Photo credit: Leon Warnking from Pexels
by David M. Sykes, Vice Chair, The Quiet Coalition
The British government has paid much more attention to noise pollution than we here in the U.S., but the well-researched data in this article in the Economist clearly demonstrates that free market economics have not been kind to London’s Tube riders.
While the data show that a subway ride in London is somewhat less noisy than a similar ride in New York City, the noise exposure levels in London are still sufficient to cause permanent hearing damage.
What this article demonstrates is that, just like the decades-old problems with smog and second-hand smoke around the world, eradication can take a long, long time—even after powerful public health officials have recognized the seriousness of the problem.
All the more reason why people everywhere need to purchase and carry good hearing protection at all times—whether earplugs or earmuffs or noise-cancelling headphones.
Preventing hearing loss is the only solution, because there are no effective treatments, remedies, or cures–once your hearing is gone, nothing can be done.
