Noise on Animals Studies have shown that loud noises cause caterpillars’ hearts to beat faster and bluebirds to have fewer chicks. In loud places, studies have found that some birds sing at higher frequencies. Bats can have trouble finding prey. Frogs can struggle to find mates. Ships, oil drills, sonar devices, and seismic tests have made the once silent marine environment loud and chaotic. Whales and dolphins are particularly impacted by noise pollution. Whales seem to be vocalizing with more volume to communicate with each other.

9. This infographic here describes the effects noise has on the lives and abilities of animals, birds and fish.

10. Effects of Noise on Plants Human noise can have ripple effects on long-lived plants and trees that can last for decades even after the sources of noise subside. Noise pollution is altering the landscape of plants and trees, which depend on noise-affected animals to pollinate them and spread their seeds. The ripple effects can be far reaching and long lasting, especially for trees, which often take decades to grow from seedlings into adults.

11. Noise Monitoring Stations With increasing urbanization and industrialization, noise pollution particularly in ambient is also increasing. Government of India has taken a number of steps to control noise pollution, such as notifying noise rules- 2009 and prescribing noise standards for vehicles, generators sets, fire crackers, etc. The Indian government has set up a lot of noise monitoring tower stations across India with the help of the State Governments. The next slide shows the location of most of the noise monitoring stations in India.

12. This article shows the permissible limit for noise pollution at day and night in Delhi and compares those with the average real time data. We can see that the noise levels are above the permissible levels in Delhi according to this. But these numbers are not native to Delhi only. These numbers can also be seen across all urban areas in India.

13. How to Prevent Noise Pollution Some noise pollution preventive measures are provided in the points below: - Honking in public places like teaching institutes, hospital, etc. should be banned. In commercial, hospital, and industrial buildings, adequate soundproof systems should be installed. Musical instruments sound should be controlled to desirable limits. Dense tree cover is useful in noise pollution prevention. Explosives should be not used in forest, mountainous, and mining areas.

14. How Can We Adapt Architectural Building Design to Stop Noise from Entering the Buildings?