Bethany Barry Menkart
updated
Wed, Apr 4, 2012 09:33 AM
Dear Editor,
It's time to opt-out of Smart meters. CVPS, which is in the process
of being swallowed up by Gaz Metro, a decidedly for-profit Canadian
corporation, is including a switch-over to smart meters in its
cost-cutting agenda. This not only will take away the meter-reading
jobs from Vermonters, but will also give the giant utility
corporation much personal data about our electricity/appliance
usage which can be used to adjust our fees accordingly to peak
usage times, or sell the information to third-parties, including
law enforcement agencies or marketing firms. They will also be able
to track when people are at home, or gone, what is being used or
not used and when.
CVPS is also planning to add an automatic $10/mo. fee to our bills
if we decide to opt-out to a choice that we did not get to make in
the first place. This is completely unfair. We should not be
penalized for our privacy and health choices.
Sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is quickly becoming
a prevalent health problem through the constant exposure to cell
phones and wireless networks. Scientific evidence shows that large
amounts of EMR exposure can cause negative biological effects;
these effects include, but are in no way limited to, changes in
cell communication, cell metabolism, membrane function, and may
eventually lead to cancer. There are also behavioral problems
linked to EMR exposure, including memory loss, retarded learning,
migraines, fatigue, depression and sleep disorders.
There is a growing list of health complaints where smart meters
have been introduced in British Columbia, and California, with
symptoms that disappear when the smart meters are removed.
Who really benefits from these meters? It's not the people- we
don't have to let them do it!
There is a bill in the Vermont Senate that would establish
"customer rights regarding smart meters" (S.214). On March 14, the
bill passed the Senate Finance Committee, but it still does not
address the health and safety issues.
I urge you to call CVPS and opt-out, and call your representative
or senator and let them know how you feel about this.
Bethany Barry Menkart, Leicester, Vt.
Tagged:
Bethany Barry Menkart, Letter to Editor
