Human health relates either positively or negatively to environmental stimuli. It is well documented in science literature, how toxic substances disturb lung function and how ionizing radiation damage genetic material. In modern societies, noise is an agent entering the list of the diverse environmental stressors of urban population. Noise in the urban environment affects quality of life, as it alters interpersonal communication, sleep, and is a potential risk for hearing loss due to continuous and chronic exposure, as well as some other documented effects. Recently the response of the immune system to the effects of noise is taking importance in the scientific community. Researchers are studying and applying unconventional approaches in order to find any relationship between the amount of noise and the response of the immune system. This paper discusses evidence of the relationship among environmental noise and the immune system, and also questions the methods and techniques applied to finally propose issues to be considered when studying relationships among environmental noise and the immune system.

Unsuitable urban development plans prompt environmental problems that might seriously affect health such as stress, hearing impairment, and respiratory problems. According to the World Health Organization [WHO (2001)] air pollution is one of the leading causes of illness and reduced quality of life in general. This research examines the environmental quality in a critical area of Guadalajara City, taking into account physical and chemical parameters, as well as air microbiology, as an integrated approach to identify health problems in exposed population due to pollution. On this basis, the study suggests an attention proposal.

Noise is a pollutant that significantly affects the quality of life and health of individuals. Individuals exposed to noise may experience stress, discomfort, sleep disturbances, impaired immune system, lack of alertness, hearing loss (to varying degrees), cardiovascular disease, increased aggressiveness of individuals, low productivity, and traffic and workplace accidents. [WHO (1999); Berglund and Lindvall (1995); Clark et al. (2006); Haines et al. (2001)]. In the city of Guadalajara, a large number of schools are located on heavy traffic roads or busy streets, or in hot spots of environmental noise caused by motor vehicles, which exposes children and teachers who attend them to unfavorable acoustic conditions to develop their school tasks. Thus having a negative effect on their attention span, memory, and performance, as well as damaging physical and emotional health. This study aims to contribute to the study of sound quality by means of the analysis of noise conditions at elementary schools, which were located at critical points in terms of heavy vehicular flow. Besides, it analyzes the perception of environmental noise within the same facilities, and how this compares with results from schools located in quiet streets.

In recent years, urban noise has become an essential element in the environmental analysis since the study allows for a support tool for the analysis of environmental quality in the cities. Additionally, residents of large cities are demanding more options for transportation improvements from the standpoint of energy efficiency, low emissions of pollutants, and strategic routes, among others. This proposal presents the results of a diagnosis of urban noise on an avenue with high traffic flow in the city of Guadalajara, and analyzed during the construction of a rapid rail transit preferential and once it is running. The results of the noise levels actually indicate that the entry of a fast and environmental friendly bus significantly reduces noise emissions and contributes to the acoustic quality of the avenue with the benefits it represents for the people.

Environmental quality is one of the most important topics for the social well being and must be considered in order to have a healthy social system. Shopping malls have become an essential part of the daily life of Mexican society as recreational and leisure public areas as well as a strong source of employment and economic incomes. However, the shopping malls can also be a huge source of noise, urban waste, and traffic, among other impacts it can cause in the environment. The objective of this study is to recognize and analyze the environmental quality on recreational public areas, including the way these places are managed, and now they manage solid waste, water savings, energy consumption, and measuring the noise levels inside and outside of the building; the registered range was between 60 and 90 dB(A). Another analyzed aspect is the existence or absence of educational programs oriented to visitors. It is important to find applicable strategies to make these recreational areas a place with improved environmental quality.