Think, for example, about someone repeatedly clicking their pen while you are trying to concentrate on something. 1 Although excessive sound is often the culprit, it’s important to note than any unwanted sound can potentially affect our health negatively, no matter how loud. Noise pollution is defined as any unwanted or excessive sound that has harmful effects on human health and environmental quality.
Although it often seems like a minor annoyance, the truth is that frequent exposure to these and other similar noises can do serious damage to our health and well-being. With things like modern transportation, heavy machinery, electronic equipment, and loud enclosed places such as office buildings and bars, we are exposed to more noise pollution today than at any point in human history.
