University Says “NO” To WiFi And Cellular Antennas

By on January 9, 2010 in News 6

From the blog of Dr Magda Havas, PhD:

December 2009. If you are a student who is sensitive to electromagnetic energy or who does not want to be unnecessarily exposed to microwave radiation then this is definitely one university you should consider attending.

Lakehead University has opted for a fibre-optic network rather than a wireless network to provide access to the internet for students attending the campus in both Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ontario, Canada.

This is the first university in North America that has opted for the precautionary principle and that places the health and safety of students and staff above the convenience of wireless technology. Despite this policy students have access to the world wide web and have adequate cell phone access as well. What they don’t have is unnecessary exposure to microwave radiation.

We look to universities to provide leadership in society and this is one university that does just that. Despite lucrative, multi-year contracts offered to universities by cell phone providers for erecting cellular antennas on campus property, Lakehead has refused to place their students and staff at risk. In their policy report, effective November 10, 2009, they state “Cellular communications antennae will not be placed on University Property.”…

[continues at Dr Magda Havas, PhD's blog]

, , ,

  • http://www.xenex.org/ xen

    You know, there are people who claim to be allergic to radio signals and electricity. Where is the university for these lead-lined Amish?

  • Screwtape

    They're also handing out tin foil hats to students, after a sophomore raised concerns that the government was beaming voices directly into her head. It's good to see a university brave enough to place the welfare of its students above common sense.

    • 5by5

      Interestingly enough, the technology already exists to do exactly that — ie. beam voices directly into your head.

      So the real question becomes, is it live, or is it Memorex? :-)

  • honu

    I find the comments alluding to people with tin hats and paranoids regarding the issue of electromagnetic radiation exposure a bit naive. What do you think these signals are? Non existent magic that transports our communications? They have substance and we are placing ourselves in the middle of many streams of various electromagnetic waves on a daily basis. Cell phone frequencies are beaming through many Americans' heads regularly for hours/day. When you go to the dentist and got x-rays they put a lead bib on you for a reason, to block unnecessary exposure. The modern life has us dabbling in technologies that haven't been introduced to humanity before and we're all part of this grand experiment to see how this will affect us. Personally, I believe EMF exposure will prove to be detrimental so I have no problem with a university or any other organization trying to limit it.

    • Screwtape

      A university would be expected to draw their conclusion from a sound review the scientific literature, and as it stands there is no evidence that wi-fi signals have any sort of bioactive effect. It's embarrassing for the university to have been taken in my pseudoscience, and at the expense of their students.

  • Screwtape

    A university would be expected to draw their conclusion from a sound review the scientific literature, and as it stands there is no evidence that wi-fi signals have any sort of bioactive effect. It’s embarrassing for the university to have been taken in my pseudoscience, and at the expense of their students.