Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 24/02) - Noise is so pervasive a form of pollution that it goes almost unnoticed.

And that's why the League for the Hard of Hearing is sponsoring today as International Noise Awareness Day, which proposes one minute of silence, from 2:15-2:16 p.m.

We become attuned to noise to the extent that silence is disconcerting.

Equally disconcerting can be those noises that, for one reason or another, grate on your senses.

"One thing about noise is it is usually alright for the noise-maker but not those who have to listen to it," said a Yellowknife resident who did not want their name used because of neighbourhood noise disputes in the past.

That barking dog, the neighbour's air conditioner, that generator used by the cabin on the point, those bawling brats left out in the yard -- they can be heard as nagging infringements on one's quality of life.

For some, it seems, making noise is a form of self-expression -- "You can hear me, therefore I am."

Take those boom boxes on four wheels you see rolling through downtown every now and then. Sure, it's great listening to your favourite tunes while driving, but past a certain point you install yourself as deejay for a city block that never asked for one.

Fortunately, there are some laws to reign in the thoughtlessly noisy, laws against loud mufflers, barking dogs and parties in the middle of the night.

"We get noise complaints a couple of times a week," said Doug Gillard, manager of municipal enforcement.

"This morning we got a complaint about barking dogs."

In addition to a quality of life issue, noise can be a hazard to your hearing.

How much of a hazard is a combination of how loud the noise is and how long you are exposed to it.

According to the league, the 140 decibels some car stereos crank out is enough to damage your hearing in less than two minutes.

Snowmobiles generate as much as 99 decibels, enough to damage your hearing in about 20 minutes. Maybe it's a snowball effect. People who are constantly around noise have to keep upping the volume because their hearing is fading, sucking our aural senses down with theirs.