What are ways in which people can avoid exposure to excessive noise and help prevent noise-induced ...

When you can't avoid excessive noise, as in work sites, wear hearing protectors or soft foam or silicone-type earplugs.
Use your fingers as earplugs in an emergency.
Turn down the volume on your stereo, especially when using earphones.
Do not attend ear-splitting concerts.
Sound-protect your home with heavy curtains, acoustical ceiling and wall tiles, double-paned windows, and thick carpeting.
Don't become a noise polluter.
Pressure government officials to seek remedies if you live in a noisy area.

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Legislation to make standards tougher.
Increasing enforcement of standards.
Make funds available to renovate aging systems.
More testing of water supplies.

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Growing need for housing and food.
Clearing of wilderness land (weather pattern changes).
Threat of famine.
Closer contact of humans with disease-carrying organisms as land is cleared.
Transportation enables quicker spread of exotic diseases.

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Inquire about the need for an X-ray.
Don't refuse to have an X-ray taken that is medically indicated because of concerns about exposure to radiation.
Inform your doctor or medical technician if you are pregnant or suspect you might be.
Make sure that your reproductive organs are covered or shielded from X-ray beams.
Make sure a copy of your X-rays is kept safely on file.

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Ionizing radiation:
- Powerful, high-energy radiation capable of causing atoms to become electrically charged.
- Includes X-rays, cosmic rays, and radiation from power plant accidents.
- Radiation from uranium and radium.
- Very dangerous at high levels; can alter DNA structure.

Nonionizing radiation:
- Cannot ionize matter.
- UV light.
- Emitted from electrical appliances, radios, and computers.
- Sunlight is the most plentiful form.