Smart Meters, the Opposite of Green

Common Ground CoverJeromy Johnson of EMFanalysis.com. wrote an excellent article called, “Smart Meters, the Opposite of Green” which was recently published in the SF Bay Area Common Ground magazine.  The article summarizes exactly why smart meters are such a bad idea for our communities. Find the article on his website:  http://www.emfanalysis.com/1/post/2014/04/common-ground-article.html

There will be a special screening of the documentary “Take Back Your Power” on Saturday April 26, at 7 p.m. at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley.  Q&A follows with Jeromy Johnson, film maker Josh del Sol, and Foster and Kimberly Gamble of the movie “Thrive”.  To reserve your free seat visit:  TakeBackYourPower.net 

US Department of the Interior warns: communication towers threaten birds

Bald Eaglesh In a letter about a new nation wide wi-fi deployment (called *FirstNet), the US Department of the Interior states the wireless proposal threatens birds, and is not consistent with current information and laws that protect birds.  They called for an environmental review.

hTwo  hundred forty one bird species are at mortality risk from both tower collisions and from exposure to the radiation towers emit.  This includes birds that are endangered or threatened, Birds of Conservation Concern, migratory birds, and eagles.  They estimate up to 6.8 million bird deaths a year may result from collisions with towers.

hhStudies of radiation impacts on wild birds documented nest abandonment, plumage deterioration and death.  Birds studied included House Sparrows, White Storks, Collared Doves, and other species.  Studies in laboratories of chick embryos documented heart attacks and death.

hIn their letter, The Dept of the Interior criticizes the FCC’s radiation safety guidelines stating,“the electromagnetic radiation standards used by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continue to be based on thermal heating, a criterion now nearly 30 years out of date and inapplicable today.”

For more information see Dept of Interior letter and background: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/us_doi_comments.pdf

*In 2010 President Obama called for a new nationwide wireless network.  FirstNet is that broadband initiative. See background proposal and More info on FirstNet. 

“The world is going wireless and we must not fall behind. ” President Barack Obama

See this website for a compilation of studies on effects on wildlife http://www.emfresearch.com/emf-wildlife/

Hawaii Bill calls for immediate smart meter moratorium

Hawaii SealWouldn’t it be fantastic if Hawaii could stop the smart meter deployment?

Hawaii state Representative Kaniela Ing has introduced a bill HR 146 “Expressing support for an immediate moratorium on the installation and promotion of smart meters until they are proven safe to public health and the environment, economy, and security of the state.”

Please support this effort by signing the Petition to Stop the “Smart Grid” in Hawaii until the safety of the technology involved can be proven:  http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-smart-grid-electro?source=c.fwd&r_by=3159788

And submit testimony in support of this bill here:  http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=146&year=2014

Kim Goldberg’s book project: REFUGIUM

Author Kim Goldberg
Author Kim Goldberg

In Nanaimo, British Colombia, Canada, award-winning journalist and author Kim Goldberg is writing a book about people living with electrosensitivity, and about the consequences of a society that is poisoning itself with wireless technology.

Although Kim is not electrosensitive herself, she has lived her entire life without ever owning any wireless devices or having them anywhere on her property.  She embarked on this book project as a result of her own involvement in fighting smart meters in BC.

“Through the fight against smart meters here in British Columbia, I became increasingly aware of how many people are disastrously affected by wireless radiation in general and by smart meters in particular,” Kim says.  “I was hearing stories of a person confined to a wheelchair after 24 smart meters were installed on her wall in an apartment building, or the school teacher who now has to sleep in her car in the driveway each night because she can no longer sleep in her bedroom, or the musician who became so sick after smart meter installation that she had BC Hydro disconnect all the power to her home.”

Kim says she wants to “put a human face on electrosensitivity” with her book project.  “In many ways we are drowning in data about the very real health risks and consequences of our increasing exposure to wireless radiation,” she says. “There really is no shortage of evidence. I think what’s needed now is to humanize the problem.  And that’s what I hope to do with my book—show the public how lives are devastated by daily exposure to this radiation coming from cell phones, wi-fi, cordless phones, smart meters, etc., and how we are all at risk.  I also want to show the world the ingenious and courageous strategies electro-sick people are using to find or create safe havens for themselves and their families—for this is a future we may all be facing, and sooner rather than later.”

You can visit her growing list of Sanctuaries here: http://electroplague.com/sanctuaries/ Kim says she is always looking for more electro-safe sanctuaries to add to her list—official sanctuaries as well as unofficial places around the world that happen to have low signal.

Kim’s book Refugium: Wi-Fi Exiles and the Coming Electroplague will be published in 2015.  For updates on her progress, you can sign up to follow her Refugium blog, and you will be notified by email of new postings: http://electroplague.com/blog/

Manager comes unglued at protest of electricity disconnect

Request for fair treatment ignored

A small rural electric utility in Northern California, Plumas Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC), has disconnected power to Stop Smart Meters Director Josh Hart and his partner Heidi for refusing to pay fees to keep an analog meter. Within this cooperative other customers are allowed to self read their analog meters, at no additional cost. Because Josh and Heidi refused a smart meter, they are forced to pay more, $300 a year more. They were not given the option to self read their meter.

Josh and Heidi moved to Plumas County to live in a safer environment. They live in an all electric house, and they have been without electricity since February 19, when PSREC cut the power to their home.  In the following video Heidi tells the “cooperative” why she believes the disconnect is unfair and illegal, and how she feels scared, bullied and shocked about how they are being treated.

PSREC general manager Bob Marshall comes unglued as he responds to Heidi’s comments and having the public meeting filmed.  He demands Josh stop filming and threatens to call the sheriff.  Marshall then responds to Heidi’s request for fair treatment saying,“We disagree strongly with everything you said”.  Then he turned the blame on her saying, “we disagree with your bullying…”

You can read more at http://stopsmartmeters.org/2014/02/26/psrec-general-manager-loses-it-after-illegal-disconnect/