5G Safety Concerns: Sheltering in Place
Wireless technology’s 5G began rolling out in test cities in 2019. Even amid 5G safety concerns, there’s no sign of this new technology slowing down. It is the successor to the 4G networks which provide our current cellular connectivity.
Your thoughts about the 5G rollout will depend upon where you source your information. A quick search will result in ten articles telling you it is safe. A deeper search will take you into some rather off-putting conspiracy theories.
In this piece, I hope to guide you toward the more reputable, independent science. You will want to do more reading. Don’t let the inevitable landmines stop you. Push through to expand your knowledge about the topic and set your course for action.
The Telecommunications Industry is super excited about 5G. It’s a new darling with loads of shiny potential. There is so much enthusiasm for the upsides that governments the world over are willfully ignoring its ugly underbelly.
5G SAFETY CONCERNS
5G will bring faster internet to the masses. It will allow for the internet of things and beyond… self driving cars, virtual reality. Businesses are being built on the promises of all that this new tech has to offer. And no one wants to stand in the way of this giant leap in progress.
The backbone of 5G is fiber, which is expensive but we need it. They are laying fiber optics as they roll out 5G. The antennae are toxic, but all homes and buildings need fiber, then the wireless portion of the equation can be minimized.
How toxic are the antennae? We don’t know yet… but scientists are predicting it will be catastrophic… and have set out to warn the unsuspecting public about the health implications.
Meanwhile, the industry will not be doing any safety studies… probably because it could not pass any… not even heat studies.
So what is unique about 5G?
Mainly proximity. Currently 3G and 4G microwaves rain down on us from above… like a giant sprinkler. And that has limitations. Buildings, trees, and assorted other obstacles get in the way and degrade the signal. 5G will fix that… antennae will be lower to the ground, and there will be lots of them – small cell antennae on power poles and lamp posts mostly. These will fill in the current gaps. The small cell technology will employ shorter wavelengths that can be loaded with more data. That means faster speeds with lower latencies. Sounds good right? The industry thinks so.
Back to the health issue. Our brain waves are also electromagnetic. In fact, every cell in our bodies uses electromagnetic signaling to communicate. The 5G waves intended to fill in the gaps will fill in some of our gaps too. The millimeter wave is particularly dangerous to eyes and skin, although we can expect to have disturbances galore in our bodily functioning due to wave interference.
Here are some of the specifics that scientists are warning us about:
The biggest concern is how these new wavelengths will affect the skin. The human body has between two million to four million sweat ducts. Dr. Ben-Ishai of Hebrew University, Israel explains that our sweat ducts act like “an array of helical antennas when exposed to these wavelengths,” meaning that we become more conductive. A recent New York study which experimented with 60GHz waves stated that “the analyses of penetration depth show that more than 90% of the transmitted power is absorbed in the epidermis and dermis layer.”
The effects of MMWs as studied by Dr. Yael Stein of Hebrew University is said to also cause humans physical pain as our nociceptors flare up in recognition of the wave as a damaging stimuli. So we’re looking at possibilities of many skin diseases and cancer as well as physical pain to our skin.
A 1994 study found that low level millimeter microwave radiation produced lens opacity in rats, which is linked to the production of cataracts.
An experiment conducted by the Medical Research Institute of Kanazawa Medical University found that 60GHz “millimeter-wave antennas can cause thermal injuries of varying types of levels. The thermal effects induced by millimeter-waves can apparently penetrate below the surface of the eye.”
A 2003 Chinese study has also found damage to the lens epithelial cells of rabbits after 8 hours of exposure to microwave radiation and a 2009 study conducted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Pakistan conclude that EMFs emitted by a mobile phone cause derangement of chicken embryo retinal differentiation. Source: Physicians for Safe Technology
So is it just 5G that is toxic? No. All wireless is toxic. There was a time when we could credibly believe that it was not so. In the younger days of tech, we thought only thermal effects were a concern. Those days are long gone now. There are thousands of studies showing adverse health effects. Science has spoken.
Maybe you have read that most studies are inconclusive. Most industry-backed studies are inconclusive.
Not always. 32% of the time even the industry finds harm.
But if 100 explorers go into the forest looking for elephants… and 70 find them and 30 do not… who in their right mind would conclude that elephants do not exist?
So why do we doubt the repeated findings of harm from scientists? Probably because we love wireless so very, very much…
What are the types of health issues in these findings? Reproductive and fertility effects, exhaustion, brain fog, anxiety, disrupted immune function, oxidative damage, DNA damage, dizziness, headaches, nose bleeds, cognitive problems, cardiomyopathy, memory loss, decreased attention span, lower reaction time, behavioral changes, change in stress proteins, cancer… and so much more.
There is something fascinating that happens when you tell people that wireless is toxic. Their knee-jerk reaction is that technology is under attack and that the person stating it is a Luddite. We all agree that the internet is amazing; gadgets are amazing. But why would anyone embrace technological advancements that are incompatible with health? In fact, until people examine the issue and request safe technology, no improvements with regard to health will be made.
So why are we deploying unsafe technologies?
#1 Cost. The industry is delivering the cheapest tech that will give them the biggest bang for the buck.
#2 To admit that existing tech is unsafe would open industry up to litigation. These are familiar themes in business – no surprises here….
But why aren’t consumers demanding safer technologies? The simple answer is that most consumers have never seriously questioned how wireless tech works and what the fallout is… But it certainly isn’t magic.
We all know that driving a car comes with hazards. No one is shocked by that fact, and it hasn’t hurt car sales one iota. Collectively we agree that cars are so important to our way of life, that certain risks must be accepted. However, we do try to make them as safe as possible. Anti-lock brakes, seat belts, smog tests… A whole litany of regulatory laws exist to make them less hazardous. And we are required to pay for insurance in the event that our vehicle damages people or property. The laws that support car safety are important to protect us all.
Wireless technology and infrastructure is something of a lawless landscape at present, but as it is so integral to our collective lives, it is time that we look much more critically at what we need to do to make it less hazardous to our health.
People like to compare wireless tech to smoking in terms of harm and for reference as to how long it took people to understand the link between smoking and disease. Perhaps we need not wait 50 years in this case… let’s play that analogy out a bit more.
If I am talking on a cell phone while in line at the grocery store, I am exposing myself and those in line with me to microwave radiation. I am getting the mega-dose, and those around me are receiving a smaller dose, something akin to second hand smoke. I would never dream of lighting up a cigarette in a grocery store and would be thrown out promptly if I did… not so with wireless radiation. No one bats an eye, even if there are children present.
Unlike smoking, wireless radiation is odor-free and has no visible cloud, but that does not mean it is harmless. Many dangerous substances are invisible to us and we should not feel safe simply because they are unseen.
Take for instance natural gas. If you turn on a gas burner and it fails to light, you could wind up with an explosion. So the gas company adds a sulphur-like smell to the gas so your senses are able to detect it and prevent you from doing harm. That is an example of how we have made an invisible danger safer.
I’m not suggesting we add smell to wireless; that would be unpopular (especially in line at the grocery store), but we do need a way to detect it.
Back to 5G safety.
Those of us who have read the mounting scientific reports saying that wireless in general and millimeter waves in specific are harmful to our health are concerned.
Some are contemplating relocation. Yes, it is that bad. But is it really so easy to pick up and move? Some will shelter in place. But in order to do that, you will need a safe shelter, and that means some home modifications.
If you are going to stay in a city rolling out 5G, you will need to take action.
Most of us do not have a background in electrical engineering or biomedicine, and you kind of need both. But anyway, we will slog through this as novices as best we can and use professionals for reference when we need help. We can do hard things.
This is the electromagnetic spectrum:
And this is where 5G fits into the spectrum:
Different carriers use different frequencies… and different countries use different frequencies.
In short, it’s complicated. It’s difficult to compare because there are so many variables. Your 5G might not be as bad as someone else’s.
5G won’t work without 4G – so you will be exposed to both.
2G, 3G, 4G can all be 5G enabled by fitting a lens that focuses the frequency, so you won’t necessarily know what antennae are dishing out just by looking at them.
The main issues with 5G antennae will be:
- They will be lower to the ground (closer to us).
- They will emit directed, focused, intense beams.
- They will be numerous.
- The unique properties of their millimeter waves will compound toxicity.
- They will use previously unused – potentially more dangerous – parts of the spectrum.
A sixth issue with 5G safety concern is co-location. Lab tests won’t reveal the unique layering out in the real world, where a power pole might be loaded with an assortment of antennae in addition to power lines.
What happens when you blend the soup? Scientists will need to come out of their labs and perform on-site testing to see what kinds of exposures are co-occurring and what sort of unique challenges and risks are present.
The industry is certainly aware of the challenges, but as they aren’t mandated to consider health implications, it’s not an impediment to the rollout.
5G Sheltering in Place
Let’s not panic. Let’s act.
Think of it like the elements. We’re not terrified of sun or rain, yet we know we need a roof over our heads and certain types of clothing for protection.
This is a new element.
And just like there are many different types of shelters to protect against sun or rain – everything from an umbrella at one end to a permanent structure like a home at the other – there are different types and levels of microwave frequency protections, too. You can execute according to your budget and confidence.
You will need a good meter to locate the source. As we mentioned before, 5G is not visible to the human eye, and you want a way to detect and measure it. An elektrosmog analyser will allow you to identify pulse and frequency via a digital readout and sound device.
You may be able to rent one, or go in on the purchase with a group of like-minded people in your neighborhood. The HF38B Intermediate RF Meter is at the low end of the professional scale and is relatively easy to use. You can also hire a professional to do readings for you.
If none of the above is within your budget, there are other ways to detect pulse.
Use your phone. This app isn’t perfect, but it will do in a pinch.
Many of the adaptive technologies that would make our current systems safer already exist, such as fiber optics for delivery of data. If fiber isn’t being offered in your city, you can call up an independent company and have it installed.
Here are the 5G sheltering in place steps I’ve taken.
HF Meter – I bought this one. Yes, I know it is crazy expensive, but I bought three lesser meters and the ambient radiation was too high in my neighborhood, so the lesser ones were not very helpful.
Cabled internet – I am using a desktop computer and plugging it directly into the modem. Same for TV.
Space blankets – The cheapest, quickest way to lower emissions. I hid them in my blackout curtains so they wouldn’t show.
Blocking paint – This option is expensive and requires a lot of work, but it works great for reduction. I’m painting rooms in my spare time. Black is the only color available, so you’ll need to paint a color over it unless goth is your thing.
Window shielding – I had already installed a film over my windows to prevent shattering in the event of an earthquake, so this film had to go over that… and it did not turn out too pretty. Bubbles galore. But the RF reduction was satisfying.
Window screens – To do this properly you’ll need to order the material and have custom screens made.
Sheltering for 5G safety is my new hobby and how I spend the weekends. Is it worth it? Time will tell. For now, it gives me peace of mind to know my family is living in a “quiet” space.
I hope that others will be inspired to give this issue a serious look. If enough of us care, the industry will have to make the needed changes – so that we all can live confidently with technology that does no harm.
Sources
- https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/Workshops-and-Seminars/20171205/Documents/S3_Christer_Tornevik.pdf
- https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/how-big-wireless-made-us-think-that-cell-phones-are-safe-a-special-investigation/
- http://thermoguy.com/professor-curtis-bennett-here-on-your-negligent-representations-calling-for-a-delay-of-5g-due-to-health-risks/
- https://www.iemfa.org/emf-scientist-appeal-to-the-united-nations/
- https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1503/1503.05944.pdf
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ5soLrvXFg
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- https://www.wirelesseducation.org/wireless-technology-not-magic/
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- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhqDMCCKTNk
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