16 October 2018
Based on the stated mission of Ecovillages in the US to educate the public about the benefits of cohousing from resource conservation and sustainability to resilient communities and healthy families and the fact that some ecovillages in the US have installed wireless antennas throughout their neighborhoods, we are writing to offer you and your member organizations information and education about the adverse health impacts of exposure to wireless radiation, such as emitted by Wi-Fi routers, cell phone antennas, cell phones, tablets, and other wireless devices. There is much evidence that wired internet, such as fiber optic or cable, is far superior to wireless internet not only in terms of health but also reliability, security and sustainability.
The report “Re-Inventing Wires: The Future of Landlines and Networks” recently made a strong case for installing community fiber instead of wireless communications technologies and we think communities should know about this. Fiber connections provide impressive bandwidth and efficiency when compared to wireless. Plus, with the advancements in technolgy such as hermetic sealing methods (you can learn more about it here), they can be made just as resilient to the elements. Communities ought to be investing in hard-wired communications and resisting pressure from the wireless industry to put wireless antennas densely throughout our neighborhoods where people sleep and children play outside.
http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-…/…/
As people concerned about our health and the health of the environment, we ought to be demanding hard-wiring for internet access to meet the vast majority of our needs. Not only does this approach avoid radiation risks, but it is preferable in terms of speed of access, reliability, privacy, quality of voice communications, value, resiliency in weather events, and reduced energy usage. Anyone who considers him or herself an environmentalist or is concerned about global warming will want to understand the extreme energy guzzling nature of wireless technologies.
Thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies show that exposure to microwave radiation (at power levels and frequencies one would be exposed to from wireless antennas) causes multiple biological harms. The news media focus solely on the evidence for cancer risk, as if that were the only possible consequence of exposure to microwave radiation. But in addition to cancer, exposure to wireless radiation has also been shown to cause: breakdown of the Blood Brain Barrier (which protects the brain from harmful substances); short-term memory loss; immune function impairment; decrease in reproductive function; sleep disruption; less developed memory and attention; and slower reaction time in children.
http://electromagnetichealth.org/…/8-distinct-well-establi…/
http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-…/…/
In “The Dangers of Electropollution,” (2/6/07) Joy Carlson MPH states: “The explosion of wireless technology has brought with it a totally new form of dangerous radiation called electropollution. Humanity is now exposed to more than 100 million times more radiation than just two decades ago…It is an invisible danger that has no sound or smell but is creating chaos with all of our cells. In less than two decades, one third of the global village has embraced this new technology, spawning the multi-million-dollar wireless communications industry. From cell phones to hot spots to entire wireless cities, rarely has a technology so rapidly and so profoundly transformed the world.
“The 100 trillion cells of the body communicate with each other by subtle low electromagnetic signals as well as through chemical reactions. Continuous exposure to electromagnetic radiation can drastically distort and disrupt these cellular communications pathways, resulting in abnormal cellular metabolism and eventually disease. Electropollution profoundly compromises the normal intercellular communication of the body. Cell function deteriorates, cell membranes harden, causing a shutdown of the cells. Now nutrients cannot get in and toxins cannot get out. Over time this leads to toxin and free radical buildup, genetic mutation, premature aging, illness and disease.” https://cehn.org/about/advisory-council/joy-carlson-m-p-h/
According to the Bioinitiative Report (2012) http://www.bioinitiative.org/ , comprised of over 2000 international scientific studies on the adverse health effects of regular and continuous exposure to microwave radiation, the weight of evidence pointing to the need for stronger US public safety standards for exposure to wireless antennas and devices exceeds the weight of evidence that linked smoking with lung cancer when public warnings were issued about the hazards of cigarette smoking.
The International EMF Scientist Appeal was submitted to the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environment Program in 2015. It is signed by 244 scientists in 41 nations, all of whom have published papers showing biological and adverse health effects from wireless technologies far below the FCC safety threshold. The signatories call for the UN to investigate this matter and recommend, in part: protection of children and pregnant women; strengthened guidelines and regulatory standards; development of safer technology; maintenance of adequate power quality and proper electrical wiring by utilities and companies such as saltle.com/electrical-services-austin-tx/electrical-wiring-and-rewiring/; dissemination of public health information and harm reduction strategies; medical education and training; establishment of independent, sustained government research programs; media disclosure of EMF expert’s financial ties to industry; and designation of white zones (radiation-free areas). The Advisors to the Appeal recommend that 5th Generation Wireless (i.e. 5G) should be investigated before it is deployed. www.emfscientist.org
Many countries and institutions have taken steps to reduce exposure to wireless radiation in favor of protecting their communities. Please see the following website for specific information on these actions: http://manhattanneighbors.org/wifi-cell-phone-related-inte…/
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the largest US organization of children’s doctors, has repeatedly written to the US government that current regulations on cellular radiation are outdated and not protective for children and pregnant women. Their web page includes an Egyptian study that confirmed living nearby mobile phone base stations increased the risk for developing: headaches, memory problems, dizziness, depression and sleep problems. https://www.healthychildren.org/…/Electromagnetic-Fields-A-…
Reaching scientific consensus on any matter of public health is a long and complex process. Policy makers need to come up to speed on the science and then pass public health policy. Meanwhile, there is sufficient information to cause us to pause, practice precaution and, if wireless systems are already in place, become aware that healthy, reliable alternatives are available. For more information visit: www.emrnetwork.org , www.electromagnetichealth.org , https://ehtrust.org/…/medical-doctors-consensus-statements…/ , http://emfsafetynetwork.org , http://manhattanneighbors.org .
Members of our Board of Directors and Board of Advisors are available to meet with members of your community to help you both understand the concerns of wireless networks and the advantages of wired systems. Please feel free to call on us.
Sincerely,
Virginia Hines,
For the Board,
The EMR Network
