Smart Meters costs in health, money and privacy

Smart meters, the next generation energy meters and strong sources of microwave radiation have a wide range of sophisticated functions: they provide consumers with easier understanding of energy consumption, displaying figures and quantity of consumption clearly and transparently, thus enabling the consumer to save energy more efficiently; they automatically send consumption readings to energy supplying companies making the paper bills unnecessary etc.

But are smart meters really so smart and will their installation eventually cost us our health, money and privacy?

Smart meters are a health hazard

Bioinitiative report from 2012 collected literally hundreds of studies showing that electromagnetic fields are causing variety of health problems like DNA damage, cancer, reproductive problems, damage to nervous system, sleep disorders etc.

EMFs have more negative effects on children, pregnant women and people suffering from electrical hypersensitivity than on average healthy adult.

Here is another post from our blog that further explains dangers of WiFi radiation, risks and symptoms of overexposure and ways to protect yourself from negative health consequences of WiFi devices.

 

Increases of costs

There have been numerous complaints from consumers that their electrical bills have doubled after installation of smart meters. Since data on consumption are being transmitted wirelessly, there are rightful concerns about security of transmitted information in terms of interception and identity theft.

The video below shows CBS 5 channel investigation on many complaints that smart meters read higher energy consumption than it actually is.

Concerns about safety and privacy

These devices often overheat and explode or cause fires. (OregonLive.com article - comments are insightful). Their installation was not optional for consumers but that’s not all, when it comes to feeling like you’re being searched without a warrant.

It’s no secret that these wireless devices enable utility companies to collect valuable information on consumers’ behavior habits (how much they watch TV, cook, where you keep your lights on, are you at home all the time etc.) and then sell it to third parties. Your everyday habits are being monitored in marketing purposes without you even realizing it.

 

Why are utility companies endorsing installation of power-saving devices when their business depends on more consumption?

This is a question we should all be asking ourselves, before we are convinced that with smart meters we are helping save the environment with less energy consumption.

Replacement of old analogue devices with new wireless ones costs billions of dollars and it’s funded either by governments (tax payer’s money) or private investment grants.

And this sector is just starting with large investments; it’s estimated that in United States alone it will take roughly $17 - $24 billion per year for further installation of smart meters, supporting transmission grid intelligence and customer connectivity technology, in order to reach long-term payback of $ 1.3 to $ 2 trillion until 2030.

Our behavior toward EMF protection has to change

EMF awareness is slowly but surely growing. Step by step, with every new study we are becoming more aware that we have start taking EMF protection seriously.

Electromagnetic pollution is building up and until we find some creative global solution to lower its levels on larger scale, we can successfully practice EMF safety on personal level right now and protect our health with many ways and products that reduce or block harmful EMF radiation