Excessive sound – an unseen pollutant – not only affects the health of humans, but of animals, too. It has adverse consequences on our planet. The World Health Organization says it is one of the most dangerous environmental threats. Any noise that surpasses 65 decibels is deemed to be harmful to human health.
Traffic and construction sites are the primary culprits for producing harmful noise pollution. However, other environments such as restaurants or public areas – anywhere several people or even animals can gather – are known to produce noise that is beyond the 65 decibel level.
Noise pollution affects the health of both humans and wildlife. For humans, our physical and mental health are negatively impacted by loud noises. We become more irritable, our heart rate and blood pressure spike, and we are prone to headaches and even depression. Our abilities to sleep, concentrate, and moderate our moods are also affected by noise.
Wildlife suffers from noisy environments too. And, when animals’ ways of living are affected, our ecosystems are harmed. The National Park Service in the USA says that noise pollution disrupts animals’ breeding cycles, how they raise their young, and how they avoid predators. Some animals even relocate to avoid noise.
Businesses can make changes in their operations and workspaces to reduce and block out their own noise pollution. Doing so will not only improve the health and wellbeing of employees, but of local wildlife, too.
How to reduce noise pollution
The most immediate step you can take towards reducing the noise you put out is to upgrade your insulation. This can be done by adding things to your office space’s walls, rugging up your floors, and greenifying other areas.
Acoustic fabric wall panels made of semi-rigid fibreglass or mineral fibre work that best are stretched taut within a wooden frame. You can also fill up empty spaces on the walls with large canvas paintings or by hanging blankets. Do not forget about your windows. Look into installing high-quality window shutters. Not only will they block outside noise and retain indoor noise, they will keep your workspaces cool by blocking out sunlight.
If you have tile or hardwood flooring in your workspaces, consider laying rugs or installing carpet. Soft materials in carpets and rugs can reduce the noise of footsteps by up to 35 decibels. Reverberation from other noises are reduced as well. If you don’t want rugs or carpets to be dirtied in your warehouse or manufacturing setting, strips of artificial turf can help.
Bring the outdoors… indoors
To protect our green outdoor spaces and the wildlife that lives within them from noise pollution, greenifying your indoor spaces will do the trick. Bring in potted plants and trees and place them near windows. You can stop noise from leaving or entering your workspace while also keeping the place cool and fresh by adding plants to your work areas.
External or outdoor projects to reduce noise pollutants may cost more and take more time to install, but they are worthwhile. Businesses such as restaurants, outdoor visitor attractions, and open-air shops like nurseries will benefit from these especially. If possible, build a fence around or in select areas of your property to keep noise out. (Just be sure there is a gate to let customers in!) You can reduce outdoor noises down to indoor noises by adding furniture and hanging plants or planted trees where guests. Your neighbours will be appreciative of this. For your entryways, put in solid wood doors.
Some advice for manufacturing or construction outfits: try to put up wood paneling around your noisy equipment to insulate their impact. The whir and roar of your equipment will still be noisy, but the paneling will take some of the edge off it. At any time possible, turn off unused equipment to eliminate background noise.
Switch energy suppliers online quickly and quietly
Unless you still access the Internet through the noisy (but pleasantly nostalgic) dial-up connection, you can shop for and switch energy suppliers completely online. It is quick, easy, and requires no telephone calls. Best of all, you can save money on your next contract.
Visit BusinessEnergyQuotes.com today.