Noise Issues
--Webster's New World Dictionary
Noise is more than a pain in the ear...
it is harmful to your mental and physical health.
Here Is How Noise Hurts Us:
Hearing loss: Continued exposure to noise damages our hearing. The louder the noise, the less time it takes to cause hearing loss. Cells of the inner ear are destroyed, and hearing deteriorates each time we are exposed to prolonged intense sound. These cells do not regenerate. Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent. It is, however, preventable. 28 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss.
Noise does not have to be loud to be harmful. Noise is any sound that bothers us.
Stress: A hazard to our mental and physical well being. Stress is the body's response to outside disturbances. A barking dog or a dripping faucet can trigger our body's responses: heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, the mouth dries, skin loses color, muscles contract, and blood cholesterol rises. Sustained stress reactions to noise can lead to hypertension and ischemic heart disease, sleep disruption, and diminished "quality of life."
Noise Hurts Children, Too!
The loud music that children listen to on the radio, on stereos and earphones, in discos, and at concerts impairs their hearing. Studies have shown that noise interferes with language development, cognition and learning skills.A rule of thumb: If you have to raise your voice while speaking to someone three feet away from you, then your immediate environment could be hazardous to your health.
GrowNYC's Noise Abatement Committee offers assistance to anti-noise groups in the United States and abroad and is actively engaged in educating citizens on the dangers of noise. To receive a copy of GrowNYC's Noise Brochure, please call 212-788-7900 or email us at info@grownyc.org.
