Prevent Noise Pollution

Noise pollution isn't just annoying: it can cause deafness, fatigue, and even psychological problems. If you want to cut back on the noise pollution in your life, work on eliminating loud sounds made by machines both inside and outside your house. If necessary, sound-proof your home so you can get some peace and quiet. Taking measures to prevent noise pollution will help you and your family feel happier and healthier.

Steps

Keeping Your Home Noise-Free

  1. Sound-proof your space. When you can't stop the noise at it's source, you can do your best to keep it out. Sound-proofing your home will help you rest easier at night and keep your home quieter during the day as well. If you can't sound-proof your entire home, you might want to invest in sound-proofing your bedroom, so you'll have at least one respite from the noise when you just can't take it anymore.
    • If you don't want to reconstruct your walls and floors with sound-proof building materials, consider the less expensive option of installing carpeting and wall coverings that soften and absorb sounds.
    • Acoustic foam panels are a cheap, easy-to-install option when you want to quickly soundproof a room. For an even easier solution, try hanging blankets on the walls or installing extra bookcases filled with books.
  2. Keep noisy machines away from your bedroom and living areas. Situate your home so that your bed isn't right next to your noisy furnace or air conditioning unit. If there are any other sources of constant noise, try to locate them far away from your sleeping and living areas so you can have some peace and quiet.
    • You might also want to consider using these machines less to give yourself a break from the noise. Turn off your air conditioner and open the windows, even if it means being a little hotter than normal. You might find the less noisy atmosphere more relaxing than a cooled-down room.
  3. Spend time away from noise. Sometimes it's simply impossible to truly get away from the noise. If you live on a busy street with lots of traffic, you know there's never really a respite from traffic sounds, sirens and honking horns. Getting away from it all is a good way to restore your emotional balance. Go to a quiet spot that's as free of sound as possible. Stay there and enjoy the silence for a few hours, until you feel renewed and ready to reenter the noise of daily life.
    • See if you can go for a walk in a quiet natural spot away from busy roads.
    • If you can't make it to a quiet outdoor space, try sitting in a library for a few hours. The librarians will make sure it stays nice and quiet.
    • Churches and cemeteries are also good places to find some peace and quiet.
  4. Learn to meditate. With more and more rural areas being developed, noisy engines and construction sounds aren't going away any time soon. Learning how to meditate can help you deal with noise and destress without needing to drop everything and leave.
    • When you're feeling overwhelmed, sit very still, close your eyes and focus on taking deep, even breaths. Do 10 breaths and try to let your worries go and ignore the noise around you. No matter where you are, whether it's on a noisy subway car or in your own kitchen, you can try this technique to calm yourself down.[1]
  5. Use earplugs and noise-canceling headphones. These inventions help millions of people deal with everyday noise. Earplugs are a cheap drugstore purchase that buys you hours of sleep, once you get used to falling asleep with them in your ears. Noise-canceling headphones are a bit more expensive, but if getting peace and quiet is at the top of your priority list, they're probably worth the splurge.
  6. Install noise-reducing insulation and glass. This is by far the most expensive method, but if nothing else is working for you, and you are serious about the peace and quiet, this is a most effective way to stop noise from getting in your home.

Dealing with Noise You Can't Control

  1. Understand what causes noise pollution. As urban development stretches into rural areas, the noise level increases. Construction sites, airports, train stations, and highways are all sources of loud noises that grate on the ears. If you know the sources of noise pollution in your area, you can do your best to avoid them or find ways to mitigate their negative effect.
    • When you're choosing a place to live, see if the residence is in a flight path or near a busy highway. During the day the sounds might not bother you, but at night they might prevent you from sleeping.
  2. Check into the noise pollution laws in your area. Most urban communities have rules to prevent noise pollution from getting out of control. For example, there are laws dictating during which hours a construction site may actively use machinery, and when they need to stay quiet. As a community member, you can help enforce the laws if you know what they are.
    • Check with your state's department of energy and environmental affairs to find out which regulations are in effect in your area.[2] You'll find information about how loud noise is allowed to get, and when machines are supposed to remain silent.
    • If you feel the regulations are being violated, don't hesitate to file a complaint. If it's affecting other members of your community, organize a group complaint, which will be even more effective.
  3. Make sure community spaces are following the rules. Another source of noise comes from community spaces like stadiums, concert venues and other outdoor areas with speaker systems. Even a neighborhood bar that holds concerts can produce enough noise to drive you crazy. If you live near a community space that seems to be making noise all night long, or is producing noise that seems louder than necessary, see if they're in violation of local laws and file a complaint if necessary.[3]
    • For example, if a new concert space opens up on your block and creates noise late into the night, you're entitled to finding out whether the place is operating according to local law. The people in charge of the space might not be aware of the laws, so don't just assume they know what they're doing. Find out more and see if you can make a difference.
  4. Speak up about banning noisy motors near your home. Car and motorcycle engines as well as lawnmowers and other motor-powered vehicles can really raise the noise level in any given area. If you live in the middle of the city, there won't be much you can do about it, but in a smaller community you may be able to have a say as to who gets to use motors in your area, and when.
    • Talk with your city council member to see what you can do to have noisy motors banned after a certain time at night.[4]
    • In smaller communities, you could also just get together with your neighbors and agree not to use lawnmowers and other noisy motors during certain hours, for the benefit of the whole neighborhood.
  5. Get involved in a community tree-planting project.[1] Communities with more trees are quieter than those without them, since large, leafy trees can help absorb noise. If you live in an area with a dearth of big trees, planting more along city streets, and between residences and noisy highways, would be a good way to cut back on some of the noise pollution in your area.
    • See if your city has a tree-planting initiative underway. For example, Portland, Oregon's group Portland Loves Trees engages community members to plant more trees around the city. New York City's Million Trees Project has a similar goal.

Helping Your Community Stay Quiet

  1. Don't use your car horn unnecessarily. Don't be part of the problem by leaning on your horn every time someone looks at you wrong on the street. Use your horn only when absolutely necessary, as a way to let someone know that you're present or warn them when they're about to collide with something. It's good driving etiquette, and makes life more pleasant for city-dwellers.
  2. Keep your car in good repair. The sound of a car without a muffler chugging down the street is never welcome, so make sure you're not the one causing noise pollution in your neighborhood and spring to get your car fixed. Keeping your car in good, quiet working order will be appreciated by everyone who lives near you.
    • The same goes for your lawnmower and any other noisy equipment you might use outdoors.
    • To have an even greater impact on noise in your area, consider walking or biking instead of using a car whenever possible.
  3. Keep your music down. It might sound beautiful to you, but respect the fact that others might not feel the same way. Your music shouldn't be noticeable outside your own home. If you know that the neighbors don't mind, feel free to keep your windows open and let them enjoy your musical taste, but don't just assume that everyone wants to hear your favorite opera as much as you do.
    • If you play a noisy instrument or are in a band, make sure to practice during reasonable hours.
    • If you're having a party and planning to play loud music, let your neighbors know beforehand so you can avoid conflict.
  4. Respect quiet hours at night. Whether the rule is unspoken or prominently published, make sure you don't make noise after hours. Don't put your neighbors in the position of having to ask you to be quiet, since it's awkward and makes for unfriendly relations. Do your best to be a good neighbor so you can expect the same from those around you.
    • This is especially important if you live in an apartment building. Don't vacuum or do housework late at night, since they'll be able to hear you walking around.

Tips

  • Noise pollution can affect your hearing, so it is important to address it, no matter how big or small the situation is.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.everythingconnects.org/reduce-noise-pollution.html
  2. ↑ http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/air/programs/noise-pollution-policy-interpretation.html
  3. ↑ http://www.dspa.gov.mo/envplanningbook/a/en/ebook/part4/114.htm
  4. ↑ http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/noise-pollution/noise-pollution-prevention.html

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