Thursday, November 19, 2015

Wi-Fi and pilots. Wireless Charging. Actions by Germany, Israel, France, European council. More Studies

Wi-Fi and pilots. Wireless Charging. Actions by Germany, Israel, France, European council. More Studies

In today's current school environment, children are exposed to far more wireless radiation than adults.  Most schools employ Wi-Fi, use wireless devices as part of daily teaching, and have cell towers on campus or near campus. 
 
Here's a worst case scenario:  30 children in close quarters in a classroom, all downloading materials wirelessly from the internet at the same time, and each child has a smart phone "on" in their backpack, with a cell tower or 2 radiating into the classroom.  This happens every day in school.  Health considerations aside all this wireless exposure does not even improve student performance.  Countries and cities (for example in East Asia) that employ the least screen time - Shanghai, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea - have the highest test results.  Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden - with the highest use of internet in their schools - showed significant declines in reading  http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34174796  In addition, screentime makes kids "Moody, Crazy and Lazy" according Victoria Dunckley MD in Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental wealth/201508/screentime-is-making-kids-moody-crazy-and-lazy  Tara Ehrcke(link is external), a high school math teacher and public education advocate in British Columbia, makes a commentary about the complex public-private relationship on public education in the US and Canada that is restructuring public education around technology that has the potential to damage schools while diverting public money to corporate profit.  Here's her complete article found here(link is external).  Some excerpts:
"Technology is almost always identified as a component of 21st Century Learning. But this isn't simply adding new technology to aid in the delivery of curriculum or to allow new teaching methods...adding a few computer labs or replacing textbooks with eBooks.  In the 21st Century Learning model technology defines the learning methods. It is absolutely backwards - rather than pedagogy defining if and what technologies are used, instead, it is technology driving the choices for learning. As such, it is fundamentally different than the type of technology integration we've seen in the past. It is also, ironically, antithetical to a student-centred or personalized approach because the technology is driving decisions, not student needs.  To sell more IT products, the 21st Century Learning advocates create a need for those products. No longer should schools spend their resource and IT budgets only on textbooks and computer labs. Anytime, anywhere, collaborative, integrated, blended learning requires a massive infusion of new IT products."
In January 2015, France banned Wi-Fi in all preschools, ordered it be turned off in elementary schools when not in use, establishes new National Radiofrequency Agency to regulate, conduct studies, report on electrohypersensivity to Parliament  http://ehtrust.org/france-new-national-law-bans-wifi-nursery-school/

Here's a summary of actions by various countries, teachers unions, and schools in the US and abroad regarding wireless http://ehtrust.org/cell-phones-radiation-3/international-policy-actions-on-wireless/


German study by Dr. Buchner and Dr. Eger showing elevated levels of stress hormones (adrenaline, noradrenaline), and lowered dopamine and PEA levels in urine in area residents during 1st 6 months of cell tower installation.  Even after 1.5 years, the levels did not return to normal. http://www.emfacts.com/2011/09/changes-of-clinically-important-neurotransmitters-under-the-influence-of-modulated-rf-fields-rimbach-study/


2013 The European Council produced a report warning of the harmful effects of Wi-Fi and cell phones to children and babies and proposes to member states to ban their use in schools. http://www.saferemr.com/2013/03/council-of-europe-called-for-council-of.html

2013 The Israeli Ministry of Education issued new guidelines regarding Wi-Fi use in schools, as of 27 August 2013, the guidelines will stop the installation of wireless networks in classrooms prior to the first grade and limit the use of Wi-Fi between first and third grades. Teachers are required to turn off mobile phones and Wi-Fi routers when they are not being used. 2013, Israeli Supreme Court ordered Israeli Government to investigate the number of children suffering from EHS (electromagnetic hypersensitivity)   In the first grade students will be limited to use Wi-Fi to study for one hour per day and no more than three days per week. Between the first and third grades students will be limited to use Wi-Fi up to two hours per day for no more than four days per week.  http://www.gsma.com/publicpolicy/israeli-ministry-of-education-issue-guidelines-to-limit-wi-fi-in-schools

Dec 2014: Hamburg, Germany pulls Wi-Fi plans for 6 schools. “The correlation of the increase of overwork, headaches, ADHD and mental illness with the growing use of digital media is worrying,” said Ulmer psychiatrist and brain researcher Prof. Manfred Spitzer. According to the latest state of science the negative health effects are clear. The amount of radiation could lead to impaired concentration, in addition to sperm damage, DNA strand breaks and thus cancer. Manufacturers, as well as the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, is already warning not to use wireless devices in close proximity to the body.  http://www.shieldyourbody.com/2014/12/article-hamburg-puts-plans-wlan-schools-ice/

In 1978, study from John Hopkins University showed that long term exposure to wireless radiation caused serious health problems: eczema, psoriasis, allergic and inflammatory reactions, neurological and reproductive problems, tumours and mood disorders such as depression, irritability and lack of concentration. http://www.cbc.ca/news/cell-tower-radiation-harmful-to-humans-study-1.958047

Study of pregnant mice exposed (9a-9p) to EMF/wireless microwave radiation, their male offspring showed decreased memory and learning, and this persisted through adulthood. The female offspring did not show this learning and memory deficit. Increased anxiety.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25359903?dopt=Abstract

Many medical and aviation safety experts caution against Wi-Fi on flights, including testimonials from pilots and aviation employees who complain of illness from Wi-Fi exposure, including pilots fainting while flying causing an emergency situation.  http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022127205

Wireless Charging - another untested technology with greater impact on human health than wireless technology alone.  

At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a few companies introduced Wireless Charging products.  These technologies allow for devices to be charged wirelessly, without making any contact, over a distance of 20′.  Again, these technologies have not been tested for safety on people. One system is called WattUp, and it works using a mix of RF, Bluetooth and a lot of patent-pending technology. The transmitter is where most of the magic happens. It communicates with and locates compatible devices using low-energy Bluetooth. Once they’ve established contact with a device, they send out focused RF signals on the same bands as WiFi that are then absorbed and converted into DC power by a tiny chip embedded in the device. These transmitters can be built into household appliances, TVs, speakers and standalone “energy routers.” That means that the environment around these types of wireless chargers is literally filled with free flowing power— much more than standard WiFi or cordless phones would create. Indeed, one article about wireless charging tech from CES had an unusually honest quote from an anonymous executive of a major hardware company:
 
“I don’t think I would want to be in a room with free moving power signals,”  Wireless charging is already being rolled out to specific Starbucks locations in the US andMcDonald’s restaurants in the UK, as well as certain models of new Toyotas and Cadillac vehiclesVerizon is already selling phones with integrated support for wireless charging. http://www.shieldyourbody.com/2015/01/unknown-risks-wireless-charging/
 

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