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Health & Fitness

Take Action: How to Opt Out of Radiation-Emitting Smart Meters

Action steps to take for those concerned about smart meters.

If you are concerned about the new wireless, radiation-emitting SDG&E utility meters (aka smart meters, AMI, AMR meters) that many people are reporting illness from, here are some facts that will help you learn about how to opt-out (be allowed not to have one).

Producing an opt-out plan for concerned customers has not yet been ordered for SDG&E or SCE, by a CPUC Administrative Law Judge, as it has for PG&E. Why is this? CPUC says they haven't heard from enough consumers who dislike the new meters in Southern California, even though records show the complaints in the thousands directly to SDG&E (San Diego Gas & Electric) and SCE (Southern CA Edison). Apparently, not enough have also complained to CPUC from Southern California.

In parts of CA north of here, 46 municipalities have filed severe complaints about smart meters, including many towns, cities, and 9 entire counties, such as Santa Barbara, with most around the greater San Francisco Bay area. In Southern California, only the City and County of Santa Barbara have filed official complaints and requests for an opt-out. Other counties and cities have banned or even criminalized the installation of smart meters, in Northern CA, such as Marin and Santa Cruz Counties. This, after their attorneys and councils examined extensive evidence that pointed to harm to public health.

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bottom line, SDG&E has been ordered to attend a Smart Meter Opt-0ut Workshop by two CPUC Administrative Law Judges in a row, to discuss the ways that people can opt-out of having a smart meter on their homes. SDG&E will be attending that meeting on Sept. 14th, at the CPUC Public Auditorium. SCE will also be attending, upon order of the CPUC, as will PG&E and Southern CA Gas.

The meeting is public and will be carried online, live, and archived afterward. Verification of these facts may be found on www.CPUC.ca.gov under Calendar for Sept.

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The reason all three major utilities (plus So CA Gas) are being ordered into this meeting is because there has been such an enormous uproar all over the state about the health effects and privacy issues to do with smart meters - make no mistake about that.

When counties feel compelled to criminalize the installation of these meters, after their attorneys have examined the facts, we are talking "serious."  If you don't want a smart meter on your home that emits what scientists and doctors (including the CA Dept of Health) warn is at the very least, potentially harmful, pulsed, rf radiation; if you don't want to take a chance with your health and privacy; if you are experiencing health effects that you feel may be related to the smart meters on your home; if you don't have a smart meter and don't want one ...  

10 WAYS TO TAKE ACTION

1.Go to the CPUC site http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/CEC/e_complaint/ and file a smart meter complaint immediately.

2. Complain to SDG&E, also, in writing, and send our nonprofit a copy, info@electrosmogprevention.org

3. Attend the CPUC Smart Meter Opt-Out Workshop Sept 14 meeting, 9:30 AM-4 PM, in San Francisco,  in person or virtually(live webinar).

4. Let your local (town, city, county) governments and state legislators know your position on this issue, including any complaints, in writing and by phone if you can do so. See attached template in Media - Docs.

5. Consider supporting CEP's Proposal (http://www.scribd.com/doc/61171903/CEP-Smart-Meter-Opt-Out-Proposal-for-CPUC-7-28-11) We want wireless GONE from the smart grid plans.

6. Join Center for Electrosmog Prevention at http://electrosmogprevention.org/joinus.html.

7. Help educate the public by sharing your experiences, commenting online on articles, writing Letters to the Editor, blogging, and using the CEP Reasons to Say No To Smart Meters Educational Speaker's Packet with your friends, family, neighbors, and groups http://www.scribd.com/doc/52614951/Reasons-to-Say-No-to-Smart-Meters

8. Consider posting signs and protesting smart meters. www.Refusesmartmeter.com. See Do Not Install Smart Meter letter template in Media - docs on this page.

9. Learn more about what people are doing to protect their analog meters. http://stopsmartmeters.org/ (Protect Your Analog Meters Parts 1-4)

10. Learn more about smart meter dangers and solutions at Smart Meter Dangers www.smartmeterdangers.org. Read all the recent local San Diego County Patch articles (in addition to this OC County Patch) about smart meters, including comments. These have appeared in LaMesa.Patch.com, LemonGrove.patch.com, Carlsbad.patch.com, LaJolla.Patch.com, Encinitas.Patch.com, and LaMesa.patch.com, to name a few.

What types of smart meters are there? Electric, gas, and water companies are using them lately. Helix Water District (San Diego County) dropped their smart meter plan after bad press in April, claiming that the program was too expensive and had few beneficial results (3 people saved water). Read articles about this at: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/5843, http://eastcountymagazine.org/node/5888, N

Having a problem with your smart meter? Start now, by telling us about it.

Or for those with no problems, think about this: is it worth a serious potential health risk to be able to save the utility money on meter readers and to be able to check your usage online? Talk about it! Take ACTION!

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