Some trends fade quickly because inadvertently, a stronger new trend has entered the scene. Last year there was a visible trend in Spain directed at noise pollution. Unfortunately, the trend was short-lived for two of two reasons.
The first reason is due to the construction and real estate sector facing a decline. Since then, a certain company that marketed “silent bricks”, left the scene too soon. The noise inherent in the quality of the construction of buildings is one of the problems. New projects are built with these better quality bricks. If you live in a house for about 10 years, it is quite normal that you can literally hear what your neighbors are talking about. But the silent brick trend has been gone for a while.
The other trend was made obsolete by the new environmental policies that are becoming popular. Air conditioners (especially Fujitsu) marketed their air conditioners in a completely quiet environment. Today this space has been reclaimed by inexpensive, energy-saving air conditioners. Silence is no longer an issue.
However, noise is one of the social problems in Spain. I like Spain and Spanish society for being expressive and open. The flip side is the amount of noise that society itself produces. Just visit a public school in Spain during recess and you know what I mean. No better indication can be given that awareness-raising is not yet a priority: schools are where people must learn and change.
There is very little awareness of this problem. But new initiatives continue to emphasize care, as Bayer does in linking excessive noise with health problems:
“Bayer’s Spanish subsidiary has launched a campaign to reduce noise pollution. The Internet-based initiative was developed by Bayer experts in cooperation with specialists from Spanish universities and health authorities.” ([http://www.bayer.com/en/spain.aspx])
Furthermore, the growth of cities and towns has turned the problem into a more real problem. The construction of houses, flats and shopping centers along the highway is no exception. However, this has not led to the demand for isolating the road with acoustic barriers. And that, again, for a new trend: the economic recession in Spain. The Spanish unemployment rate is growing faster than any other European country at the moment. Noise pollution just has to wait for better times to control it.
HJB