The Right-to-Quiet Movement: Shouting down excess noise

Tue, 04/22/2008 - 06:08 — Blake

The Interesting Thing Of The Day Blog takes a look at "The Right-to-Quiet Movement" the Right to Quiet Society, one of numerous organizations dedicated to the promotion of quiet. There is in fact a rather large and diverse anti-noise pollution movement afoot. Typically the anti-noise groups focus on the second type of noise, citing extensive research on noise-related health concerns: hearing damage from extended exposure to high levels of sound, sleep loss, psychological trauma, and increased stress levels resulting in high blood pressure, aggressive behavior, and even suicide. But there is also a significant drive to reduce background noises, because even though they may not result in hearing loss, the cumulative long-term effect of low-volume but persistent unwanted sounds can have significant impact on one’s mental health and stress level.