From: jmoulder@post.its.mcw.edu (John Moulder)
Newsgroups: sci.med.physics
Subject: resisting electromagnetic radiation
Date: 8 Jan 1993 19:55:20 GMT
Organization: Medical College of Wisconsin
Distribution: world
Reply-To: jmoulder@post.its.mcw.edu (John Moulder)
NNTP-Posting-Host: moulder.radbio.mcw.edu
Keywords: powerlines, EMF, non-ionizing, ELF

 > Call me an ignorant, radical fool, but the fact remains that I
> want to decrease my exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

I would have been a little more polite than that.

> I've heard the pro and con arguments on whether this is a true 
> hazard

The epidemiological evidence for a hazard is weak, and the 
laboratory evidence is non-existent.

> I've heard of people using some device which sprays negative
> ions in the air, I believe, in order to reduce the hazard.

They are probably tqlking about negative ion generators.  These 
will have absolutely no effect on electromagnetic fields.

> This doesn't make a lot of sense to me and leads to the
> question - is a spray of negative ions dangerous?

You've got that right, it makes no sense.  Other than a waste of 
money, though, its probably safe.  Of course, since it is an 
electric device, and probably has a fan motor, it will be an 
additional source of EMF in your house.

> Has any research been done on blocking electromagnetic
> radiation? I assume that planting trees between my house and
> the power lines would be ineffective. How about buttressing
> the walls of my house with some sort of repulsing material?

You are already shielded from powerline electrical fields by the 
walls of the house.  There is no practical way to block the 
magnetic field.  In theory you could cover the house with mu 
metal, but I think that would cost between $200,000 and 
$1,000,000, so I wouldn't advise it.

> I would like to get pregnant soon, so I'm wrestling with
> whether I should quit my job (to reduce my exposure to the
> copiers and computers) and lose my medical coverage.
>
> Any thoughts?

Yah, don't smoke (and don't live or work with smokers) while 
you're pregnant, stay away from alcohol and drugs while your're 
pregnant, say healthy while you're pregnant, get good prenatal 
care, and don't take any chances with HIV infection.

If you're determined to decrease your exposure to power-
frequency EMF fields, keep in mind that the major sources of 
personal exposure are:
1)  things that use a lot of current
2)  things that have high-speed motors
Also remember that exposure falls rapidly with distance, and 
that most excposure is at home.

So, stay away from electrical motors (clocks, hair dryers, power 
tools, vacume cleaners, blenders), and stay away from high 
current items like electric blankets (but of course you're in 
California so you don't need them).  

Move your bedroom to the side of the house opposite to where the 
local electrical distribution line runs.  Make sure all your 
appliances are properly grounded, and keep your use of 
electricity to a minimum.

And relax and worry about the real hazards in your life (-:

John Moulder (jmoulder@post.its.mcw.edu)      414-266-4672
Radiation Biology Group
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisc