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. Works Sited: DeWitt, John. Civic Enviromentalism:
Alternatives to Regulation in States and communities Washington, DC:
Congressional Quartly Inc. 1994. Ontario Real Estate Association.
“Electro-Magnetic Feilds.” Electro Print Aug.1998:p32 Plaz, Wolfgang. Solar
electricity: an economic approach to solar energy. London: Butterworths. 1978.
Perry, Stephen. Should we be Concerned? 1990. WWW.powerwatch.org.UK/.pg.1-3.
Safe Technologies Corporation Staff. Why be concerned about electromagnetic
feilds? 1989. WWW.milligauss.com/why.html