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UNDERSTANDING SOUND/NOISE
Noise has been an environmental issue throughout the ages. Ancient Romans complained about chariots rattling on cobble stone roadways. Renaissance metal smiths often lost their hearing due to continuous and excessive noise. Noise has been called "the natural by-product of expanding human technology." In other words, disagreeable sounds are mostly the fruits of our own creation. Automotive and truck traffic, airplanes, generators, air conditioning units, dishwashers, car alarms and trains are common sounds often described as noise.
Environmental noise can distract attention, disturb sleep and create anxiety. Prolonged exposure to sound levels above 85dB can impair hearing and can be hazardous to overall health.
Noise might be described as any sound that is annoying. This subjective definition of noise causes serious problems when defining the nature of noise since "one man's music can be another man's misery." In many situations, a noise problem is defined as not being in compliance with a particular specification or regulation. Unfortunately, compliance to specific regulations is not a guarantee that individuals, communities and organizations will not complain about perceived noise levels. Their concerns and complaints need to be addressed.
The first goal when dealing with noise complaints is determining a reasonable solution. Understanding the subjective nature of sound is a step in the right direction for finding a reasonable solution.
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