Unit 10 No technology No way

No Technology? No Way! Well, Maybe…

No BlackBerry, no cell phone, no Facebook, no Twitter, no iPad…NO WAY?! Well, maybe. After reading the recent Wall Street Journal article “Your Blackberry or Your Wife” by Elizabeth Bernstein, I was intrigued by the concept of going tech-free. The sidebar, 10 Signs Your Devices Are Hurting Your Relationships, sparked the rationale for doing a tech-free experiment of my own. Even the hilarious Dunphys onModern Family tried going unplugged. Ummm, maybe my husband and I could do this for one night per week? No Tech Tuesday?

My top five reasons for a tech detox:

1. Dinner, Interrupted - In the new “classic” dinner setting, electronic devices have become part of the table setting (fork, knife, spoon, iPhone). At restaurants…and at home. Let’s enjoy each other’s company. And ditch the plugged-in place setting.
2. How Did I Get Here? -Raise your hand if you mindlessly walk to work/school/the gym every day, yet never notice the architecture of the buildings along the way. Or another human being. You are pulled toward your destination like Jason and the Argonauts, except there are no Sirens. (Unless you don’t dodge traffic well. In that case, I hope you have insurance.) With head down, oblivious to everything, some miraculous feat gets you there. Call me a yoga junkie, but I miss mindfulness. I’d like to initiate a temporary ban on “texting gloves” and street e-mailing!
3. No Good Vibrations - PDAs are not alarm clocks. The BlackBerry in the bedroom is causing a perpetual state of hyper-awareness. The blinking light, the pings, the vibrations. Must make bedroom a BlackBerry-free zone.
4. Solitaire Means ONE - While great for productivity, the iPad and iPhone tempt mere mortals with an endless amount addictive games. Take this test: If you constantly play solitaire when not alone, tech detox is for you. (Confession: I sometimes wonder how I lived without the iPad and its apps.)
5. Red Light, Green Light? - Has a red stoplight become an opportunity to explore the red blinking light indicating a text, e-mail, etc.? Cars have been around since the 1800s, we can survive a 20-minute drive without technology. I think.

http://jenmaguire.tumblr.com/post/2733515420/no-technology-no-way-well-maybe

Essay N. 6 

Sonic Pollution

The Merriam-Webster dictionary  defines sonic as  “having a frequency within the audibility range of the human ear —used of waves and vibrations[1].” In sonic pollution, the effects can be auditory and non- auditory. Some auditory effects may be auditory fatigue and deafness. While some non-auditory effects may be physiological and psychological changes in human beings. Noise pollution is annoying, disruptive to people’s emotional state, and sometimes even bad for people’s health. [2]

As the world becomes more advanced, noise increases .Transportation vehicles are the worst offenders, with aircraft, railroad stock, trucks, buses, automobiles, and motorcycles all producing excessive noise. The air around us is constantly filled with sounds, yet most of us would probably not say we are surrounded by noise.Though for some, the persistent and escalating sources of sound can often be considered an annoyance. This “annoyance” can have major consequences, primarily to one’s overall health.  Noise pollution can also affect animals and the environment.

Sound is pleasant or not depending upon its loudness , duration, rhythm and the mood of person. Any unwanted sound that penetrates the environment is noise pollution. In general,  noise pollution refers to any noise irritating people’s ears , coming from an external source. Noise pollution  is  continuously disturbing human peace and tranquility. Noise induced stress creates severe tension in daily living and contributes to mental illness.

Headaches, nauseas and fatigue, phychological disorders , acoustic trauma, hyperglycaemia, hypokalaemia and hypoglycaemia are some of the issues caused by noise pollution. [3]

Noise intensity is measured in decibel units. Subjected to 45 decibels of noise, the average person cannot sleep. At 120 decibels the ear registers pain, but hearing damage begins at a much lower level, about 85 decibels.[4] Apart from hearing loss, such noise can cause lack of sleep, irritability, heartburn, indigestion, ulcers, high blood pressure, and possibly heart disease.

Noise is recognized as a controllable pollutant that can yield to abatement technology . Noise has become an important environmental pollutant and is a serious threat to the quality of our atmosphere that be foul air,  water and soil.[5]

Noise is  an unwanted, unpleasant  sound that causes discomfort. It can be minimized by reducing noise at source, population exposed, and duration of noise exposure. Individuals can take many steps to protect themselves from the harmful effects of noise pollution.

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[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonic

[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Noise-Pollution

[3] http://es.scribd.com/doc/29062311/noise-pollution-and-its-control

[4] http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/noise-pollution.html

[5] http://es.scribd.com/doc/29062311/noise-pollution-and-its-control