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Dangerous Decibels

YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF NOISE AS POLLUTION, BUT LOUD SOUNDS CAN INDEED HINDER YOUR HEALTH.  WE’RE VALUING LOW VOLUME ON TODAY'S ENVIRONMINUTE.

CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE NOT ONLY HAMPERS COMMUNICATION – IT CAN AFFECT US PHYSICALLY.  YET THE ASSAULT ON OUR EARS BY VEHICLES, CONSTRUCTION, AND EVEN ENTERTAINMENT IS GROWING.  A HUNDRED MILLION AMERICANS NOW LIVE WITH UNHEALTHY NOISE LEVELS, AND THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES RANGE FROM HEARING LOSS TO SLEEP, MENTAL HEALTH, AND EVEN HEART IMPAIRMENTS.

IRONICALLY, THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET IN THE MINDS OF POLITICIANS AND THE PUBLIC - EVEN AS NOISE BECOMES HARDER TO AVOID.  CALIFORNIA PHYSICIAN LOUIS HAGLER BELIEVES THIS IS BECAUSE NOISE POLLUTION IS SO COMMONPLACE IN OUR SOCIETY THAT PEOPLE DON’T VIEW IT AS THREATENING.

HAGLER SUGGESTS LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THIS NOISY WORLD ONLINE AT NO-NOISE-DOT.ORG.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more from the Southern Medical Journal.

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