[NBLUG/talk] Cell Tower Upgrades in Sebastopol - Update

Christopher Wagner waggie at waggie.net
Wed Dec 7 13:56:45 PST 2011


Thanks everyone for the discussion on the topic, it's good discussion to 
hear.

Even though I disagree with them, I believe wholeheartedly that the 
opposing arguments should be given respect and due consideration.  As 
pointed out, potential health effects are something we do want to 
consider in all of this. I believe that the health effects many members 
of the public discussed last night that they attribute to EMF radiation 
can easily be explained by other (and more plausible, in my not so 
humble opinion) causes.

Two of the members of the public, teachers at the charter school 
downtown, spoke with elegance and passion about what they believe is the 
cell tower causing a high pitched noise that is "rattling inside their 
head". They were concerned that the effects would be even stronger on 
children, and what it might be doing to them, being (medically speaking) 
more vulnerable.  My thoughts are that there probably IS something 
causing this, but that it's much more likely to be some sort of 
mechanical problem with equipment or appliances at the school (perhaps 
HVAC equipment).

At the discussion last night at the city council, the health effects on 
humans were not part of the actual debate on the topic, though they were 
spoken to by a number of the members of the public during the public 
comments portion of the meeting.  The main issues raised by the 
appellant (The EMF Safety Network) seemed to be two things: 1) The 
mistakes noted in the application, and 2) the potential effects on the 
nearby wetland preserve.

I will also note that I observed many people exhibiting rude behavior at 
the council meeting during the time which myself and other supporters of 
the upgrade were speaking.  The phrase "full of crap" sticks in my mind 
in response to a statement by the applicant denying that cumulative 
effects from the tower exist.  This sort of unprofessional behavior does 
not lend credit to the EMF Safety Network's cause.

Anyway, that's my two cents.  Thanks again everyone.

- Chris

On 12/07/2011 12:27 PM, Steve S. wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 9:08 AM, Jesse Barnes<jbarnes at virtuousgeek.org>  wrote:
>
>> Sorry I  missed this... Btw has anyone at a council meeting or
>> otherwise tried to comprehensively debunk the folks worry about EMF and
>> human health?
> Unfortunately, it can't be done.  There does not (yet) exist a
> comprehensive, rigorous study demonstrating that there are no worries.
>   In part, of course, that comes from the difficulty in proving a
> negative.
>
> However, there are occasional studies that indicate the issue deserves
> further attention...
>
>  From a recent IARC 13-nation study, reviewed by WHO:
> " ... some indications of an increased risk of glioma for those who
> reported the highest 10% of cumulative hours of cell phone use ...
> IARC has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly
> carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), a category used when a causal
> association is considered credible, but when chance, bias or
> confounding cannot be ruled out with reasonable confidence."
> ( http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs193/en/ )
> WHO goes on to say that they are conducting further studies.
>
> Of course, this is talking about the risks associated with plastering
> the phone to your ear, not simply the ambient signal from towers...
>
> No, I'm not saying that we should ban cellphones/towers/etc, or even
> apply draconian restrictions.  I'm just saying that the folks who have
> extreme worries have at least SOME evidence, and aren't just nutters
> who can be dismissed out of hand or "debunked" by any
> rational/informed argument.
>
>
> - Steve S.
>
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