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NOISE POLLUTION

Noise pollution is unwanted sounds introduced into our natural environment that results in an adverse change. It is measured on the decibel scale (db) and according to the World Health Organization, a noise level of above 85db is enough to cause permanent hearing loss after 8 hours of listening.

 

THE DECIBEL SCALE (DB)

Noise level increments on the decibel scale are not linear,  a noise level of 80db is twice as loud as 70db, and a noise level of 90db is 4 times as 70db. Thus the scale is can be viewed as exponentially increasing. People who think that the scale is linear might underestimate the danger in the increase of noise level. This misperception leads to ignorance which can be consequential as they might expose themselves to unsafe levels of noise.

WIDESPREAD IMPACT

Noise pollution can occur anywhere sound is found, which especially prevalent in densely populated cities, such as Singapore and India. These cities are densely packed with people, vehicles and industries. These multiple sources of noise contribute to the increased level of noise which is harmful to humans. However, the negative effects are not limited to humans alone, as noise pollution has an arguably larger scale of impact on the natural world, disrupting lives and behavior of animals and plants.

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