Is Wi-Fi Use As Dangerous As Smoking?
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There is no doubt that the use of low frequency radio waves is increasing in our environment. Whether at home or work, we are all being exposed to these type of radio waves from high tension wires, wireless Internet connections, cell phones, cordless phones, and many other devices that we use in our daily lives. But in several articles I have recently read, these low frequency radio waves are being compared to the dangers of smoking. But is this comparison justified or does more investigation need to be done to justify such a comparison?
Let’s face it, it took decades before scientific evidence finally convinced the masses that smoking was in fact a hazard to our health. Than another few more decades before smoking was finally being banned from public places. The same will hold true with our exposure to low frequency radio waves. There needs to be more scientific study and analysis since the current data is not conclusive that these radio waves are 100% dangerous to our health and well being.
So what is the best course of action we can take until the issue of radio waves is resolved? Try to limit the amount of exposure that you expose yourself to. If you walk around with a cell phone stuck in your ear morning and night, consider putting it down for awhile. When you are not using radio wave devices such as wireless routers think about turning them off.
Comments welcome.
[tags] low frequency radio waves, cell phones, wireless, wi-fi, health, hazard, risk, [/tags]
3 Comments
Brian
January 5th, 2008
at 9:29am
It’s sensible advice. Thanks for bringing up the issue.
grannar olice
January 5th, 2008
at 3:37pm
The “scientific evidence” on smoking was available ~100 years before the propaganda/publicity based upon it started to have an impact on public attitudes and behavior.
You give no link for the “scientific evidence” regarding deleterious effects of electromagnetic fields. Cell phones, etc. are not generally considered “low frequency”–to the contrary they are in GHz range [microwaves]. Low frequency often refers to 60 Hz household and supply power electric and magnetic fields [way below AM radio], but I don’t know since you do not state.
Moderation is always a good principle to apply, and can be easily done by limiting the time, or putting the transmitting antenna farther away from the body or brain [it may be the problem occurs in the brain but this is not proven]. With a microwave source this is easy since the wavelength is small compared to the body length.
I do not say there is NO information about potential effects. I do say your presentation is seriously incomplete, and, as the young say, it SUCKS.
Chris
January 6th, 2008
at 10:54am
I have to agree with grannar olice, at least one link is necessary to show that this might be an issue and people are investigating.
Saying the sky is falling because someone told you it is does not make sense. For the most part, the low band spectrum is licensed and has been pretty crowded for some time. Thats why your cordless phone at home now runs at 2.5Ghz, not 900Mhz etc. The lower frequency’s are not really getting more stuff in them it is all moving higher up to band. Lower bands like VHF are here to stay unless you want to blow up television towers, and radio stations.
To be honest, I would be more curious what the effects if higher frequency RF would be on the human body. The stuff we use at home now mainly runs in the unlicensed bands of 2.5 Ghz- ~5.5Ghz (I know there are licensed bands in between, this is generic silly). But once again this is NOT low frequency. Any studies that have been done on these RF frequency’s would at best be preliminary.
I actually DO suspect that there will be a cumulative effect on the human body with these higher frequency devices, but we are not going to really start seeing it for a few more years since the damage is probably small overall.
The best I was able to find was information on cell phones 800-900Mhz and ~1.9Ghz at the rsafe site. There really is not much about the more common higher frequency’s that I was able to find.
http://www.rfsafe.com/
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/acquisition/RFR/default.htm