Centuries ago, before factories and urban areas were developed, human beings and

different species across ecosystems did not have to worry about noise pollution disrupting their daily lives and the ability to survive. Today, however, unwanted noise dominates the world and threatens people’s health and the ecosystem. While noise pollution may seem like a common nuisance in our daily lives, it gives detrimental effects on people and the ecosystem; thus, it is essential for governments to take proactive measures and set laws on reducing noise pollution.

Noise pollution is not merely a common nuisance; it induces serious consequences that could be prevented earlier through human initiative. “Noise pollution refers to any unwanted or displeasing noise that is created by human activity or machinery” (Lee and Warhol). Because the unwanted noise is solely produced by human activities, this indicates that only people are capable of reducing it. Unfortunately, the majority of noise pollution in the United States is attributed to the unavoidable aspects: transportation such as airplanes and trains as well as construction and industry. Frankly, federal regulations that limit the noise activity are often biased as they are suited for the economic benefits of the companies (Lee and Warhol). Thus, it is significant for the U.S. Department of Transportation and various corporations to take the initiative of reducing unwanted noise because the majority of sound pollution is attributed to them. Furthermore, in residential areas near airports, noise pollution has become unbearable for residents because it disturbs their sleep patterns and daily lives (“Government faces fines over noise pollution at airport”). When the residents experience constant sleep disturbance, their circadian rhythm and health will deteriorate. As a matter of fact, noise from vehicles “is disturbing people in their homes, during the day and at night, it is disrupting business and it is having a negative impact on tourists, all in the apparent cause of feeding the egos of inconsiderate people” (“Turn down the Volume, Please”). This is alarming because leaving a bad impression on the tourists may degrade the reputation of a particular tourism site or nation. Noise pollution leaves a negative impact on humanity, so people need to be aware of creating unwanted noise and reduce its rate. Hence, noise pollution should not be dealt with lightness; humans need to measure to reduce the harm they leave on themselves and on the environment via noise pollution.

Noise pollution brings upon negative influence on human health. One common consequence of noise pollution is that lack of sleep due to noise disturbance hinders people from performing well on the next day, and noise disturbance also aggravates our mental health, leading to disputes between neighbors and even killing (Bronzaft). As mental health manipulates our daily lives, it should not be disturbed by unwanted noise. Additionally, a World Hearing Index created in 2017 indicated that residents of loud cities (Cairo, Beijing, Delhi, and Guangzhou) had hearing disabilities of those who were 20 years older than them who lived in quieter places. On top of that, studies have shown children living in loud areas “exhibit lower reading comprehension and logical reasoning skills than those in quiet environments” (Turn down the Volume, Please). Children living in loud environments had the detrimental influence of noise pollution on their brain development that they achieved lower academic performance. In addition, unwanted noise can induce “an increase in blood pressure, a change in heart rate, a rise in blood cholesterol, or an excessive secretion of hormones.” These symptoms can lead to deterioration of the circulatory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems (Bronzaft). The wide-ranging symptoms portray the extreme severity of the health problems that can arise from noise pollution. As a matter of fact, Clark and her research team stated, “We found a positive association between residential transportation noise and diabetes, adding to the growing body of evidence that noise pollution exposure may be independently linked to metabolic health and should be considered when developing public health interventions.” Because studies have shown that diabetes and noise pollution correlate to each other, it is vital for humans to take measures to reduce unwanted noise from transportation and remain in relatively noise-free zones. Noise pollution inhibits us from fully taking advantage of our lives. Often people possess the power to revert the harm of noise pollution on health, so it is necessary for us to start taking action.

Noise pollution has a detrimental impact on the ecosystem. For example, greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) consume their food by seeking ground-running arthropods through the rustling of sounds. However, studies have shown that traffic noise impedes an acoustic predator from foraging efficiently. “The noise impact on the bats’ foraging performance will have complex effects on the food web and ultimately on the ecosystem stability” (Siemers and Schaub). This is important because bats are a crucial part of the ecosystem, and without them, the food chain can break down. Moreover, “increases in environmental noise tended to be associated with smaller brood sizes and were more strongly related to reductions in productivity” of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Thus, noise possesses the ability to reduce fitness and surviving populations in noise-polluted habitats (Kight).

Birds are at risk of extinction, so we need to be cautious when dealing with them. Noise pollution produced at sea is caused by large commercial ships and sonar equipment of military vessels, and it has devastating effects on marine life. It caused tissue damage or death among certain species of fish and marine mammals (i.e. whales) and disrupted the normal life behaviors of many animals, and displace others from their habitats (Ceurstemont). The aquatic ecosystem can also be regulated by the government with systems and technologies. The harm of noise pollution done to animal species cannot be undone, but we can take each step to compensate for the loss we have forced upon their lives. Reducing unwanted noise from their habitats is crucial to their ecosystem.

Governments must take the initiative to implement strict regulations on curtailing noise pollution in urban and industrialized areas. We need to raise awareness upon the rising problem of noise pollution and urge our governments to set laws regarding the issue to prevent it from further inhibiting our health and the ecosystem. It would be a huge advantage to us to reduce noise pollution because it would not only alleviate our daily lives from stressors but also foster species diversity in the environment. Ultimately, in doing so, both humans and animals can live in a fruitful environment with lessened disturbance of unwanted sounds and coexist in the same environment to its maximum potential.

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