by Linda R. Floyd, Salt Spring Island – Island Tides (page 6)
June 16, 2011:
– www.islandtides.com/
Dear Editor:
Since mid-February, when we found out about BC Hydro’s plans to replace all disc meters with a new technology called smart meters, my husband and I and many other neighbours, friends, and acquaintances have been going through emotional hell.
I have suffered from multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) for 19 years now. Soon after we moved to Central Saanich, to what we thought would be our final dream home and property, we discovered that the surrounding farms constantly used pesticides on their land and crops. So, after four years of intensive research, we finally decided that a move to Salt Spring Island was the healthiest option for me and our family.
We have lived on our beautiful property in a wonderful neighbourhood now for 14 years. We have a 25-year plan (it takes a long time because of my sensitivity to everything) for fixing up our house and establishing our gardens.
Now that the federal and provincial governments are basically forcing BC Hydro to go ahead with the installation of wireless smart meters throughout the province, our whole life has been thrown up in the air. When these meters are installed, there will be nowhere to go in BC, across Canada, or anywhere else in the world where these meters are being installed.
Even if we go off the power grid in our Salt Spring home, our whole neighbourhood and all of Salt Spring Island will be filled with the invisible electromagnetic fields.
Why is this allowed? Where are our human rights to live in a healthy way? We will have no choice because the whole environment will be changed everywhere.
I do not have electrohypersensitivity (EHS) but I sure don’t want to add this illness to my MCS. Did you know that between 3-5% of the world’s population suffers from EHS? And do you realize that there are 1 million Canadians who suffer from MCS like me? How are we going to cope? Where can we go to be safe?
And what about this whole-environment exposure to the elderly, children, and especially babies? They are even more vulnerable than anyone else.
Linda R Floyd, Salt Spring Island
#1 by JT on July 8, 2011 - 11:41 pm
Wow 1 million Canadians with MCS??? I’m perfectly healthy. That good easily Chang if the govt. Continues this insanity.. Over 1000 people can’t tolerate living in California now due to health concerns. and smart meters.. Your right this goes against all human rights. Stephen Harpers health plan seemsn to be killing Canadians,, the green party is canadas/worlds only hope,, all the best. Where in this fight together..
John t
#2 by Anne on July 26, 2011 - 12:57 pm
Hi Linda,
You may well be aware of the following info about smart meters, but just in case, I’ll send this on. The following is a copy of an email I received.
Hi. I’m forwarding you the following email that was sent to me for your consideration. Please feel free to send it on if you wish to.
We may want to send BC Hydro one of these forms…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JNFr_j6kdI
In addition to the thoughts in the video, consider also that 1/3 of hydro is now owned by those in the U.S. Furthermore, hydro’s estimates for installing the meters is a billion dollars which will take an estimated 20 years to re-coop. In the meantime, this outlay expense contributes to hydro’s justification to raise your hydro bill an estimated 50% over the next 5 years. So, if hydro gets what they are asking, look at your bill now and see yourself paying double this figure five years from now (partly to subsidize your own personal surveillance system). Lastly, consider the many meter readers’ jobs lost to Canadians throughout the transition.
The smart meters may seem like a minor, inconsequential change in the midst of all the pressing issues each of us has to deal with day to day. Yet, it is the little small changes added together that can , over time, add up to major shifts. It is this shifted reality that our kids and grandchildren must then live with. Remember, for example, the taxes that were implemented as a temporary measure to rebuild the country in 1917….look where it is now. And how about the many ‘small changes’ in our time….increasing numbers of public cameras…meters for water….google earth to see into your yard….etc. Perhaps, where we can, we need to evaluate more closely and act more cautiously as, like most situations, it’s always easier to opt in than opt out.
TO:
Energy Provider
Street Address
City State Zip
Date of letter
NOTICE OF NO CONSENT TO TRESPASS AND SURVEILLANCE, NOTICE OF LIABILITY
Dear (Energy Provider) and all agents, officers, employees, contractors and interested parties,
If you intend to install a “Smart Meter” or any activity monitoring device at the above address, you and all other parties are hereby denied consent for installation and use of all such device on the above property and installation and use of any activity monitoring device is hereby refused and prohibited. Informed consent is legally required for installation of any surveillance device and any device that will collect and transmit private and personal data to undisclosed and unauthorized parties for undisclosed and unauthorized purposes. Authorization for sharing of personal and private information may only be given by the originator and subject of that information. That authorization is hereby denied and refused with regard to the above property and all its occupants. “Smart Meters” violate the law and cause endangerment to residents by the following factors:
1. They individually identify electrical devices inside the home and record when they are operated causing invasion of privacy.
2. They monitor household activity and occupancy in violation of rights and domestic security.
3. They transmit wireless signals which may be intercepted by unauthorized and unknown parties. Those signals can be used to monitor behavior and occupancy and they can be used by criminals to aid criminal activity against the occupants.
4. Data about occupant’s daily habits and activities are collected, recorded and stored in permanent databases which are accessed by parties not authorized or invited to know and share that private data.
5. Those with access to the smart meter databases can review a permanent history of household activities complete with calendar and time-of-day metrics to gain a highly invasive and detailed view of the lives of the occupants.
6. Those databases may be shared with, or fall into the hands of criminals, blackmailers, law enforcement, private hackers of wireless transmissions, power company employees, and other unidentified parties who may act against the interests of the occupants under metered surveillance.
7. “Smart Meters” are, by definition, surveillance devices which violate Federal and State wiretapping laws by recording and storing databases of private and personal activities and behaviors without the consent or knowledge of those people who are monitored.
8. It is possible for example, with analysis of certain “Smart Meter”
data, for unauthorized and distant parties to determine medical conditions, sexual activities, physical locations of persons within the home, vacancy patterns and personal information and habits of the occupants.
9. Your company has not adequately disclosed the particular recording and transmission capabilities of the smart meter, or the extent of the data that will be recorded, stored and shared, or the purposes to which the data will and will not be put.
I forbid, refuse and deny consent of any installation and use of any monitoring, eavesdropping, and surveillance devices on my property, my place of residence and my place of occupancy. That applies to and includes “Smart Meters” and activity monitoring devices of any and all kinds. Any attempt to install any such device directed at me, other inhabitants, guests, my property or residence will constitute trespass, stalking, wiretapping and unlawful surveillance, all prohibited and punishable by law through criminal and civil complaints. All persons, government agencies and private organizations responsible for installing or operating monitoring devices directed at or recording my activities, which I have not specifically authorized in writing, will be fully liable for any violations, intrusions, harm or negative consequences caused or made possible by those devices whether those negative consequences are justified by “law” or not..
This is legal notice. After this delivery the liabilities listed above may not be denied or avoided by parties named and implied in this notice.
Notice to principal is notice to agent and notice to agent is notice to principal. All rights reserved.
Signature
Name of energy user and/or customer