Dear Editor:

I am not sure why people are so upset about smart meters. It seems as though every time there is a new piece of technology introduced, the Luddites come out of the woodwork telling us that our rights are being infringed upon or that we are going to suffer from some kind of medical ailment from its implementation. Yet hundreds of years later, we are still here.

First of all, there is no law I know of that says you have to get your power from BC Hydro. I know of dozens of people in this area who choose to live off the grid and either generate their own power or go without. If you dont want a smart meter, there is your choice.

Second, smart meters pose no verifiable health risks. Smart meters produce low levels (less than one watt) of non-ionizing radiation a few times a day. Even if it were a thousand times a day for one second at a time, it is still transmitting only 1 per cent of the time.

Third, non-ionizing radiation has been with us before recorded history. The atmospheric process generates non-ionizing radiation through the thousands of lightning strikes every second you can hear it on your radio as static. The sun sends down roughly 1,000 watts of non-ionizing radiation per square meter to the Earths surface.

Finally, there are the many man-made sources of non-ionizing radiation we have lived with for over a century now: radio towers emitting up to 50,000 watts (The CKIR 870 tower is in a field next to Peters Hill and uses 5,000 watts), microwaves in our homes in the five watt range, plus numerous amateur radios, infrared heaters, and even flashlights! A smart meter, wi-fi network, or cell phone is the equivalent of adding a kazoo to a brass band!

Thats not to say that non-ionizing radiation cant be harmful, but the power required is much higher than any unshielded household device can produce and it is typically associated with heat or a burn. Far more dangerous to us are the sources of ionizing radiation, like ultraviolet (32 Watts per square meter from the Sun), X-rays, and radon gas.

If you have any concerns about Smart Meters or other sources of non-ionizing radiation, feel free to visit the World Health Organizations or Health Canadas website.

Calvin Nickel

Invermere