Electricity is the building block of our society. Now more and more we are becoming dependent on electricity from computers to microwaves, electric power is what keeps our society running. Something that no one thinks about is Electro- Magnetic Fields or (ELF’s). While these ELF are being ignored slowly they are becoming a silent but deadly killer in our society. Scene cancer and illness are becoming so common people are slowly coming around about what ELF’s are and what if anything can be done to stop or slow down the effects of ELF’s on our families and friends. Their maybe only few solutions to stop ELF’s infiltration on our society and only one or two alternatives were found to slow the fields so they don’t affect our health.
“ In 1995 leaked a draft report by American Scientific committee conducted that millions of people face an increased risk of cancer and other degenerative diseases from exposure to fields from power lines, power plants and electrical appliances.”(Perry 1) With that quote we can see that this isn’t a new issue to our society, but yet more people are clueless about the effect of electro- magnetic fields on their health and about the health of their children. The most common reaction of people when warned about ELF’s is that “ we live far enough from the power lines that it isn’t going to affect us.” This reaction is so common, but people don’t realize that it’s not just caused by power lines and power plants it’s also inside our homes.
The most common things in our homes are secondary causes not the power lines. Items such as microwaves, computer screens, toasters, electric stoves, blenders and cellular telephones. With these things in our homes are becoming so common that everyone has them and it affecting our lives. “ In the last 10 years the rate of cancer is becoming the most common cause of death.”(Perry 1) Though sunlight’s Ultra Violet Rays (UV’s) take the top spot for causing cancer ELF’s are attributed to 35% to 40% of childhood cancers and 10% to 15% of adult cancer.
Electric companies have a common reaction to these instances by denial. As we are becoming more dependant on electricity, power transmissions are entering our lives in greater strength. The power companies solution to the power demands is to increase the amount of high-voltage power lines. The reason for high-voltage lines is “over great distances high-voltage lines must be used in order to minimize losses, but in those losses it’s causing an increasing amount of cancers and sickness due to the use of these high-voltage lines.”(Plaz 229) This just shows the ignorance of the consumers ant greed of the power companies for not accepting the responsibility of protecting the people.
In the sickness mentioned in the previous paragraph, what its called is “electrical sensitivity (ES).” “ES is a form of chronic environmental illness triggered by exposure to ELF’s.”(Perry 2) The symptoms are common among to days illnesses, but are or could be caused by ELF’s. They are “headaches, dizziness, buzzing and nausea.”(Perry 2) Everyone suffers from these ailments and if people you know suffer from these things, a look should be taken at their living space especially in children. Common areas that can be blamed is the kitchen due to all the appliances and the bedrooms near power lines or power plants. Though their are measures that can be taken to decrease these illnesses, but people are not informed to ELF’s so no measures are taken.
Children and pregnane women are the major concern for ELF’s. The reason that children are susceptible to ELF’s are their immune systems are not fully evolved and therefore their white blood cells are not at full composed. Not having a fully developed immune system leaves them open for the increased risk of cancer and ES. This was proven in a study done by the New York utility industry of power lines. “This a five million dollar project headed by Dr. David Carpenter of SUNY Albany concluded that up to 30% of all childhood cancers may be linked to ELF’s”(Safe 1) In pregnane women another study done by independent lab’s in the United States and Ontario Canada said that an “increase in cases of SIDS”(Perry 1) and “incidents of adverse reproductive outcomes and birth defects in newborns”(Ontario 1) are associated with high instances of ELF surroundings and in the homes. With all this proof I’ve found it’s hard to imagine that no actions are being taken to reduce and stop these electro- magnetic fields infiltration of our homes and our quality of life.
Trying to find solutions to stopping ELF’s infiltration on our homes and lives was complicated, due to the power companies incompliance to protect us. The government of the United States, Canada and United Kingdom have provided a couple of ideas that can be done to protect yourself and your families.
The first solution is to look at your living areas. After you observed these areas make judgements to where you sleep, especially with children. Sleeping areas are main idea for protection. Move or place your children sleeping area as far from the kitchen and areas of the house closest to power lines and power plants. Then adults make sure your 4 feet from these areas. This is the ideal way to start in ways of protection. This solution isn’t fool proof though. It’s just decreases the chance of sickness and cancer. Another solution is the least likely to happen, but in some cases has worked. Talk on negotiate with the power companies to move their lines as far from the house as possible. This still doesn’t totally protect you from the radiation in the home, but it helps you chances to ward off ELF’s infiltration in your life.
A third solution is from the “ office of Technology Assessments of the Congress of the United States”(Safe 1) They recommend a policy of “prudent avoidance”. “ What prudent avoidance is; to measure the fields and act to reduce them”.(Safe 1) A way to measure these fields is with a “Guass meter this meter shows you which places in the home are safe and the places that are not.”(Safe 1) Acting on the test and moving things accordingly provides the best protection from ELF’s.
The fourth solution is the most costly and the least practical. The idea is to use wind or solar power to power your homes. By using these you can have low-voltage power lines to supply your appliances and household objects. The flaw is the cost and practicality of them. “Using solar and wind power can used and transported with a low-voltage lines and stored in houses by batteries, but the problem is the low-voltage lines cant travel the distance of high-voltage lines and therefore most solar and wind power must be owned by the individual to be useful.”(Plaz 231) The cost and the reliance of the weather makes these natural powers impractical and very expensive to own and to fix.
In conclusion I have found that ELF’s exist in everyone’s lives and action should be taken to protect families. It should be known world wide about the effects of ELF’s. Power companies in the near future are going to have to make public that ELF’s exist and that they are dangerous in some instances are causing cancer and ES, but until the day that the governments of the world make the power companies comply all we can do is protect ourselves and warn other about the effects of ELF’s. Lastly here are a few simple things that we can do the protect ourselves from ELF’s. Sit at least 4 feet from computer screens, and make sure that we sleep 4 feet from any major household appliances and children’s bedrooms are farthest from power lines as possible.
