Society
We should start treating loud ringing phones in public like smoking - an irritant and polluting agent for people around. Almost all phones have a way to indicate an incoming phone call -- be it the vibrate mode or the blinking light. It is possible not to have phones that ring every time there is an incoming call.
Phone Makers
Phone makers can help transition to a better world by implementing silent phones by default.
- Phones are on silent mode by default and have to explicitely turn the mode off (reverse of the current trend).
- Make vibrate mode default instead of ringing sound.
- Notifications, alerts, etc. should have sound disabled by default except for emergencies and government mandated global alerts.