Time to Protect the Earth

We have work to do. When it comes to wireless and wildlife, there is a complete lack of government accountability.

EHT Executive Director Theodora Scarato asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency if they had reviewed the science on impacts to birds, bees and trees. The EPA wrote back that “the EPA does not have a funded mandate for radiofrequency matters, and we are not aware of any EPA reviews that have been conducted on this topic.”

FCC and ICNIRP limits were not designed to protect wildlife. Government agencies are not reviewing the research as we might expect. Environmental Health Trust is working everyday sharing the science and educating lawmakers to protect our human health and the environment.

What is EHT Doing?

EHT has written numerous letters regarding the environmental impact of wireless networks. In these letters we highlighted the effects to wildlife and the need for safer earth friendly technologies.

What does the research say about 5G and cell tower impacts to trees, birds and bees?

A 9 year field study found significant impacts to trees and an investigation of 700 trees found damage starts on the side of the tree with highest radiation.
A 2017 review on impacts to plants concluded, “a substantial amount of the studies on RF-EMFs from mobile phones show physiological and/or morphological effects.
A research review entitled “Electromagnetic radiation as an emerging driver factor for the decline of insects” documented harmful effects on bees and from on non ionizing electromagnetic field exposures.
A landmark three part 2021 research review on effects to wildlife published in Reviews on Environmental Health states current science is adequate to trigger urgent regulatory action referencing more than 1,200 scientific references which found adverse biological effects to wildlife.

How Will 5G Impact the Climate?

5G and the Internet of Things will increase energy consumption and contribute to climate change because of the millions of new cell antennas and billions of new devices. Read EHTs compendium of studies on the increased energy consumption of 5G. Download Factsheet on 5G and Climate.

Read EHT’s Devra Davis PhD “Australia Fires And Technology’s Climate Vampire: Why The Environmental Impact Of 5G Expansion Could Be Massive” published in International Business Times.
Read EHT’s Theodora Scarato’s ”Allowing Unfettered Access to Build Cell Towers in the Name of 5G Is Bad Policy for Climate Policy” published in Maryland Matters.

Are Environmental Journalists Writing Articles on This?

Yes. Here a few of the numerous articles.

Report says wireless radiation may harm wildlife by Scott Wyland in Santa Fe New Mexican,
Is wireless technology an environmental health risk? by Katie Alvord, Society of Environmental Journalists
Research suggests cell-tower radiation harms wildlife by Suzanne Potter in Public Health News Service
What will 5G mean for the environment? by Claire Curran, University of Washington
The Shift Project, “Report on the Environmental Impact of Information & Communication Technology” ( Summary)
5G’s threats to wildlife by Miguel Coma in Wall Street International
Letters about Nature and Technology by Katie Singer and Miguel Coma

Are Environmental Groups Taking Action?

Worldwide, numerous environmental groups have written letters and are raising awareness on the unfettered energy consumption of 5G and the impact to trees, bees and wildlife.

The Green Party of California statement on 5G recommending precautions to reduce wireless exposures and promote safer alternative technologies to 5G.
Greenpeace France released a position on 5G as creating “digital pollution” that will increase carbon emissions, increase e-waste, strip the earth of natural resources and contribute to human tragedies on a global scale.
Ecologists in Action, a major environmental group in Spain issued a position on 5G.
Extinction Rebellion blocked a Wireless Company store in Belgium stating, “We are opposed to the large-scale deployment of the 5G mobile telephone network… with 5G, this energy consumption and the resulting effects will double, which is unacceptable while we are currently fighting against global warming.”
In France the “Extinction Rebellion Orléans” collective mounted actions such as posting anti-5G posters and a protest. (See also Extinction Rebellion France)
The Washington DC Sierra Club testified at the 5G small cell roundtable on the need to protect trees from cell antenna densification. (Video)