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The United States is planning its future broadband infrastructure. Public input asking for safe, secure, reliable, extremely high speed, and energy efficient is needed. Fiber optic broadband delivers all these. Support Fiber Optic Broadband.
Why?
Fiber optic broadband is the state-of-the-art gold standard in broadband. It is far and away the highest speed, highest capacity, and most reliable option for broadband. Wireless isn’t even close. Furthermore, it is safe, secure, and energy efficient.
Fiber Optic Broadband Necessary for Economic Development
The economic development benefits promised with broadband buildout require state-of-the-art broadband connections to be realized. Video conferencing, distance education, and remote surgeries all require large amounts of bandwidth, speed, and great reliability which, as demand grows, can only be provided by fiber optic broadband. See http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_09/b4217033849315.htm to read about why fiber optic broadband is necessary for economic development.
Fiber Optic Broadband is Secure
Unlike wireless - which should not be trusted with proprietary or confidential information because it broadcasts it everywhere, making hacking easy - fiber optic broadband signals are contained within a fiber optic cable - making hacking a difficult physical process.
Fiber Optic Broadband is Energy Efficient
Fiber Optic Broadband is energy efficient - using substantially less energy than wireless - and does not expose wildlife and vegetation to radiation.
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/06/embodied-energy-of-digital-technology.html#more
Fiber Optic Broadband is Safe
The light signal utilized by fiber optic broadband is fully contained within the fiber with no electromagnetic field or hazardous radiation.
The pulsed radio frequency radiation used by wireless technology was recently classified by the IARC of the World Health Organization as a Class 2B human carcinogen, despite incredible industry pressure not to (http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf). Several extremely damning replicated studies were not even included in the supporting evidence for the classification, suggesting a stronger classification should be in order. Watch this video to see what having a carcinogenic device on your body can mean in real life http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/special-report-keeping-cell-phone-in-bra-may-lead/vhPF8/.
U.S. FCC safety guidelines were developed in order to protect a 6ft 185 lb male from tissue heating during a six minute exposure. They are not meant to protect even that large healthy male from non-thermal biological effects. They have no relevance at all for protecting anyone - man, woman, pregnant woman, fetus, or child - during the chronic daily exposures we now face. Please see http://stopsmartmeters.org/2012/03/09/a-primer-on-the-fcc-guidelines-for-the-smart-meter-age/ for a more comprehensive discussion of the FCC radiofrequency radiation limits.
Wireless Technology Causes Radio Frequency (RF) Sickness
Chronic exposure to RF radiation, including the pulsed microwave radiation used by wireless technology, causes symptoms variously known as Radio Frequency Sickness, Radio Wave Sickness, and Microwave Sickness.
The symptoms result from functional impairment of the body’s processes. RF radiation can affect enzyme function, impair proper function of Ca2+ channels, impair secretion of hormones like melatonin, and so on. These effects can have very real consequences.
Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, diabetes, asthma, ADHD, and numerous other health conditions appear to be linked to exposure to radio frequencies, both of transmitted and electrical pollution origin. Please see http://www.heartmdinstitute.com/v1/wireless-safety/cordless-phone-use-can-affect-heart to watch a video about health effects of exposure to wireless radiation.
Affects on cardiac rhythm and function are being reported. Children are also affected, perhaps especially so. Visit http://www.safeschool.ca and http://www.magdahavas.com/?s=bradycardia for additional information about children, arrhythmias, and wireless technology. To read more about this and other symptoms of radio frequency sickness, please visit http://www.magdahavas.com or http://www.electricalpollution.com for more information.
Wireless Technology Damages the Environment
The microwave radiation from wireless technology is causing reproductive, navigational, and health problems for birds, bees, and bats (http://www.hese-project.org/hese-uk/en/issues/nature.php?id=bees). Vegetation is not immune - bark fissures are being reported on trees exposed to WiFi. Dead trees, bushes, and plants are being reported in areas with strong RF signals. (http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-11/wi-fi-radiation-killing-trees)
On September 1, 2012 India dropped its maximum transmission limits to one tenth of its previous limits, already lower than U.S. permissible limits, and placed a moratorium on installation of antennas within 1 km of each other in response to this report on environmental effect of radiation from antennas - http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/final_mobile_towers_report.pdf India continues work on a more final rule.
Wireless Technology Can Harm Children
The evidence of children being harmed by radiation from wireless devices is growing. Several studies show long-term detrimental cognitive effects. Here are links to two epidemiological studies - one shows that prenatal and postnatal maternal cellphone use increases the risk of behavioral problems like ADD/ADHD; the other shows an increased risk of headaches in the exposed children. A controlled mouse study done at Yale University shows that cognitive effects of prenatal cellphone exposure linger into adulthood.
As a result of these and other studies, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine has written a very strongly worded letter warning against exposure of children to radiation from wireless devices. The 2012 Safe Schools Report contains excerpts of statements from a number of medical organizations and several experts, all warning against exposing children to radiation from wireless devices. The American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed legislation to enact biologically-based safety limits for exposure to radiation from wireless devices. See theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics letter of support.
The results of a health survey taken by college students show that most of them are experiencing some symptoms of radiofrequency sickness, some quite severe, after installation of a strong wireless router within their department. For more details see: http://stopsmartmeters.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Paul-Doyon-survey.pdf
Teacher's Unions Opposed Wireless Internet in Schools Because It Is A Health Hazard
Teacher's unions have begun to realize the very real health threat wireless internet in schools poses both to themselves and to the children. Several teachers unions have taken actions in opposition to WiFi in the schools. Ask your teacher's unions to take action. Here are a couple of links to articles
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/sciencetech/archives/2013/03/20130320-071346.html
National Governments Warn Against Use of Wireless
Switzerland, France, Germany, Russia, Israel and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) are all warning against unnecessary exposure to wireless signals and recommend preferential use of wired technology.
Fiber Optic Broadband is Practical
Fiber optic broadband to the premises is practical and essential just as universal electrification and phone service was practical and possible. There are now various models across the U.S. and the world for providing fiber optic broadband service directly to homes and businesses (http://www.ftthcouncil.org). Switzerland is providing fiber optic access to schools for free, provided that they do not use wireless inside the school, they feel so strongly about SAFE internet access.
http://www.magdahavas.com/2010/10/20/free-internet-access-in-swiss-schools-no-wifi/
Broadband planning is going on nationwide spurred on by government broadband grants and programs. Get involved with planning in your local area as soon as possible. Much of the above information is available as a U.S. oriented pdf document or an editable Microsoft word document, so that people from other states and countries can edit the handout for use in their locale.
Mainstream news media is not covering the problems with wireless technology in part because they are either owned by utility or telecom companies or derive much of their advertising revenue from them. Leafleting can be relatively inexpensive and highly effective. I would encourage you to take the time to do it.
If you are involved with any of the many environmental groups who should be taking action, please make sure they get the information and ask that they join you in calling for no public funding of wireless broadband. Also be sure to get this information to your legislators, state and national.
Use your social media connections to spread the word, please. It is a fast easy way to make everyone aware of the importance of only building fiber optic broadband infrastructure, NOT wireless.
In the U.S., The Coalition for Local Oversight of Utility Technologies (http://www.cloutnow.org/) is working on get the 1996 Telecommunications Act changed. Section 704 seriously limits the ability of state and local governments to consider the impact that wireless technology has on health and the environment. Please work locally to support their activities. They are also supporting the use of fiber optic broadband in place of wireless.
For those who prefer their information in viewable format, here is footage on youtube:
Video by Magda Havas: Wi-Fi in Schools is Safe. True or False?
Visit the Solutions page at www.electricalpollution.com for a list of steps you can take to reduce your exposure to radiofrequencies in your home and work environments.
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