Smart Meters, Another miscommunication by our Government

I am sure you have heard about smart meters by now, there is so much in the news lately I thought I would do a little research to see why so many people are against them. BC Hydro is planning to install these meters on every house in BC, I can see the owners/renters of houses used for Marijuana grow ups getting upset,(cause they are likely to get caught) but it seems there are an awful lot of ordinary citizens concerned with the wireless signal as well.

In my google search for the facts, I found mostly opinions, mostly unsupported by facts. 

So be careful what you are reading, or who are listening to on this topic. It is going to take many more

searches to find what I need to make the most informed decision.

The best information I have come up so far, is from the World Health Organization website,

www.who.int. I have added a couple quotes below from 2 of their fact sheets, on EMF"s or

Electromagnetic fields, so you know where I got my facts.

It is my understanding that The W.H.O. is unable to find a connection between EMF's and cancer or brain tumors or other health problems, because the technology or the EMF's have not been around long enough to know for sure. But they can say for sure that Brain tumors and cancer were around before cell phones and the rates of people getting cancer have not increased significantly enough to blame EMF's or cell phones.   However, they are continuing to study this because time will tell!

So it is my conclusion that smart meters have also not been around long enough to know if there is a health risk, but they do have safe levels of EMF's according to health Canada, and W.H.O.

You probably have other devices in your house with these safe levels of EMF's

• Radio
• Television 
• microwave
• cordless phone
• wireless internet
• cell phones

I think the main reason people are mad about the smart meters is because they are mandatory, not like the items listed above.  If you have those in your house it was your choice.  This is a voluntary risk, not a mandatory one.

Does this not remind you of the HST?  Has the government not learned that we like to have the education first, before they force things on us.  

I love this quote from W.H.O. May 2006, Public perception of risk, (how can I get politicians to read and understand this?)

Electromagnetic fields and public health

Base stations and wireless technologies

Fact sheet N°304
May 2006

"Public perception of risk"
"Some people perceive risks from RF exposure as likely and even possibly severe. Several reasons for public fear include media announcements of new and unconfirmed scientific studies, leading to a feeling of uncertainty and a perception that there may be unknown or undiscovered hazards. Other factors are aesthetic concerns and a feeling of a lack of control or input to the process of determining the location of new base stations. Experience shows that education programmes as well as effective communications and involvement of the public and other stakeholders at appropriate stages of the decision process before installing RF sources can enhance public confidence and acceptability."




"Conclusions
Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects."

Electromagnetic fields and public health: mobile phones

Fact sheet N°193
June 2011

"While an increased risk of brain tumors is not established, the increasing use of mobile phones and the lack of data for mobile phone use over time periods longer than 15 years warrant further research of mobile phone use and brain cancer risk. In particular, with the recent popularity of mobile phone use among younger people, and therefore a potentially longer lifetime of exposure, WHO has promoted further research on this group. Several studies investigating potential health effects in children and adolescents are underway."

P.S.  the number one cause of cancer is still smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise, so if you are still smoking, over weight and like to eat at McDonalds, you are wasting your time complaining about smart meters!