We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: NOISE-POLLUTION-NYC-TV
HEADLINE: Study: Up to One-Third of Americans Exposed to Dangerous Noise Levels
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 8/23/2023 at 8:10 p.m.
BYLINE: Aron Ranen
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: New York City
VIDEOGRAPHER: Aron Ranen
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Tsikhanenka, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA
PLATFORMS: WEB__TV_X__RADIO_X_
TRT: 2:48
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: TV
UPDATE: ))
((INTRO))
[[Research shows that prolonged exposure to high levels of noise may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In New York City, not only the largest U.S. city by population but also one of the loudest, avoiding noise can be an everyday struggle. Aron Ranen has the story from the Big Apple]].
[[NAT SOUND CITY NOISE]]
((NARRATOR))
Ricky Nguyen [‘ree:ki ‘win] resides in the heart of New York City's Chinatown, where the cacophony generated by ongoing construction has drastically disrupted his daily life.
((Ricky Nguyen, New York City Resident)) ((male, in ENGLISH))
"This is a noise meter. I had to buy one."
The relentless clamor has grown to such an extent that Nguyen now measures the noise that affects not only him but also the tightly knit community of older Asians who live on his block.
((Ricky Nguyen, New York City Resident)) ((male, in ENGLISH))
"I can’t imagine for the elderly that's living in that building over there, they have open windows and they're directly adjacent to all the noise.”
"I lived here for 11 years, and I wanted to live here for the next 11 years."
((NARRATOR))
Recent research involving 130,000 people who used the noise detector feature on their Apple Watches has uncovered concerning results, as disclosed by the study's principal investigator.
[[Radio intro: Rick Neitzel is a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan]]
((Rick Neitzel, University of Michigan Environmental Health Sciences)) ((Male in ENGLISH)) ((Zoom))
“Preliminary results suggest that potentially as many as one in three Americans are exposed to levels of sound that might be harmful to their health.”
((NARRATOR))
Neitzel's research also revealed other unexpected findings.
((Rick Neitzel, University of Michigan Environmental Health Sciences)) ((Male in ENGLISH)) ((Zoom))
“We've also found that not everybody is equally exposed. In fact, our participants who are Black or Hispanic have tended to have higher noise exposures than folks from other racial and ethnic groups."
((NARRATOR)) ((mandatory courtesy: Massachusetts General Hospital))
In a separate study, researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital have correlated ((end courtesy)) prolonged noise exposure to significant health issues, potentially leading to fatal outcomes.
[[Radio intro: Dr. Michael Osborne is a cardiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and lead researcher of the noise study]]
((Dr. Michael Osborne, Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiologist)) ((male in ENGLISH)) ((Zoom))
“From our data and the work of others, it appears that noise has been under-recognized and independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.”
((NARRATOR))
Osborne’s study also found that people living in areas with high levels of transportation noise, such as near airports, face an increased likelihood of major cardiac events.
((Dr. Michael Osborne, Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiologist)) ((male in ENGLISH)) ((Zoom))
“We found, basically, that there was a pathway linking noise to cardiovascular disease that came through the brain and involved inflammation of the arteries leading to this downstream consequence, it's likely an under-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”
((NARRATOR))
In response to such health concerns, information about the hazards of noise pollution has expanded through websites, organizations, and apps that empower people to gather data and push for quieter neighborhoods.
[[Radio intro: Arline Bronzaft is an activist in the field of noise harm reduction]].
((Arline Bronzaft, Noise Harm Reduction Activist)) ((female in ENGLISH))
“When I started, there were fewer people who were fighting for less pollution to now there are more people. There are more studies, and we've just had a congresswoman introduce legislation to re-fund the office of noise abatement and control at the EPA. [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]
((NARRATOR))
With the federal government potentially addressing this invisible menace, noise pollution may soon become as prominent a concern as air pollution.
((Aron Ranen, VOA News, New York City))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateAugust 23, 2023 21:32 EDT
BylineAron Ranen
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English