Global Noise Pollution Effort

Dear Director General Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland,

Air and water pollution has always been a global concern affecting both the public's health and the planet's fragile ecosystems. It is high time that the World Health Organization recognize that Noise Pollution on our planet and in our countries is a very serious matter! While we do recognize that governments are capable of outlawing such crude and destructive actions, we also recognize that not enough is being done on a global level to study the problem and resolve it. We also acknowledge that some noise is absolutely necessary such as Trains, Planes, Emergency Sirens, Construction, Commerce etc. Today we wish to address the noise that is completely unnecessary. It is has become absolutely apparent that the spread of electronic technologies that foster anger and ill health via "acoustic terrorism" is taking its toll on our health overall as well as our environment. Vehicles such as "boomcars", also called ground pounders, street pounders, or (rarely) trunk thumpers, loud obnoxious motorcycles, car alarms, extremely loud powerful vehicle exhaust pipes are destroying the soundscape of countries that have yet to outlaw them, making people in some cases deaf and affecting wildlife. It's no wonder considering the brain-liquefying power of some of these car stereo systems. According to Ted Rueter of Noisefree America http://www.noisefree.org "A decent home stereo might pump out 200 watts. But boom car units often boast 1,000 watts of power, and systems with 2,000 or even 3,000 watts have been recorded. As a point of reference, the human pain threshold for noise is 120 decibels (dB), but these rolling sonic factories can hit 140 or even 150 dB. Because decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, the sound level doubles every 10 dB, so (it turns out) 150 dB would be the equivalent of standing next to a 747 with its jet engines at full roar." These vehicles run counter to the desire of most of the population's need for peace and quiet.

"The U.S. Census Bureau notes that noise is Americans' No. 1 complaint about their neighborhoods. Noise levels have risen sixfold in major U.S. cities in the past 15 years, and automobiles are the largest source of noise" and not just in the cities, but can also be found in the countrysides, as well as forests. The noise pollution from the cities is carried over via people bringing their noise with them and has become virtually inescapable. Countries that have expressed concern and outrage over these types of noise pollution include Germany and some of it's other European Union's members, such as Great Britain, Italy. The United States,, New Zealand, Australia and many others that have no clearly defined national solutions for this problem. Today's global village can be found discussing such topics in forums both on and off the Internet with all asking the same underlying question. "What can be done?" The only organization on this planet that is capable of addressing this health issue is the World Health Organization. In addition to boom cars are "vroom cars", vehicles with loud exhaust systems, (unnecessary and in some cases illegal and very bad for our health and the enviroment) that are often found in boom cars; the two combined contribute to a most excruciating experience! They drive up one's blood pressure and are a significant hazard to emergency vehicles as well as a major threat to the public's safety by way of road rage. Racing motorcycles have no good reason for being on public streets and highways, noise levels are as intolerable, as the aforementioned boom and vroom cars. Factor in a few hundred thousand car alarms and honking horns and you have a soundscape that is far from harmonious and supportive of one's health; in fact just the opposite. If we could measure the planet's overall decibel level it would truly be shocking!

We urge the W.H.O. without any further delay to study the problem and take whatever measures are necessary to insure the soundscape of our planet. This is necessary to insure that future generations will have a peaceful, quiet, sane world to live in. Global monitoring and enforcement resulting in stiff penalties of countries that do not follow the W.H.O guidelines regarding Noise Pollution will insure our planet's future soundscape.

Thank you for your time and consideration regarding this crucial global matter.

Very truly yours,
The Concerned People of Earth.