Many people with analogs are receiving a certified letter from PG&E–a legalistic and intimidating tactic. Ignore it. If you missed the postal carrier, and are stuck with a pick-up slip, don’t waste your precious time going down to the post office to stand in line. Let the PO return it to them. The letter tells you about the opt out, the cost, and the “deadline” they have invented, May 1, 2012. If you want, you can read about the opt out on their website, http://pge.com.
The opt out as it is currently being implemented is far from meeting the needs of many ratepayers. Most notably, communities cannot yet opt out, despite the fact that there are 49 cities and counties with bans as of now. People living next to banks of meters are left without options. Smart-meter-free zones are not provided for. And many of us are wondering why don’t we get a rebate for turning down the smart meter, thereby saving about $250 in equipment and labor charges to our utility. Instead we are asked to cough up a fee to keep what we have, or have removed a device we never asked for.
We have said all along that meeting and talking to neighbors is crucial: the utilities have counted on ignorance to pull off this deployment, and a little information from someone you know can go a long way. A group of neighbors in Santa Cruz County has worked to retain all their analog meters. Recently one member sent us an excellent letter he is using to communicate in the group about the opt-out. So we offer a modified version of that letter to you, to help address the subject and talk to your own neighbors. Customize and distribute it in your neighborhood, to let everyone know they can keep their analog or ditch their smart meter.
Many people don’t realize how smart meter radiation doesn’t recognize property lines. Analog meters make good neighbors!
____________________________________________
Documents referred to in the letter:
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Health Risks Report on Smartmeters. http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Health-Risks-Associated-With-SmartMeters.pdf
American Academy of Environmental Medicine’s letter to the CPUC recommending the smart meter program be halted. http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/AAEM-Resolution.pdf
WARNING !!
Do not click on the link above that says “you can read all the material here”.
I just did it, and it was a mistake. That page was not the letter that was sent to me about opting out, it was a PG&E propaganda page, and a dialog box came up that said “PG&E would like your feedback ” click no thanks. But it is too late, now PG&E has your IP address. Don’t waste your time with that propaganda link, and if you want a Smartmeter for sure, ignore the letter and don’t contact PG&E to inform them that you are choosing to not opt into their meter program. Then you will be guaranteed to receive a brand spanking new Chinese SmartMeter. Whoopie !! And for free too !!
And the big bonus, you can in the future buy a smart phone with a data package and receive “price gouging alerts” from the “smart pricing program”.
LIVING INSIDE A MICROWAVE OVEN ON A LOW SETTING 24 HOURS PER DAY
And the Utility companies say “Safe.”
Utility companies say “No proof of harm.” But there is OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF HARM from smart meters.
OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE is what is used in our court systems to convict people of murder and it is also used in most scientific experimentation and conclusions.
100% Proof does not exist amongst humans on this Earth.
The closest we have to 100% Proof is that the Utility Companies are Lying.
Good news for the weekend; bad news for anyone who wants to slap a radiation-spewing meter on the side of your house! Why is the U. S. government still allowing these untested-for-human-safety electric meters to be installed all across America? Since Americans coughed up over FOUR BILLION dollars for this disastrous boondoggle, I think they deserve answers!
[UK] Smart meters for energy to be voluntary
Plans to force households to have energy smart meters installed have been shelved over health and privacy fears.
By Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent
[United Kingdom] “Officials are devising plans to allow people to reject the smart meters, which communicate remotely from households to energy companies.
“The move is a victory for campaign groups and backbench MPs, who raised concerns with ministers that the devices emit electromagnetic radiation 24 hours a day and cannot be turned off.
[snip]
“There has been a public outcry recently about the potential health effects of smart meters in the US and Canada.
[snip]
“Campaigners are worried about the build-up of [radiation-emitting] devices in the home.
“Some people claim to be sensitive to electromagnetic fields, saying it gives them symptoms such as nausea, fatigue and headaches.
“In America, utility companies have been hit with multi-million dollar class action lawsuits [emphasis mine] from people who have had the devices installed in their homes.
[snip]
“…protesters point to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine’s opposition to the devices.
“Bill Esterson, MP for Sefton Central, is now urging the Government to say whether smart meters will come with health warnings.
“Charles Hendry, the energy minister, said: ‘We believe people will benefit from having smart meters. But we will not make them obligatory.'”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/financialservices/utilities/Business-energy/9053100/Smart-meters-for-energy-to-be-voluntary.html
Hey, I know why the big utilities are being immoral and cruel about smart meters, their cell phone use is impairing their moral judgement!!
http://firstdonoharmblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/cell-phone-use-can-affect-moral.html
I am wondering what to do now, my niebor picked up my mail and the certified letter from pg&e, do I have’t to sign and send it in now…? I do not want a smart meter…Am I obligated to send it in ? They want a 75.00$ set up fee and a additional 10bucks a month to keep the analog…any advise out there?
Deborah, you must call PGE before May 1st of this year—otherwise they will assume you want a smart meter, and go ahead and put it in.
Please consider coming to the next CPUC meeting (22 March, 9am, sign up 8:45) to voice your objection to the fee. Meanwhile, file a complaint here:
https://ia.cpuc.ca.gov/cimsapp/?key=39949189
This is a long slow fight, and we ain’t half done. But do your part.