Wireless Wisdom: Why & How to Use Technology Safely
Wireless Wisdom: Why & How to Use Technology Safely
by Mary Anne Tierney, RN, MPH, guest author
Do you ever wonder why we don’t hear much anymore about brain tumors from cell phone use? Are you concerned about exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) but don’t know where to begin?
EMFs are complicated!
To take action and preserve your health, we’ll break this down to make it easier. Let’s begin with the four different types of EMF’s:
1. Wireless radiation (radio-frequency radiation, or RFR) is emitted from cell phones, cell towers, 5G antennas, Wi-Fi, smart utility meters, all smart devices/appliances, air pods, etc. RFR has many immediate and long-term health effects (highlighted below). Fortunately, there is lots we can do to reduce this exposure at home, and we’ll focus below on where to begin.
2. Magnetic fields come from power lines, wiring errors (even when all is working!), and motors in motion. They are well-documented to break DNA and increase cancer risks.
3. Electric fields come from wiring and anything plugged in. This is most problematic at night from the wiring in bedrooms, and can result in disturbed sleep, anxiety, arthritis and other neurodegenerative diseases.
4. Dirty electricity (DE) is voltage spiking above 60 hertz from energy saving bulbs, solar inverters, wiring errors, alternating speed motors and more. DE can cause a range of conditions yet is poorly studied. DE filtering devices can actually make matters worse, so be cautious!
Let’s dive into the issues with wireless radiation
Cell phones were released to market by the FCC in 1983 without pre-market testing, reportedly because the non-ionizing radiation they emit doesn’t immediately raise the temperature of skin. While most folks keep their phones on/near them 24/7, few are aware of warnings buried deep in the phone’s legal notices. Nor are most aware of the unbiased science found in 20,000+ studies. In 2018, the NC-based U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) found “clear evidence” of carcinogenesis in its gold-standard study. Other RFR health effects: infertility, immune suppression, autism, depression, dementia, diabetes, attention/behavior challenges, seizures, electro-sensitivity and more. Acute symptoms include headaches, cardiac symptoms, sleep problems, anxiety, agitation, and difficulty concentrating.
The FCC’s 28-year-old “safety guidelines” are a problem!
In 2021, the D.C. Court of Appeals found the FCC guilty of ignoring 11,000 pages of evidence of serious harm. The American Academy of Pediatrics has repeatedly urged the FCC to develop safety standards to protect children and pregnant women.
The retired director of NTP, Linda Birnbaum, PhD, reported to ProPublica in its 2022 investigative report: The NTP’s results “should have triggered a ‘Consumer Advisory’ like a ‘black-box warning’ on a drug, to say this has been linked to possibly causing cancer.”
Children are vulnerable
Our children are most vulnerable to EMF’s (and all toxins). They have a lifetime of cumulative RFR exposure ahead, particularly the extreme RFR levels in schools. According to the most recent study of children’s vulnerability, “Children absorb proportionally more RFR than adults; about 2-fold greater in the pediatric cerebellum, ten-fold greater in the bone marrow of the skull and up to 30-fold greater in the hippocampus (the brain’s center for learning and memory). Children’s eyes can absorb 2- to almost 5-fold higher doses than adults.” (Davis, D., et al, 2023)
So how can we protect ourselves?
The Building Biology Institute (BBI), a non-profit that teaches the science of healthy buildings, shares these simple guidelines:
Safeguard sleep
Distance is our friend
Reduce use
Favor hard-wired connections
BBI has measurable standards for reducing EMF exposure. For RFR, “safer” levels should not exceed 10 micro watts per meter squared, which can measured by a reliable detector like this one.
While this can feel overwhelming, safer cell phone use is the best way to start
Exposure from your cell phone is likely the highest and longest radiation exposure you have all day. So try these simple steps:
Always keep the phone away from your body and brain - not in pockets, bras or socks!
Never sleep with your phone nearby. Try a battery-powered alarm clock instead.
Use speakerphone when possible.
Use an “air tube” headset, like this one. Avoid Air Pods!
Turn on “airplane” mode when you don’t need to receive calls or texts. The camera, downloaded music and apps are still operational.
In settings: Always keep Wi-Fi and Blue Tooth off unless needed.
Texting is safer than calling.
Your safest option for talking on the phone: a landline!
Besides AT&T’s $130/per month landline, an inexpensive option is a VOIP phone, which works only if you have cabled or fiber internet service. Try the OOMA Telo White This $100 device plugs into your modem. Then add a corded landline, which you can still find online. Monthly fees are less than $20.00.
In follow-up articles, we can address options for dealing with radiation from Wi-Fi, both at home and at schools. You can also visit SafeTechNC.org website for more ideas and opportunities.
Other reliable websites include:
We welcome your help!
SafeTech NC needs volunteers to raise EMF awareness. Our focus includes safer schools, social media postings, and training healthcare practitioners. Reach us at SafeTechNC@ProtonMail.com.
EMF mitigation at home
Two NC-based EMF services are certified by Building Biology: Blue Ridge EMF Solutions (serving Greensboro and west) and Flourish with Science (serving the Triangle and coast).
Wishing you well in lowering your radiation exposure and preserving your well-being!
Author Mary Anne Tierney, RN, MPH, is the Executive Director of SafeTech NC, CEO of Blue Ridge EMF Solutions, and an EMF specialist certified by the Building Biology Institute. The author receives no commissions from any of the products she has recommended.
THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED FOR PROVIDING MEDICAL ADVICE