Are we reaching an electromagnetic awareness tipping point?….

Only a couple of months ago, in a report on an electrosensitivity conference (see the second half of the post), I wondered how long it would be before Gwyneth Paltrow become ‘electromagnetically aware’.

And goddam, only last week it happened! In an article headlined Are Cell Phones and WiFi Signals Toxic? her blog carried pieces by Dr David Carpenter, a contributor to the BioInitiative Report, Devra Davies of the Environmental Health Trust and Anne Louise Gittleman, author of Zapped – all ardent campaigners in the cause of electromagnetic health.

Why is this exciting for this of us who are genuinely worried about the fallout from our massive use of man-made electromagnetic radiation? Well, what my conference speaker last year was suggesting was that ES awareness is much closer than we realise to a ‘Volkswagen moment’ when, over night, attitudes will dramatically change. And one of the indicators that the moment was at hand would be the Damascene conversion of a few of the A listers. And here we are! Not only is the blessed Gwyneth worrying about the safety of mobile phones and wifi but it has been noted that Lady Gaga never actually dials a number on her cell phone herself, always uses the loud speaker function and never holds the phone to her head….

On a rather more hard-headed front, insurance companies are also becoming ever more careful of what and who they insure. Around 60% of underwriters already refuse to cover cell phone carriers against ‘harm’ – only too aware of the possible employer liability tsunami that could break over them if/when more brain cancer sufferers win their  cases against employers who ‘forced them to use’ the mobile phone which are deemed to have caused their cancer. (The case of Innocente Marcolini in Italy is thought only to be the first of many.)  And, thanks to the ‘accumulation of fire related damage to homes and businesses from Smart Meter related malfunctions’ US underwriters are reducing or cancelling coverage available to anyone suffering damage as a result of smart meter malfunction. OK, so this has nothing to do with the electromagnetic ‘damage’ smart meters can cause – but we are not fussy. Anything which reduces their use, and the wifi/electromagnetic radiation in which they bathe the houses in which they are installed, is good.

Another warning , although again one which has nothing to do with electromagnetic harm, comes from US Intelligence chief James Clapper in an article in the Guardian. (Whence came this wonderfully threatening image…) He sees smart meters along with ‘smart’ everything else wifi-ly connected in  your home as being the ultimate surveillance tools –

“In the future, intelligence services might use the [internet of things] for identification, surveillance, monitoring, location tracking, and targeting for recruitment, or to gain access to networks or user credentials,” Clapper said.

So no, I absolutely do not want all mobile phone and wifi banned. That would be a horrendously retrograde step as they bring massively untold benefits to all levels, shapes and sizes of people world wide. But I do want people to become aware of the dangers that they present and the possible harm that they are doing to their health by their indiscriminate use – and to take measures to use them safely. So anything which raises that awareness is GOOD!  Go Gwyneth!!