Noise is an ubiquitous environmental problem. 2007 was the year of noise awareness. Noise-induced stress is a problem affecting society as a whole which has become epidemic. Noise is almost ubiquitous in Germany, a highly industrialized country with densely populated areas and a high traffic volume

and is seen by many people as the most strongly felt form of environmental pollution. We cause this noise and also suffer from its effects. Noise has been the number one contributing factor in occupational diseases for years.