Effects of Noise Pollution on Mental Health of Students Essay Example for Free

Effects of Noise Pollution on Mental Health of Students Essay It is interesting that noises emanating from the various types of roadways of today are still among the most important sources of environmental noise, even though the types of noise are not those that existed in Rome, Medieval Europe, or 18th century Philadelphia. Our modern roadways (including road, rail, and air) and the products of modern technology produce increasing levels of unwanted noise of varying types and intensities throughout the day and night that disturb sleep, concentration, and other functions. (Lee Fleming ) This noise affects us without our being consciously aware of it. Unlike our eyes, which we can shut to exclude unwanted visual input, we cannot voluntarily shut our ears to exclude unwanted auditory input. Our hearing mechanisms are always â€Å"on† even when we are asleep. (Babisch 113:A14-15) 3 The noise problems of the past pale in significance when compared with those experienced by modern city dwellers; noise pollution continues to grow in extent, frequency, and severity as a result of population growth, urbanization, and technological developments. For example, within the European Common Market, 65% of the population is exposed to unhealthy levels f transportation noise. (Carlos 318:1686-1689) In New York City, maximum noise levels measured 106 dB on subway platforms and 112 dB inside subway cars. These levels have the potential of exceeding recommended exposure limits given sufficient duration of exposure. (Gershon et al. 83:802-812) In 1991, it was estimated that environmental noise increased by 10% in the decade of the 1980’ s. ( Suter ) The 2000 United States Census found that 30% of Americans complained of noise and 11% found it to be bothersome. Among those who complained, noise was sufficiently bothersome to make nearly 40% want to change their place of residence. (U. S. Census Bureau, Housing and Economic Statistics Division. ) That noise pollution continues to grow in scope, variety, and magnitude is unquestioned; it is only the extent of the growth that remains unknown. In comparison to other pollutants, the control of environmental noise has been hampered by insufficient knowledge about its effects on humans and about dose-response relationships, but this seems to be changing as more research is carried out. However, it is clear that noise pollution is widespread and imposes long-term consequences on health. (Committee on Environmental Health, American Academy of Pediatrics) In 1971, 4 3a World Health Organization (WHO) working group concluded that noise is a major threat to human well-being. That assessment has not changed in the intervening 30-plus years; if anything, the threat has intensified. The various sounds in our environment (excluding all those sounds that arise in the workplace) to which we are exposed can be viewed as being either necessary (desirable) or unnecessary (undesirable). One might consider the sounds produced in and around our homes by garbage disposals, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, refrigerators, furnaces, air-conditioners, yard maintenance equipment, and the many other mechanized time and labor saving devices, which we all use and enjoy, as being necessary. We are exposed to the noise of radio, television, and related technologies; children are exposed to a wide variety of noisy toys. (Axelson Jerson 76:574-578) The noise of internal combustion engines (modulated by legally required mufflers), jet engines (modulated by improved design and by altered flight paths), and train horns at grade crossings (modulated by new Federal Quiet Zone rules), might all be considered necessary. There are numerous other such examples of machines or activities that produce sounds that are tolerated because they accompany a desired activity or they serve an important societal purpose, such as the sirens of emergency vehicles. But what about sounds that accompany an undesired activity, that have no societal importance, or that we consider unnecessary? What about the sounds produced by the so-called boom-cars that are roving, pulsating noise factories? What about the uncomfortable sound levels at concerts, in theaters, and public sporting events? What 5 about the noise of slow moving train horns in urbanized areas or the early morning sounds accompanying garbage collection? What about all the noise on our streets to which buses, trolley cars, car horns, car alarms, motorcycles, and un-muffled exhaust systems contribute? What about the risks to children from noisy toys and from personal sound systems? What about the noise of barking dogs, leaf blowers, and recreational vehicles? What about the noise of low flying aircraft? In general, sounds that we deem unwanted or unnecessary are considered to be noise. Our society is beset by noise, which is intrusive, pervasive, and ubiquitous; most important of all, it is unhealthy. Most reasonable people would agree that much of the environmental noise to which we are subjected serves no useful purpose and is therefore undesirable. The variety of noise polluting devices and activities is large and seems to be growing on a daily basis, although there is no consensus about what items are useful and desirable or noise polluting and unnecessary. Domestic tranquility is one of the six guarantees in the United States Constitution, a guarantee that is echoed in some form or other in every state Constitution. In 1972, the Noise Control Act was passed by Congress, declaring, â€Å"†¦it is the policy of the United States to promote an environment for all Americans free from noise that jeopardizes health and welfare. In 1974, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that nearly 100 million Americans lived in areas where the daily average noise levels exceeded those identified as being safe. (Environmental Protection Agency) However, in 1982, the government abruptly terminated federal funding for the Office of Noise 6 Abatement and Control, the vehicle by which the public was to be protected from the adver se effects of noise. The lack of funds threw total responsibility for noise control to the states, which have had a spotty and generally poor record with respect to noise abatement. Shapiro ) Since the Act itself was not repealed, local and state governments may have been deterred from trying to regulate noise. Furthermore, failure to repeal the Act sent the message that noise was not an important environmental concern. As a result, in the United States, most police departments seem to be unwilling or unable to respond to noise-related problems in a way that provides any measure of genuine or timely control. Yet, in most cities, as noise pollution continues to grow some say as much as 6-fold in the past 15 years so do complaints about noise. Complaints to police and other officials about noise are among the most frequent complaints by residents in urban environments; in 1998, noise was the number one complaint to the Quality of Life Hotline in New York City. In 1996, the Federal Environmental Agency in Germany reported two out of three of its citizens had complained about excessive noise. (Bronzaft 2:1-8) The number of people exposed to unhealthy levels of noise in the United States is unquestionably greater than it was in 1974; the degree of oversight and control is unquestionably less. II. Research Body

Urban Legend of the Goatman of Beltsville, Maryland :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories

Goatman of Beltsville, Maryland The storyteller told the story of the Goatman from Beltsville story to me. On a summer night in 2005, she and her friend were driving back from a mall. Her friend took a shortcut home to Beltsville, Maryland by way of Callington Road Bridge. While on this shortcut home, her friend stopped the car on the side of road and turned off the headlights. She proceeded to tell the interviewee the story of the Goatman, emphasizing its truthfulness the entire time. After she heard the story, the interviewee never drove across Callington Road Bridge again. The storyteller told me the story of the Goatman in a mutual friend’s dorm room at night. I had come to the dorm room to ask my friend if he knew any urban legends of ghost stories from around campus or the state of Maryland. The storyteller, a 21-year-old biology major, shouted excitedly from the couch that she knew one. She is from Beltsville, Maryland. Her mother is a lawyer and her father is a math professor. My friend and I sat down on the couch and listened intently as she told the story: The Goatman from Beltsville. In the 1970s, a crazy doctor did a genetic experiment. The doctor bred a goat with a human by fusing the two embryos. A baby was born half human and half goat. It had horns, really thick hair on its face, a tail, sharp teeth, and a temper. The deformed baby grew into a really gross guy. As Goatman grew older he became more and more violent until finally the doctor kicked him out. After that, the Goatman retreated into the forest to live. He eats cats and dogs as his main source of food, and from time to time he eats humans walking alone at night along this one road commonly known as Goatman Hallow (Callington Road Bridge). Goatman is bloodthirsty, fearless, and always on the prowl. Sometimes he wanders into people’s back yards and eats their pets. Owners will find their pets the next day with only the carcasses remaining. Kids are warned not to take the shortcut home through the forest because Goatman might eat them. One time a few kids took the shortcut home at night and this one kid fell behind.

Explain how Hill and Golding present death in I’m the King of the Castle and Lord of the Flies respectively? Essay

Hill and Golding both utilise the techniques of symbolism, varied settings and physical death of the character to present death. Overall I think that Hill generally presents death more effectively than Golding, because she generally provides more development throughout her novel, which ultimately leads to the death of Kingshaw. Hill and Golding both use the techniques of symbolism dead stating that â€Å"the inside of its mouth was scarlet† with the adjective â€Å"scarlet† interesting as it has connotations of death and of blood. I think this description of the crow is also a subtle form of prolepsis as the crow is initially portrayed as a normal crow, but as Hill describes the crow further; it is evidently a symbol of death, much like Warings. What is interesting to note about the crow is that it is also described as having â€Å"ragged black wings†- the word ragged could symbolise the aftermath of violence, much like Kingshaw’s exposure to violence later on in the novel and the adjective black is a symbol of death. Another aspect of symbolism regarding the crow is when the crow â€Å"circles over Kingshaw†, symbolically death looms over Kingshaw. This is comparable to the symbolism of death in Lord of the Flies where â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† also symbolises death: one example of this is when the Lord of the Flies states â€Å"we’re going to have fun†- it is a statement, rather than a question, an imperative. The â€Å"fun† that is described refers to evil, ultimately the death of Simon. Another description of the Lord of the Flies describes that is particularly important is when Simon looks at the Lord of the Flies and sees â€Å"blackness† within, a â€Å"blackness that spread†. Perhaps this symbolises not only death, but death spreading throughout the island as other characters are killed. I feel this description also has significance because both Hill and Golding use â€Å"colours† to symbolise death, the colour black. The authors also differ as Hills descriptions are far more graphical, for example the crow, whereas Golding is far more subtle in his description of The Lord of the Flies. I believe that Hills graphic description is more effective at portraying death, her descriptions are far more explicit but some readers may argue this to be a disadvantage as her symbols are too clichà ©d. I think Golding is not as effective because his descriptions are a little more implicit, and hence loses some of the value that his symbol provides in portraying death. Another way in which Hill shows death is through the use of settings. Warings is described as â€Å"being in full night† with â€Å"the yew branches [†¦] overhanging the windows†. Hills typical gothic description to a modern reader is a clear signal of death, especially the Yew branches which also symbolise death. The â€Å"moonlight† suggests a sense of coldness in Warings, like a dead person for example. Warings is also described as â€Å"dark† and â€Å"damp† which emphasises Hills initial description of Warings. This is comparable to Golding’s description â€Å"of the unfriendly side of the island†- a â€Å"place of terror†. This is an explicit meaning, terror and death are linked. Arguably, Castle Rock is the heart of the â€Å"unfriendly side of the island†, Castle Rock is described as being â€Å"the end of the island†, literally the furthest away from the island once compared to paradise. The word â€Å"end† echoes the end of life- supported by the statement â€Å"we shan’t dream to much hear† , perhaps Golding implicitly stating that no one dreams in Castle Rock because death is the end of dreams. Once again I feel that Hill has been more successful at portraying death. Whilst her terms are clichà ©d, she adds a greater degree of subtlety in her descriptions as well, for example the â€Å"moonlight†, the implicit means have greater depth to them, unlike Golding’s explicit descriptions. Finally Hill also presents death in a physical manner as well as through description, through the death of Kingshaw. When Kingshaw dies, it shows death on a physical level, but it may also have a deeper meaning. It was evident from the start of the book, that Kingshaw’s death loomed, however the death signifies the death of the protagonist and victory for the antagonist. This is arguably the death of â€Å"innocence†. This is comparable to Golding’s portrayal of Piggy’s death, describing Piggy’s moments before his death: â€Å"he heard it before he saw it†- the verb heard suggests once again Piggy’s death always loomed, rather like Kingshaw’s. Unlike the death of Kingshaw however, Piggy’s death signals the death of rational, not innocence. I think that Hill has been more effective at portraying death because her description of Kingshaw creates far more emotion rather than the death of Piggy, Golding’s descriptions are too dull. In summary both authors portray death through the use symbolism, settings and physical death. I think that portrayal of death is very effective, especially Hills description. Hill develops her characters throughout her novel, and when Kingshaw dies it is a genuine shock to the reader. Because of Golding’s lack of development, Piggy’s death is not as emotional as Kingshaw’s.

The Suicide, By Octavia Butler - 1597 Words

In the article â€Å"Suicide† on the Opposing Viewpoints website they state â€Å"Each year, about thirty thousand people in the United States commit suicide† (â€Å"Suicide†).I chose the theme of violence from the novel Kindred, written by the author Octavia Butler. A specific issue that arose within this theme is the act of suicide. Webster Dictionary defines suicide as the act of intentionally causing one s own death. Suicide is the escape route out of many situations their victims can’t fight. Suicide goes back in history all the way to BC time. One of the first suicide cases was the Greek philosopher Socrates dated on 399 BC May 7. Suicide has been around for several years. This theme relates to kindred because one of the characters commit suicide. . Suicide is a critical conversation in the world today because the suicide rate is increasing rapidly (â€Å"Suicide†). It is very common to see someone has committed suicide. The age group thatâ₠¬â„¢s being targeted now are young adults, and older celebrities. Teen suicide is a growing health concern. It is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24, surpassed only by homicide and accidents, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people take different viewpoints on this issue. Some people feel as though self-murder is there choice. Another viewpoint people feel is, there is always another option than suicide. In society, we feel like you can seek professional help before you try to commitShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Writing Style Of Octavia Butler1432 Words   |  6 Pages25 September 2017 First Essay Assignment Kindred By Octavia Butler The writing style of Octavia Butler is heavily influenced by her historical period and her life experiences. This is evident through investigation of her historical period, life experiences, her novel; Kindred. 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Through her day-to-day life on the Weylin plantation, the readerRead MoreParable Of The Sower Octavia Butler Essay2230 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"God is Power—infinite, irresistible, inexorable, indifferent. And yet, God is Pliable—trickster, teacher, chaos, clay. God exists to be shaped. God is Change.† (Butler 25). In Parable of the Sower Octavia Butler introduces the concept of religion through her characters specifically Lauren. In a society that is crumbling, religion is seemed to be the only thing striving. The idea that although society could be falling apart many of the characters either cling to their beliefs, or shy away from themRead More`` Kindred, By Octavia Butler1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn Octavia Butler’s novel, Kindred, Butler presents to the reader the controversial character of Rufus Weylin, a white plantation owner who is also the ancestor of the novel’s protagonist, Dana. As the story progresses, Rufus commits various heinous and agreeable acts that would have the reader question his innate goodness, or lack thereof. Butler never explicitly states whether Rufus is naturally good or inherently evil, but, through a number of incidents that merge to illustrate his true characterRead MoreMr Rodway1700 Words   |  7 Pagesdeliver’. The structure of social services changed in April 2006 with the creation of separate Children’s Trusts and Adult Social Care Departments, and all local authorities are now split into sub divisions with different areas of specialism. Octavia Hill stated that the need for specialism are to identify intensity of needs, and to engage with children and adults. She argued that childcare practice is so complex that it can only be done by a specialist social worker. ( Smith 2000). When trainingRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesfor the world to end. Her evangelical father has packed up the family to drive west to California. As Jess’s belief frays, her teenage myopia evolves into awareness about her fracturing family. Image: Liveright  · 35. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler When unattended environmental and economic crises lead to social chaos, not even gated communities are safe. In a night of fire and death Lauren Olamina, a minister s young daughter, loses her family and home and ventures out into the unprotected