Editor:
Re: Measuring up the opposition, Feb. 9 letters.
It seems letter-writer Andrew Wallwork has no problem joining the majority of electrical engineers in downplaying the dangers of BC Hydro’s ‘smart’ meters.
Engineers follow physicists in simplifying nature. They are all quite happy if they can deal with averages of complex systems. So it is indeed true that all this Wi-Fi technology surrounding us generates small amounts of power, on average.
They fail to disclose – or remember – a fundamental law of electromagnetism, discovered by both Michael Faraday and Joseph Henry almost 180 years ago that was key in humanity’s use of electricity.
This law indicates that induced electrical voltages increase directly with the rate of fluctuations of the source currents. This means that very short spikes of powerful electrical current will be induced everywhere by Wi-Fi, including in biological tissue like the brain.
We have no idea how dangerous this effect might be, but governments would be wise to be cautious as Wi-Fi frequencies continue to increase and as Wi-Fi becomes ever more pervasive. This new threat has been added to the numerous sources of cancer added to our environment – particularly by big business – in the last 50 years, all of which were initially denied by those with a large financial interest.
BC Hydro has been pressured by the BC Liberals to push these new meters rapidly on the whole province so they can increase rates.
Herb Spencer, Surrey