Our electromagnetic landscape is changing fast. In the US it's the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that decides all this. In this latest guest post writer and researcher Diane Craig lays out some of the compelling reasons you should let your voice be heard. And she shares 3 ways (solutions) you can be pro-active on this issue:

For their words that inspired and motivated this blog post, I thank two people:

Graham Nash, who wrote “Teach Your Children” way back in 1968. This song
describes, for both parents and children, what it means to teach each other “well.” In
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s 1970 recording, the background vocals of the
“children’s” verse include these words:

“To teach your children what you believe in,
Make a world that we can live in.” [1]

Plus

Ray Hayward, who posted this comment at Electricsense earlier this year:

“[I]f we do not consent or voice our opposition to any unwanted intrusion into
our lives, then this becomes implied consent.” [2]

Below, I hope to honor these and other folks who have shared their experiences with me. I’ll also share action steps that all of us can take to further educate, inspire and motivate others. Through our individual and collective experiments, we each can help create and be, as Lloyd Burrell’s Electricsense tag line says, “living a Naturally Healthy and happy life in our electromagnetic world!” [3]

“My [pet] is dead.”

A friend told me how, after briefy leaving a precious pet in one room to get something from another, my friend returned to find the pet had fallen over. It seemed dazed and disoriented as it slowly opened and closed its mouth. Cradling the pet, my friend noticed its body’s tremors.

The pet had been fine when my friend left the room. Only a few minutes later, it seemed to be having a stroke or a seizure. Its symptoms lasted several minutes more, until the pet’s life ended.

Later that day, my friend noticed a wireless dish/antenna combo across the valley, something that hadn’t been there the prior day. This wireless structure was in direct-line-of-sight through the window that faced the pet’s home.

Sometime after that, my friend sought out information about this new structure, eventually learning

• That the wireless communications device ^[1] had been “erected” by a utility the day of the pet’s sudden death, replacing a pole unit whose wireless communications had operated at a much lower frequency, and
• That the new device was “fully operational” three days later.

What else do we know?

• We know that the pet died in its “middle life”, given the usual lifespan for the pet’s species.
• We know that wireless telecommunications facilities (WTFs) are turned on and tested before they become fully operational.
• We know that such testing usually starts with high wireless radiation power densities ^[2]. (Something similar happens to a lesser extent when cell phones or routers are turned on, until they can make a connection.)
• We are not aware that any notice was given to the utility’s customers, nearby residents or the public regarding the new wireless dish/antenna combo, its frequencies, its frequencies’ power density range, nor its wireless activation date.
• We know that the new operating wireless transmission frequency of this device cannot be measured by any of the consumer-affordable hand-held radio-frequency RF radiation meters ^[3] currently in my friend’s and my possession, because the frequency is not included in frequency ranges our meters recognize. [4]
• On the other hand, one of our meters can detect a new “sound,” one that wasn’t present before this event.
• We know that the purpose of the utility’s wireless dish/antenna combo is solely to communicate across a valley with another structure owned by the utility.
• We know that a different utility currently is building a fiber optic connection across that same valley’s floor.
• We know that epidemiological evidence demonstrated spikes in weekly human mortality rates in 9 United States’ cities in 1996, when wireless cell towers were first activated. [5, pages 369-370]
• In my opinion, my friend was fortunate to be outside the room the moment the pet was stricken.

What more can we do?

Advocate effectively!

To be effective, we have to learn quickly, communicate quickly and act quickly, whenever industry lobbyists, government officials and regulatory agencies race into action.

Here’s an example:

An advocate in an email shared with me that “[t]he Wireline Competition Bureau grant[ed] a request seeking an extension of the deadline for filing reply comments in response to the [FCC’s GN Docket No.22-69] Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on preventing digital discrimination to on or before April 20, 2023.” [6]

Wow! What did this mean?

GN Docket No. 22-69 is the FCC’s proposal for “Prevention and Elimination of Digital Discrimination”. In other words, the FCC had proposed a rule that would eliminate “digital discrimination of access based on income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion or national origin.” [6]

This sounds good… but what about those of us who experience “digital discrimination of access” because we have EMS (Electromagnetic Sensitivity) and can’t function well in the presence of pulsed wireless digital radiation?

The motion to extend the deadline by 30 days, to April 20, 2023, was led by 15 different organizations that are “public interest advocates.” [6] Among these, I recognized Common Cause and the National Urban League; the others’ names also were pretty impressive. Their motion was unopposed.

What happened next? Because children are especially at risk for harm from pulsed digital wireless RF radiation [7, information in video #1], a different nonprofit automated an action alert, “urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to recognize electromagnetic sensitivity, accommodate those disabled by it and adopt #FiberFirst policies.” [6]

Hub followed the links and decided to “Take Action Now.” The standard suggested letter pointed out that “Prevalence estimates indicate that up to 30% of the population is affected by EMS ^[4].” It asked the FCC to prioritize “fiber to the premises (FTTP) solutions,” “allow equal access in a form that does not threaten or worsen the health and well-being of RF-sensitive individuals,” and “provide RF-free ‘safe zones’ in public spaces and buildings to ensure inclusion in public life.” [6] Signed form letters were automatically copied to the President, VP, senator and representative, and other interested parties.

I had written my own comment directly onto the FCC’s website before I learned about the extended deadline. It is “disseminated,” that is, available for public view. My hope is that both approaches will prove effective in demonstrating that EMS (Electromagnetic Sensitivity) is real.

The April 20 deadline has passed. Anything sent in now won't be considered. Though the FCC’s comment sign-in page is still active, apparently that is for the historical record only.

PS — Your voice counts!

In my prior blog post, I had shared how my verbal request to two organizations, asking that participants put their cell phones ^[5] into airplane mode during group meetings, was denied based on an attorney’s opinion. [8] I subsequently repeated my request in writing, this time citing the Americans With Disabilities Act, how it allows for reasonable accommodation for people with EMS, and how my EMS diagnosis is supported by a building biologist and two physicians. This time, the groups’ attorneys agreed, and both groups granted my ADA accommodation request.

“Gifts for Us”

Another friend sent me a positive experience. With this friend’s permission, I’m sharing the beautiful story here, again anonymously to protect my friend’s identity:

“I was in [City} for an art class, and afterward I went for a nice walk through [City] with my friend. However, we were walking down a long street with pretty intense power lines that I could clearly feel. It was a strong and uncomfortable sensation. I kept hoping to turn o and away from the power lines, but there wasn’t a turn for a while. When we finally did turn, it was still near the power lines, but the street was also lined with dozens of old-growth pine trees — really thick, dense, beautiful trees. And it was like I walked under a protective blanket! They totally shielded so much of the energy it was palpable, and such a relief!!! It was amazing, and such a testament to one of their powers and gifts for us. I felt very grateful, and enjoyed the walk so much more 🙂 [9]

What else do we know?

The general scientific consensus is that damage to trees is a side effect of climate change, and that such climate change is caused and/or exacerbated by changes to the environment initiated by humans.

Fossil fuels’ extractions and uses are currently the most well-known climate-changing factors. But virtually unknown that the base stations for the wireless telecommunications facilities WTFs that transmit wireless RF radiation ^[6] also use lots of energy and generate lots of heat. [10]

Back in 1980, Wolfgang Volkrodt, a “retired physicist and electrical engineer,” [5, page 350] wondered why the r trees on the north side of his home looked sickly, but on the south side they looked hearty and healthy. At the time, forest die-o s were being blamed on acid rain. “How, he mused, could acid rain fall only on one side of his house?” [5, page 351].

The answer, based on experiments over several years by several scientists in several places, proved to be microwaves, whether emitted by “directional radio antennas” [5, page 353] or by “powerful radar stations” [5, page 354].

The negative effects of wireless radiation in the microwave spectrum weren’t limited to trees, of course. In the following years, the health of children, farm animals, birds, and even plants that oat on ponds [5, pages 355-366] also declined when they were exposed to wireless microwave transmissions.

Later research ^[7] also showed that trees can recover after offending microwave sources are removed. But this doesn’t often happen these days.

Let’s be clear. “‘RF’ [Radio frequency] radiation” is a new term. “RF” frequencies formerly had no separate name — they were simply frequencies that were considered part of and within the entire microwave spectrum. And these days, “RF”-stressed trees don’t always survive.

It was only after a California walnut tree died that the tree’s owner noticed the cell tower that had been erected behind it. The walnut tree had stood directly between the cell tower and the owner’s house. Sometime later, I met this owner. By that time, we both had developed EMS. Since then, I’ve heard other tales of dead-trees-in-the-path-of-wireless-RF-radiation- transmissions. Some tree deaths shortly followed the installation of nearby wireless telecommunications facilities WTFs.

WTFs is another new acronym that includes wireless cell towers and wireless cell antennas.

In New York City, yet another new word has been added to describe these wireless-radiation-transmitting structures: “kiosks”. There, wireless “kiosks” have been erected everywhere, very near schools, homes, and offices. [7, video #1]

By whatever names, wireless telecommunications companies currently are aggressively trying
to put their WTFs everywhere.

Solutions – What more can we do?

Then take local effective action now. What’s below also won’t take much of your time.

1. First, find the six brief ART videos on “The Rights of Citizens in the Deployment of Wireless Infrastructure”, at https://www.americansforresponsibletech.org/march22webinar ^[8]. [7]

On these videos, the non-profit organization Americans for Responsible Technology (ART) presents four expert telecommunications attorneys and two community leaders. All of them offer practical solutions on how community members and government officials can specifically and successfully respond to the reality that wireless telecommunications companies are rapidly working everywhere across the United States on a land-grab to widely expand their 4G and 5G wireless ^[9] reach. This often includes making permit applications to place cell towers and antennas very close to schools, homes, and offices.

One of many things I’ve learned from these videos is that most local codes currently do not provide procedural and other guidelines and ordinances that can prevent wireless telecommunication companies’ from “taking” such properties — without compensation — to place their devices.

Wireless companies rely on the fact that most citizens and local government officials currently don’t know how to prevent this. What’s necessary is to write and adopt new local ordinances containing very specific language, in advance of considering wireless applications. The ART videos provide a roadmap for this purpose.

The first ART video lasts less than 7 minutes; the last and longest is just over 43 minutes; the total time required to watch all six and download resources is less than 1-1/2 hours.

2. Second, please forward the information above, including the videos’ title and URL link [7] to your city attorneys, city council members, city managers, city planning commissioners, and city planning departments. Please encourage them to watch and then start writing or updating local ordinances using what they have learned.

And if your officials don’t already know about fiber optics to and through the premises (FTTP), the safe, faster, more reliable, more secure, more easily upgradable, not- re-prone and lasting alternative to the WTF wireless telecommunications facilities, you can remind them that not only would every child and adult benefit from FTTP’s healthy alternative to wireless RF radiation, FTTP also is healthy for the planet and everything on it.

3. Third, please also share this information with your community. Ask for everyone’s help in convincing your local government officials to take action NOW. Remember:

Your Voice Counts!

“I’ve wondered.”

The voice on the telephone was soft — so soft, so sorrowful, so filled with heartbreak — that I’ve never forgotten hearing the speaker’s two words, “I’ve wondered.”

The speaker was a person I’d met only once. I had contacted this person for three reasons: (1) to confirm what I remembered about a woman I once knew, (2) to learn a bit more about her, and (3) to get the speaker’s permission to share her story in a blog post. In that conversation, we agreed that it would be best for the family if I used a pseudonym. I decided on “Lisa.”

I had known Lisa when she was suffering from brain cancer ^[10].

This was years before my brain injury. I knew nothing whatsoever about wireless radiation EMFs before my own first experience with it.

So it was that, more than a decade after her death, I made the telephone call. What I shared with the speaker what that I had come across a recent study that supported a connection between Lisa’s brain cancer ^[11] (glioblastoma multiforme) and pulsed digital wireless (RF) radiation exposures.

After a brief silence, the speaker replied. “I’ve wondered.”

What else do we know?

Electricsense published the blog post [11] I submitted shortly after that conversation.

What more can we do?

One cost-free way to educate others effectively about wireless radiation harms is to recommend what’s available at your local library.

Hub and I share a library card. We learn a lot simply by using that card. Our small rural library currently contains the following books, among other EMF-related titles:

• Robert O Becker’s 1990 book, Cross Currents: The Promise of Electromedicine, the Perils of Electropollution.
• Arthur Firstenberg’s 2017 book, The Invisible Rainbow.
• Nicolas Pineault’s 2017 book, The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs: How to Fix Our Stupid Technology.
• Lloyd Burrell’s 2019 book, EMF Practical Guide: The Simple Science of Protecting Yourself, Healing Chronic In flammation, and Living a Naturally Healthy Life in our Toxic Electromagnetic World.
• Susan P Crawford’s 2019 book, Fiber: the coming tech revolution and why America might miss it.
• Brian Humrich’s 2020 book, DIY EMF Home Inspection Guide: Learn How to Eliminate Harmful Radiation From Your Home.
• Dr. Marc Arazi’s 2022 English translation of his book, Phonegate.

I’m hoping our library will order Jullian Gresser’s 2023 book, How the Leopard Changed Its Spots: Evolutionary Values for an Age in Crisis.

Who pays for these books? My understanding is that local libraries have their own resources, and local Friends of the Library groups often hold fundraisers (usually used book sales) to benefit their library.

In California, it was possible during Covid lockdown for individuals to order books for their library themselves, through a “zip book program”. Some California libraries may still have zip book funds available for their local library cardholders.

To add EMF-educating books to your library’s collection,

• You can contact your local Friends of the Library group to ask if they have funds for purchasing books and, if so, if they’d be willing to order those you’d like to see in your library.
• You can let your head librarian know of your interest.
• Or, you can donate books you’ve already bought and finished to your library, requesting that they be added to the library’s catalogue. Be sure to check with the library beforehand to see what they accept for catalogue placement. Our library, for example, does not accept children’s paperback books, because making those books library-strong is a nearly impossible task.

 

Many thanks to Diane Craig for this guest post.

References

[1] Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Dejà Vu album. Track 2. © 1970 Atlantic Recording Corporation, a Time Warner Company. Digitally remastered. Accessed 3/24/23.

[2] Hayward, Ray. Comment at Craig, Diane. Experiments & Experiences: How is Wireless Shaping Our Future? © Diane Craig and Electricsense.com 2023. At https://electricsense.com/wireless-radiation-future. Accessed 3/24/23.

[3] Burrell, Lloyd. Tag line at Electricsense.com. At https://electricsense.com. Accessed 3/24/23.

[4] After my January 2023 Electricsense blog post [reference 8], one of my meters inexplicably broke. Our remaining meters now can recognize wireless RF frequencies from 40 MHz to 10GHz and from 24 GHz to 32 GHz. A utility representative con rmed that the wireless dish/ antenna combo’s frequency is above 10GHz and below 24 GHz. My understanding is that this puts the frequency in a range consistent with 5G [5th generation] technology.

[5] Firstenberg, Arthur. The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life. © 2017 by Arthur Firstenberg. AGB Press. Santa Fe NM. [The bibliography for this book’s sources is printed on 139 densely packed pages. I didn’t count the total entries. I did count 18 entries on each of 2 pages. 18 multiplied by 139 equals 2,502.].

[6] Links from the information I received by email no longer exist.

[7] Americans for Responsible Technology. The Rights of Citizens in the Deployment of Wireless Infrastructure. At https://www.americansforresponsibletech.org/march22webinar. Accessed 3/27/23.

[8] Craig, Diane. Experiments and Experiences: How is Wireless Shaping Our Future? Electricsense.com. At https://www.electricsense.com/wireless-radiation-future. January 21, 2023. Accessed 3/27/23.

[9] Private correspondence, March 2023.

[10] Here’s one of several sources: Environmental Health Trust. Top Facts on 5G:: What You Need To Know About 5G Wireless and “Small” Cells. https://www.ehtrust.org/key-issues/cell-phoneswireless/5g-internet-everything/20-quick-facts- what-you-need-to-know-about-5g-wireless-and-small-cells/. One of the issues mentioned on this webpage is that “5G Heats Up Base Stations.” This lengthy paragraph begins with the words, “The circuitry used to generate RF signals uses a lot of power and gets very hot….” Accessed 3/28/23.

[11] Craig, Diane. Sacred Cows and Living Room Elephants: Are wireless transmissions and brain cancers related? May 20 2021. At https://www.electricsense.com/wireless-and-brain-cancers/. Accessed 3/28/23.