Minimize Health Risks from Electronic Devices
Published in the September 2016 New Jersey Education Association Review
Adrienne Markowitz and Eileen Senn published recommendations in the New Jersey Education Association Review about the myriad of health and safety risks posed by technology. Their recommendations include a call to reduce exposure to radiofrequency radiation. Please see these excerpts from the article:
WiFi devices emit radiation
Radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation is sent and/or received by the antennae of phones, routers and other wireless devices. RF radiation is capable of causing cancer, reproductive, neurological and ocular effects. The amount of radiation exposure received depends on the amount of time exposed and distance from the source. Radiation levels fall off exponentially with distance from antennae. If you double the distance, the radiation is four times less. If you triple the distance, it is nine times less, and so on. Children and developing fetuses are particularly at risk because their bodies are still growing. People with implanted medical devices are at risk for device interference.
For radiation exposure
- Keep devices away from the body and bedroom.
- Carry phones in briefcases, etc., not on the body.
- Put devices on desks, not laps.
- Hard wire all devices that connect to the internet.
- Hard wire all fixed devices such as printers, projectors and boards.
- Use hard-wired phones instead of cell or cordless phones.
- Text rather than call.
- Keep conversations short or talk in person.
- Put devices in airplane mode, which suspends EMF transmission by the device, thereby disabling Bluetooth, GPS, phone calls, and WiFi.
- Use speaker phone or ear buds instead of holding the phone next your head.
- Take off Bluetooth devices when not using them.
