There are a good many people who think EMFs are bad for your health.
However, we are subjected to all kinds of EMFs and broadband wireless signals all the time. As wireless networks and other wireless tech grows in popularity, there is more and more of it.
Unless somebody can explain why, I don’t understand why smart meters should be considered more dangerous than similar radiation from other sources.
Sounds to me like this is the same old environmental balderdash the liberals have been selling since the 60s.
In fact, I've had a "smart" meter at my house in Sacramento from SMUD for over a year (originally a shorter-range version, but now with a new one with more accurate readings) and I haven't gotten ill lately.
Her'es the risk ~ they turn off when you need stuff on.
We had a high speed modem set up to run on a closed network between a building in downtown DC and our building in the Alexandria suburbs.
Every day about 1 PM the modem would shut down. It'd come back on about 6 PM.
Obviously you can't do work with your modem doing that, so we got a new one. Alas, same thing. Off 5 hours a day ~ during peak period ~ and no connection to the network we needed to do work.
One day I was reading a news story at lunch and it was about "smart meters" ~ the power company had bought a bunch of them and were going to experiment with them. They wanted volunteers.
The meter brand was named ~ lo and behold they made my modem. A little more research revealed it was the same modem design and capability I had my network connection on.
The power company simply ginned a signal over the power lines to trigger the modems to turn off the power to the ACs or waterheaters.
That also triggered a built in timer (probably on one of the chips) to cut the power to the modem (and run on battery only for several hours).
I ordered new modems that operated differently IMMEDIATELY.
The problem in the power company approach was that everything was ONE WAY. They interrupted the power, but could not restart it for an individual device. You just had to wait for the clock to order a restart.
The system was not terribly popular in this area.
The inverse square law rules! There simply is no comparison of a milliwatt transmitter in your backyard whose signal may travel a block or two, and a 1 watt cell phone held an inch from the head.
I would not worry about this, just accept the discount.
They are not. This story is total BULLSHIT. People who wear their cell phones on their waist every day receive several MILLION times more EMF exposure each day than from a smart meter outside their house.
This stuff, painted around the RF emiting device may force the utility to change their plans. But it isn't cheap.
I am tired of legislation based on the latest theory.