Cell phone safety
Did you know that the telephone, named after a
popular hedgerow fruit, actually has a warning, similar to those on
cigarette packets? [1]
It appears there are some great deals on free minutes and unlimited texts for cell phones, advertised on TV? Yet is all this 'free' communication too good to be true?
Many folks use a cell phone and that generates income, the cell phone industry is a competitive, and lucrative, industry, growing at an astonishing rate. The Canadian monthly average revenue per user was $60.83, second only to Ireland. [2]
I recall questioning the safety of cell phones some seven years ago, when we lived in the UK, when more and more folks were getting cell phones. Conversations were for alarming lengths of time. I mentioned it amongst my friends, and colleagues, and was actually ridiculed. Comments abounded... "Oh they wouldn't sell them if they were so bad for you!" or "Honestly, everyone has one, they are fine, there is no evidence of them being damaging."
In a recent article on CBC, Canada it was noted that Canada's wireless market was the most profitable of 23 developed countries surveyed in a recent report by Merrill Lynch. [2] Canadians like using their cell phones, so it seems. I know from visiting friends houses that we are alone in having a hard wired ethernet cable, and corded telephones. It seems everyone favours the convenience of wireless but is this wise?
I have always thought being questioning about cell phones is prudent.
The French Government is banning advertising of mobile phones to children. [3] All the independently-funded studies that included longer term users (10 years or more use) have shown an association between brain tumour incidence and mobile phone use. [3]
My recommendations for safer use of cell phones:
- Avoid carrying a cell phone on your body.
- Get a hard-wired ethernet cable internet in your home and office, avoid wireless devices.
- Use a corded landline telephone. If someone calls your cell phone, whilst you are at home, get them to call you at home!
- When on a cell phone, keep conversations short.
- Dial the telelphone number and wait until it has connected prior to putting to your head.
- Use the speaker function if possible.
- Don't use a cell phone in a car unless the window is open.
- Avoid using cell phone in the countryside where signals are, often, weaker.
- Don't give children cell phones!
References:
[1] Dr Magda Harvas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4uz2TUcwnI
[2] http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/09/04/tech-profit.html
[3] http://wiredchild.org/sciencealias/1-topicsalias/1-understanding-the-science.html
[4] Learn more about how to detox your home
Tags: cell phones, cancer, safety, advertising, wireless