Visualizing Noise Pollution
Spain is leading the battle against noise pollution with a new law that calls for the collection of data which is then converted to sound values through a mathematical model. The resulting “noise maps” allow public health officials and police to get a clear picture of the worst noise offenders in major urban areas. Passed in October 2003, the so-called “noise law” also calls for sanctions for noise violators with fines of up to 300,000 euros ($353,000) for extreme violations. Revisions to the law have given officials the ability to close down businesses, immobilize vehicles, suspend licenses and take other actions to ensure acceptable noise levels. Spanish newspaper El País has printed numerous letters to the editor from citizens still suffering from the effects of noise pollution. The law has proven difficult to implement apparently due to lack of attention from enforcing authorities. Spanish-speakers, see www.mma.es/fr/ publicacion/ambienta/marzo2004_31 for more information.
Do You Have a License to Spin that Disc?
Professional credentialing for disc jockeys is a novel idea gaining popularity in Germany. In an effort to raise awareness of how loud music can damage not only the hearing of DJs but also of their partygoers, Berufsverband Discjockey, the German disc jockey association, in conjunction with experts from the Technical University of Berlin, offers training in acoustics, technology and the dangers of loud music. Upon completion of the course, potential DJs take a written test to earn a DJ license. The program has been in place since November 2004.
Hearing Aids High Fashion in London
The worlds of high fashion and hearing technology collide with interesting results in a unique exhibit, “Hearwear: The Future of Hearing,” at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Running through March 2006, this exhibit presents a series of colorful and modern designs of hearing devices. Exhibit organizers seek to erase the negative perceptions many people hold about hearing devices by proving that they can be fashionable as well as functional – essentially elevating hearwear to the level of eyewear. Some of the United Kingdom’s best designers, including Ross Lovegrove and Priestman Goode, have designed hearwear prototypes. For more information, visit www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions.
Anti-Noise Campaign Finale
European Noise at Work Summit, a joint project of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Union, took place on December 12, 2005, in Bilbao, Spain. The meeting was the closing event of the 2005 "Stop that Noise!" campaign that targeted noise reduction in the workplace across the continent. Visit http://ew2005.osha.eu.int/europeannoisesummit for summit highlights.
