Objective: Describe three human health problems caused by noise pollution.
Sam explains that there is always noise now. With larger populations of people in Alaska, there is more noise. He remarks that when he turns off the engine of the boat, people are surprised by silence. The western or industrial economy includes machines of all kinds, it’s hard to understand noise as an issue, because it is part of life today. Sam shuts off the motor of his boat when he is way out on the river, just to see the reaction of people when they encounter silence, maybe for a long time. When one is out in the country, it is usually quiet. There are the sounds of the river, sounds of birds and the wind or breeze, all natural sounds. These sounds are usually peaceful or natural, but sounds made by man are unnatural, so they are noticed more. If you think about it, we live now with noise all the time. The noise of the refrigerator, the furnace, a water pump, vehicle noise, trains, planes, the list goes on.  Noise pollution is real, it could cause social issues, maybe psychological issues. Who thinks about it? We live with it, so it is accepted without much concern. (Demientieff)
In This Section:
- Understanding Our Environment
- The Environment and Society
- Economics and International Cooperation
- Statistics and Models
- Making Informed Decisions
- Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems
- How Populations Change in Size
- How Species Interact with Each Other
- Land Use
- Land Management and Conservation
- Feeding the World
- Crops and Soil
- The Geosphere
- Mineral Exploration and Mining
- Energy Resources and Fossil Fuels
- Nuclear Energy
- Renewable Energy Today
- Alternative Energy and Conservation
- Biodiversity at Risk
- Studying Human Populations
- Changing Population Trends
- Reducing Solid Waste
- The Atmosphere
- Air, Noise, and Light Pollution
- Atmosphere and Climate Change
- The Importance of the Individual