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在线翻译:
szdaily -> Opinion -> 
SZ is getting uncomfortably loud
    2017-01-02  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

    Priyanka Sharma

    consultpriyanka1@gmail.com

    TWO years ago, when I moved into my neighborhood, I couldn’t be happier. It was serene, green, quaint and quiet with wide open lanes and everything I could ever need within walking distance. It was just what I wanted.

    But lately this hasn’t been so. As the not-so-chilly winter set into Shenzhen and I was finally able to ditch the air conditioning and open the windows, I encountered not-so-fresh city air along with unwelcomed, annoying, loud noises.

    I told myself that I am just not accustomed to living with doors and windows open and hence I am being too sensitive to the surrounding noise. If only this was true, over the next few days I found myself getting more and more irritated with all the noise. During the day, it was always someone singing in a not-so-melodious voice, almost to the point of shrieking, and there was always haunting music coming from somewhere unknown. In the evening, there was always something happening at the stadium, people cheering and loud music. At night, there was always a car alarm going off with no one to quiet it down, or drunk people kicking an empty beer can on the streets. Along with blaring horns of the ships from the docks, and trucks passing by with drivers seizing every opportunity to give a long press on their horns. It was getting harder and harder to sleep. If I closed my windows, I’d suffocate, if I opened them, I couldn’t sleep.

    On the weekend, things got worse. There were fairs organized at the plaza which was again accompanied by loud music, there were people dancing in the square with loud music and the approaching holiday season didn’t really help in the matter.

    I usually work from home and it was getting more and more difficult to focus with all the noise and I found myself escaping to a small café where 90s music was not played at twice the volume required for the space.

    My dogs were cranky and I was always on edge. I wanted to find out if it was just me or was there somebody out there sharing my pain. I called my friends in Shekou, Nanshan and Futian. And I was not surprised when my suspicion was confirmed. Shenzhen was getting louder by the minute.

    

    We are all so busy worrying about the increasing pollution in cities, buying face masks, covering ourselves with scarves and using anti-pollutants, that we hardly have paid attention to this other serpent raising its head.

    We didn’t notice its effects instantly yet slowly but steadily it hurts us as much as any other type of pollution, our day’s rhythm is disturbed, we are not well-rested, our sleep is less calm, our minds are constantly active, our thoughts are interrupted and it gets harder to focus, resulting in headaches, fatigue, hypertension and sleeping disorders such as insomnia.

    Anything above 85 Db is harmful to human hearing and yet we are exposed to it constantly and more frequently than our body can endure.

    So how about we all do something about it? Play music at the appropriate volume, and maybe the city’s authorities can help by passing a law against loud music played in public places.

    Control the use of loud speakers in public places such as supermarkets. Does the woman promoting those health products really need a loud speaker? And even if she does, does she really need to set the volume so high?

    Enforce the ban on honking, especially in and around residential areas. It is understandable that the night guards have to talk and do something to keep themselves awake but they also have to understand that people are sleeping.

    It’s not only the air and the water pollution that we have to worry about, a green planet is also a quiet and calm one and we’d better do something about it before this problem also gets out of hand.

    Your sincerest quiet lover.

    (The author is an aspiring writer with a passion for travel and photography.)

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