Replace Wi-Fi with Ethernet Internet Connection to Reduce your Health Risk

First, we worried about the dangers of radiation that resulted from standing too close to the microwave. Then it was the fear of possible brain tumors with heavy cell phone use. Now, some are saying that merely being in close proximity to a Wi-Fi connection is dangerous to your health.

Last year the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Wi-Fi emits radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF) – a possible carcinogen – and that it was placing Wi-Fi on the same list as car exhaust, lead, and DDT.

Ontario, Canada is one place that seems to be taking the news seriously; not long after the announcement, teachers, parents and political candidates gathered at a local school to discuss removing Wi-Fi from public schools across the province. In an advertisement for the event, organizer Lynnette Haralampopolous reiterated the WHO’s findings and asserted, “School Boards cannot force children and teachers to be exposed to it [RF] all day.”

One Ontario private school in Collingwood, Pretty River Academy, has already removed their previous Wi-Fi system and replaced it with an Ethernet Internet connection prior to the start of the 2011-2012 school year. Principal Roberta Murray-Hirst explained that the switch was purely a precautionary measure, “We like to be proactive and obviously safety is always a concern,” and noted that Pretty River Academy has not received any health complaints from parents or students.

This Wi-Fi issue raises a number of questions – especially now that Wi-Fi is ubiquitous and the radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted are invisible and have no odor. Moreover, the majority of Wi-Fi services are always-on, meaning the RF is constantly saturating the area it resides in. From office buildings to airports to your local coffee shop, these days Wi-Fi is everywhere; and the fact that the WHO is equating the dangers of it to those of car exhaust, lead and DDT is disturbing to say the least.

While some believe that trying to protect yourself and your kids from the ‘risks’ of Wi-Fi is the same as trying to protect them from the common cold. However, while there is no quick cure for the common cold, there is an easy solution known to reduce exposure to RF: turn off the Wi-Fi and plug in. Not only are plug-in connections to the Internet safer for your health, they are more reliable, faster, and less susceptible to security risk.