Hi everyone! As usual, before we end off on a series, we cover solutions to the problems and issues caused by pollution mentioned previously, which in this case would be light and noise pollution.
Reducing light pollution is not only important to curb the health issues it can cause but also reduce energy wastage. Likewise for noise pollution, it can hurt us physically and physiologically by disturbing our sleep and causing great annoyance to us.
Current measures
Some current solutions for light pollution in use include:
- Pointing lights downwards to minimize the risk of spill light
- Using fewer lights that are unnecessary such as those purely for aesthetics
- Using motion sensors to provide lighting only when needed and using automated lights to promote natural lighting
Meanwhile, some solutions to noise pollution involve wearing earplugs or noise cancellation ear phones, though these do not seem much more comfortable than the noise itself.
Despite some of these measures and more, the problem still persists, which begs the question…
What else can be done?
In the case of tourism, there are opportunities for a new type of tourism that not only capitalises on the increasing ubiquity of light pollution throughout the world, but also seeks to conserve nighttime darkness. With increasing urbanization and illuminated nightskies, many people have hardly or even have never seen the stars and the Milky Way. This is why many people pay good money to visit Sedona, Arizona, which still manages to be untouched by light pollution, to marvel at the rare dark sky lit only by cosmic wonders from space during stargazing tours.
Even with tourism that seeks to protect the genuine darkness of the sky in remote areas like Sedona, the looming threat of tourism and increasing tourism arrivals bringing infrastructure developments and light increases as well.
For noise pollution, as exemplified by the gory events in Thailand mentioned in our post, noise can be so unbearable to us that it can make us go through extreme lengths to stop it. While murderous acts may be effective in curbing the noise that annoys us, it is most certainly NOT recommended, not to mention, illegal and immoral. What we can do is to find subtle, yet effective measures to minimise the noise pollution that annoys and affects us.
One solution that is used in some public spaces in cities is using fountains. We know this may seem strange, like what exactly can fountains do to help? It is through white noise. Acoustical experts in a new field of ambisonics are at work to reconfigure the urban soundscapes to make intrusive noises (like from traffic) less obvious and amplify more pleasant ambient noises (like the sound of flowing water) instead. Much like how some people with sleep issues listen to ASMR to encourage sleep, the ambient sounds can mask the more annoying noises to make peoples’ lives more enjoyable and comfortable. Not to mention, fountains contribute to the aesthetics and visual grandness of a place, especially a touristic area. What a way to kill two birds with one stone.
Like in many other issues we face, we have to think out of the box to find solutions to light and noise pollution. Sometimes, the solution may be closer to us than we think, as seen in ambient sounds, and also in very remote places like Sedona, Arizona.
References
Benfield, K, n.d., ‘Taming the sound of the city: dealing with noise pollution’, Smart Cities Dive, viewed on 1 November 2020, https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/taming-sound-city-dealing-noise-pollution/41040/
‘IDA Designates Sedona, Arizona, the World’s Eighth International Dark Sky Community’ 2014, International Dark Sky Association, viewed on 1 November 2020, https://www.darksky.org/ida-designates-sedona-arizona-the-worlds-eighth-international-dark-sky-community/