Feature article - Karina Akemi

Unseen danger - Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is one of the environmental problems that affects most populations in the world and even being so serious, has not received due attention. I choosed this theme because it's part of our everyday life and people don't notice it, we are so used to this problem that every day we suffer damages caused by the noise pollution and we don't realize how much it affects our health. People need to know more about this problem and its consequences, then, I’m making this article as a way to inform and alert them.

It occurs in a particular environment where the sound changes the normal condition of hearing. Although it does not accumulate in the environment, like other types of pollution, it causes severe damage to the body and to the quality of life.

The WHO (World Health Organization) considers that a sound should be as much as 50 db in order not to cause harm to humans. From 55 db on, the negative effects start. Sounds above 130 dB even cause pain and noise of 140 dB can totally destroy the eardrum.

Some problems caused by the noise pollution are insomnia, stress, depression, aggressiveness, loss of attention and concentration, loss of memory, headaches, increased blood pressure, tiredness, bad performances in school and work, and in more severe cases, deafness. Only by strokes, there are 210 000 fatalities every year, says a WHO report. Some problems may occur in the short time, others take years to get noticed.

To avoid the harmful effects of noise pollution is important to avoid places with too much noise, listen to music on a low to medium volume, to use hearing protection in workplaces with high noise; listen to mp3 player or walk man in a low volume, not shout indoors, avoid places with high concentrations of people talking, stay away from the speakers at concerts and close the windows of the vehicle in noisy transit locations.

Although not a topic much discussed lately, is necessary to become aware of this problem and avoid it, because as mentioned before, even if the consequences delays, high noises interferes on health and welfare of the general population. Therefore, is necessary a greater concern on this issue by all the people. Also, a way to reduce this problem would be to press the government for oversight and setting maximum decibel level in certain ambients, especially in urban ambients, where there is a prevalence of high levels, then, people will not have many problems with these “unseen danger”.

Bibliography:

http://www.suapesquisa.com/pesquisa/poluicao_sonora.htm

http://saude.abril.com.br/edicoes/0295/medicina/conteudo_269612.shtml

http://miniquim.wikispaces.com/8%C2%BAC+-+Som+e+Luz+-+Polui%C3%A7%C3%A3o