My Position on Smart Meters

A few organisers who oppose B.C.’s smart meters have been making false statements about me and what I believe about the meters. So that the public might be aware of what truly is my position, rather than trust the gossip circulating, this is what I actually believe about these meters.

The wireless meters that have been installed on most of our homes and buildings have certain advantages as well as possible dangers. While it has been many years since I graduated from B.C.I.T. my speciality was in electronic telecommunications.

For the amount of money BC Hydro spent on the meters they should have been hard-wired (not wireless). This would have greatly alleviated concerns about privacy and especially EMF (electromagnetic energy). EMF waves are potentially harmful to human and other life-forms. However, there is a great deal of debate presently occurring about what frequencies and what intensities may be harmful.

In the meantime the precautionary principal should be invoked; namely, a new technology that has potentially harmful consequences should be avoided until it can be proven NOT to be harmful. On this basis the wireless meters should not be installed.

It is for this reason that I rarely use a cell phone, have hard-wired my computers (no WI-FI in my home), shield myself from portable phones except when in use, shield myself from an office power bar that carries several chargers, and have shielded the walls and windows of my office (cell phone coverage is limited inside!).  Despite being told this, some continue to lie about me –falsely claiming that I am completely in acceptance of EMF.

Now the advantages. Smart meters (of whatever kind) do offer positives. The advantages include a much faster feedback of information to the homeowner, enabling the homeowner to better determine where their electricity is going, and how much is being used, and thus be able to improve their home’s energy efficiency. On average, the savings for the interested homeowner or renter is more than 10%! Other advantages include being able to program one’s future electric car so that in an emergency (and with the owner’s permission) electricity can be extracted from that battery in order to stabilise the grid. Or to charge the car battery when the price is at the lowest (in the middle of the night, should time of use be instituted). This feature helps to reduce the peak load on the grid, saving us all money while improving the reliability of the grid.  There are other advantages as well.

Because I have promoted the advantages of the meters (wireless or otherwise) some people have construed this to mean that I am only a proponent of the meters. Unfortunately for some of those who have become so zealous of their position, they have been unable or unwilling to understand anyone who has not totally agreed with them.

It seems to me that if people wish to convince others of their position they would do well to be truthful about those with whom they disagree, otherwise their shrill message and lack of integrity utterly undermines their message. If they can misinform people about one thing it is possible that they can about other things.

Lastly, there appears to be a fundamental disconnect between their concerns and the way they treat others whom they consider to be opponents. If they do not wish to have smart meters attached to their homes because they consider the meters to violate their beings, why is it that they feel justified to similarly violate the well-being of their opponents by gossiping about them, spreading false-hoods, and treating them with disrespect? 

If one wishes to be respected it behooves us all to treat each other with similar respect.