There is something happening quietly on the sides of our homes. You cannot see it. You cannot smell it. You cannot taste it. But your body may feel it.
Smart meters — installed throughout western Massachusetts and across Worcester
County — emit pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation day and night. These
devices were introduced in the name of efficiency and modernization. They automate
billing, reduce labor costs, and improve operational convenience for utility companies.
But they also introduce a continuous source of artificial electromagnetic radiation
directly into the living spaces of the public.
And most of us were never meaningfully asked if we agreed to this level of exposure.The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation as a possible human carcinogen. Scientific studies have documented biological effects such as oxidative stress, neurological changes, and disruption of cellular function. Oxidative stress is a known contributor to chronic illness, immune dysfunction, and neurological imbalance.
These devices are often mounted directly on bedroom walls, just feet from where families sleep for six to eight hours every night. For some individuals, the effects are not theoretical.
There are members of our communities whose nervous systems have become profoundly sensitive to electromagnetic exposure. They struggle to sleep. They experience brain fog, fatigue, and nervous system dysregulation. Their ability to function normally becomes compromised.
If they have financial means, they attempt to shield their homes with protective materials. But those homes can become confined environments — safe only within limited boundaries.
If they cannot afford protection, they are left exposed.
Why should citizens be forced to pay to protect themselves from environmental exposures imposed without meaningful consent?
Utility companies such as Eversource generate billions of dollars in annual revenue. Smart meters improve operational efficiency and contribute to increased profitability. While profit itself is not inherently wrong, it must never come at the expense of public health.
The responsibility of government is to protect its citizens. State representatives, senators, and local health boards exist to ensure that the well-being of the public is safeguarded.
Yet many citizens feel their concerns are not being adequately investigated or addressed.
Children’s nervous systems are still developing. Their biological systems are more vulnerable to environmental stressors. They are growing up in a world layered with exposures that previous generations never experienced at this scale.
How much is too much? How much cumulative environmental stress can the human body withstand before dysfunction begins? These are not unreasonable questions. They are responsible questions.
History has shown us that technologies once considered safe were later found to have unintended consequences. Tobacco, asbestos, and leaded gasoline were all once accepted as safe — until science revealed otherwise.
Progress is important. Innovation is important. But public health must always come first.
We are asking our elected officials and local health boards to investigate thoroughly, to listen carefully, and to ensure that precaution and public safety guide decision-making.
This is not about fear. It is about responsibility.
It is about ensuring that modernization does not quietly compromise the health and well-being of the very people it is meant to serve. Because the most powerful forces affecting us today are often the ones we cannot see. And by the time we recognize their full impact, the damage may already be done.
Peter Seymour Howe is a health care practitioner based in Montague.