USA: Verwijderen van de slimme meter

Bron: Fairfield Community, Iowa 2013

Een interessant verhaal over een plaatsje in de USA waar in 2012 slimme meters werden geïnstalleerd en misleidende informatie werd gegeven door de overheid. Vervolgens hebben een groot aantal burgers zich georganiseerd, met het uiteindelijk resultaat dat de slimme meters weer vervangen zijn door de ouderwetse analoge.

smart-meter-removal

How to organize your community to halt ''smart'' meter installs (Case study
from Fairfield, Iowa)

Like many communities, in early 2012 the city of Fairfield, Iowa began
installing wireless ''smart'' water meters, without informing the
public. And in summer 2012, because of public pressure and the
presentation of facts, the city halted installations, began
uninstalling meters and reimbursed opt-out fees. While there are a
number areas in which ''smart'' meters are causing harm (8research the
issues), Fairfield focused on the health issue.

This information summarizes the steps that Fairfield residents took to
take power into their own hands:

1) Learn the facts

When people began to experience health problems and became concerned,
the mayor and other officials tried to convince people that there was
no problem. The Mayor is quoted as stating that the meters “are only
emitting a signal when the meter reading person sends a signal to read
the meter. When the signal is sent, it “wakes up” the meter and sends
back a reading in a matter of seconds. When the information is
received, the meter goes “back to sleep”, so the meter is actively
emitting a signal for less than one minute per month.”

Residents soon tested their smart meters with an analyzer that detects
high frequency radiation and found that in fact, these Neptune E-Coder
900 meters, are pulsing RF radiation every 14 seconds, 24 hours a day.
Not only that, but the amounts of radiation are significantly higher
than those known to cause negative health effects - according to both
published scientific studies and the symptoms that are being observed
and reported by tens of thousands.

2) Become organized... and keep your group informed

A group of concerned citizens mobilized and started 9Fairfield Safe
Meters, providing information and organizing residents. A free
Wordpress website (10blog version | 11standalone version) with a
subscription plugin, and/or a simple email distribution list, will give
you the ability to stay in touch with your supporters with updates on
progress and action steps. Be sure to ask those who learn of your
cause, if you can add their email to the list. This will help the
momentum continue to build. And having regular meetings with the
leaders in your community will energize the process toward your
objective.

3) Educate the community

Dr. Richard Wolfson, one of the community organizers, and other
residents started sending letters to the city council and to the
12local newspaper explaining the health risks associated with smart
meters. Concerned residents started contacting their neighbors and
informing them about the dangers posed by smart meters. One important
action item was a powerpoint presentation that Dr. Richard Wolfson gave
to residents at the public library. This presentation, 13linked here,
was very educational and based on scientific research documenting the
dangers of smart meters. The presentation spurred dozens of people to
get involved and to volunteer with Fairfield Safe Meters. Additional
resources that Fairfield used are 14here and 15here.

4) Be clear about your goals, and put pressure on government

The residents of Fairfield were very clear about their goals. They were
asking for the right to opt out of having these meters installed and
the right to go back to analog meters. Much of the story is chronicled
at the 16Fairfield Safe Meters website. They also started a Facebook
page with information for the community and a petition to the council,
both on their 17website and on 18change.org. More than 875 locals
signed the petition.

Enough pressure was placed on the city council that a public meeting
was held to consider allowing residents to opt out. One hundred people
came to the meeting. The organizers of Fairfield Safe Meters invited a
number of experts in the public health and law fields to testify about
the impacts of smart meters of human health and lack of testing to
assure the meters are safe. The following is an excerpt from the
meeting:

''Many residents were upset the city purchased these meters and
installed them in homes without informing the public or researching
their health effects. City officials were contending the meters were
safe, without direct evidence. Also, city officials passed on
misinformation about the meters, saying they only transmit once a
month. Even years after meters were installed, the technology was not
clearly understood by the city.''

Initially, the Council proposed that residents who want to opt out and
get a different, non-RF meter would have to pay $100 plus $75/hr for
installation, and an additional $10/month on their bills. The Fairfield
Safe Meters group kept up the pressure, pointing out the the non-RF
meters are much less expensive than the smart meters and that it is
unfair to charge residents for something they never agreed to in the
first place. In the end, the city council backed down. The council
decided that anyone can opt out and get a non-RF meter for no extra
charge. Also, anyone who had already paid for the opt-out, would get
the money completely refunded.

FOCUSING ON LIABILITY: A number of groups are having positive results
in holding governments and decision-influencing individuals directly
liable for any and all damages to health, privacy, security and basic
rights including enjoyment of life. For example, many provinces and
states have a Public Health Act which contains a section essentially
stating that local government must take action if they are presented
with a potential health risk.

In this context, if local or regional government officials are made
aware in writing that a health hazard or health impediment exists, and
they do not respond to address the hazard, they have just agreed to be
liable for any and all damage. This is how their system of commerce
works. The inherent liability of a public or corporate official can be
effectively leveraged by notifying in writing any official who is
unresponsive - or is considering a response - of their personal
liability, and what you deem the appropriate consequence for their
negligence should be. The application of liability yields a weak link
in their chain. A properly-written letter from even one in the
community - let alone thousands - will yield much fruit.

6) With enough persistence comes victory

Victory is inevitable with community support, good organization and
persistence!

GETTING CONNECTED: Find out who's aware & active in your local region
via our Worldwide Directory of active groups:
19 takebackyourpower.net/worldwide-directory .



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