Blog 2: Acoustic Smog
Poverty…homelessness…air pollution… water pollution. These are all social issues that are high priority for the Twin Cities, and other major cities in the United States. Although “Acoustic smog� may not be a pressing concern to many, it still affects all of our daily lives. In the city you can’t get away from that constant humming of cars zipping by on the highway. City streets provide the path for the many trucks, cars, and buses that loudly accelerate and occasionally honk at the distracted driver in front of them, stopped at a green light. Planes fly by overhead and sirens scream in the distance. The noise pollution causes the passing pedestrians to actually feel aggravated and stressed. Over time, other serious health problems develop due to these high levels of stress. What might be a little irritation now, could lead to the damage of our physiological and psychological health. I’m experiencing the side effects of acoustic smog as I type. There is loud walking and running just a floor above me, doors slamming as they open and close, and girls laughing down the hall. I keep losing my thoughts, and I’m starting to stress out, because I need to finish this blog in time.
Stress and hypertension are the leading causes to health problems, not to mention the short term irritation and negative effects stress can have on our daily lives. It would be a much more productive and easy going environment if unwanted noises could be limited, so we could concentrate on the many tasks we already have at hand. We all want to save the world, slow the growth of poverty, and increase the quality of air and water. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just focus on these important things, without the constant annoying noises that steal our thoughts? 
Acoustic smog in the Twin Cities may not be completely eliminated, but exploring new ways to reduce it could make our days a little more enjoyable. For example, when redesigning vehicles to be more fuel efficient, and release cleaner exhaust, we could also design ways to damper their acoustic pollution. Tires and roads could be relooked at to not only be more durable, but also absorb more vibrations and sounds. Australia has already taken some action to prevent noise pollution, designing a sound barrier to reduce highway noise heard by the nearby communities. Railways in Athens, Greece are powered by magnets, so the trains are literally floating as they travel, decreasing friction and noise. Even redesigning our individual routines by walking, biking, and taking the bus could greatly reduce the number of vehicles on the road that squeal their tires in attempt to stop in time.
This issue might be hard for some to focus on, with all the other social issues that surround us, but if we don’t put some effort into this issue, then we’ll all suffer from unwanted stress, which never leads to anything good. Maybe then we could start to hear ourselves think, and communicate our ideas easier, and maybe even start to hear the birds chirp again.