http://www.hans.org/magazine/815/Smart-meters-a-hot-topic

by Lia Fraser

Source: HANS e-News – March 15, 2011

On March 9 in Victoria, BC Hydro held one of their public consultations planned in various BC cities between March and April on various projects and issues. About 250 people attended and at times the debate was heated on the issue of smart meters.

The issue is that BC Hydro has been “mandated by the BC Government” to install smart meters on every home in BC by the end of 2012. This process is well underway.

The issue for most in the room that night was the dangers of the electromagnetic radiation being emitted from smart meters. These devices can be especially detrimental to people of electromagnetic sensitivities. Several of these people afflicted with this condition spoke movingly about their experiences and the negative impact electromagnetic frequencies have had on their bodies. We should all be concerned.

BC Hydro will be holding other forums around the province in the next couple of months. If we are to have a moratorium in place to stop the installation of smart meters, we need to let people know about these forums. BC Hydro, of course, would rather hold these forums without much fanfare so they can go ahead with their plan. To say the BC Hydro employees were caught off-guard by the huge interest in this issue would be an understatement.

Here is the link to the consultation dates:http://www.bchydro.com/planning_regulatory/irp/get_i…

This is a unique opportunity to express our concerns regarding their plan to install the new digital smart meters all over BC starting this summer.

We understand that contractors have already been chosen and BC Hydro is almost ready to go ahead. This is going to put BC Hydro one billion dollars in debt to do this work and we are the people who are going to pay for it.

The dangers of this type of radiation is well documented elsewhere in the world.

These meters will be transmitting and receiving intermittent radio/microwave pulses 24/7 through people’s homes and bedrooms and their bodies. By now, there is a mountain of evidence that radiation in this range of the electromagnetic spectrum have harmful effects on bio organisms including humans.

Children, electro-sensitive people, the elderly and those with weak and compromised immune systems are particularly at risk. The US and Canadian acceptable limits are amongst the highest in the world and totally obsolete especially considering the new evidence. If you care about YOUR health and safety you will read the websites given and inform yourself NOW!

The infamous PG&E Utility Company of the movie Erin Brockovich is the same company that went bankrupt after being charged with poisoning the town water supply of Hinkley, California, with chromium. They have now reinvented themselves as an environmentally green company and have been installing smart meters in California. These smart meters have resulted in thousands of complaints regarding issues of health, fires, explosion hazards, security invasion and skyrocketing bills with no explanation. Some counties and cities in California have declared a moratorium on smart meters and people are very angry and frustrated.

This technology has apparently arrived in BC. We can prevent all this if enough people make their voices heard now before the program starts. Specifically, we believe that customers should be able to have an opt-out option if they are concerned. However, whole neighbourhoods will be affected as we may get radiated by the other meters installed on the street and by hydro hubs. Therefore, it would be advisable that our neighbours be educated on this problem as well.

Apparently, to make matters worse, one house on each street will be chosen to be the hub collection point for collecting all data received from other houses, all WIRELESS, of course. This house could be yours! Even if you opt out now, when YOU need to move houses do you want one with a Smart Meter attached to it?”

You can learn more about Smart Meters and their dangers and download material including a DO NOT INSTALL A SMART METER ON MY HOME” flyer on the Citizens for Safe Technology website at:

http://www.citizensforsafetechnology.org/smart-meter…

You’ll also find a letter you can use expressing your concerns and your refusal to accept this technology in your home.