Are Cell Phones Safe?

The Environmental Working Group released an interesting document last week about the safety of cell phones. After a 10 month research review, they concluded that cell phone DO emit radiation--enough to be concerned about potential cancer risks. Check out their website http://www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiation?inlist=Y&utm_source=cell&utm_medium=email&utm_content=second-link&utm_campaign=toxics to check the safety of your cell phone according to the EWG and also ways to reduce radiation exposure. Here is a quick summary, check out the link http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/8-Safety-Tips?inlist=Y&utm_source=cell&utm_medium=email&utm_content=fourth-link&utm_campaign=toxics for more detailed info:

1. Buy a low-radiation phone.
2. Use a headset or speaker.
3. Listen more, talk less (your phone emits radiation when you talk or text but not when you're receiving messages).
4. Hold the phone away from your body.
5. Choose texting over talking.
6. Poor signal? Stay off the phone (fewer signal bars means your phone emits more radiation to get the signal to the tower).
7. Limit your kid's cell phone use--kids brains absorb twice the cell phone radiation as an adults.
8. Skip the 'radiation shield' like antenna caps or keyboard covers (they reduce connetion quality an forces your phone to transmit at a higher power).

Well, I guess it's time for me to get some more options for texting, instead of paying 15 cents per text! I think it's also time to invest in a land line since we don't have one right now and now that we have kids it's important to have it for emergencies...plus I think I would like to hold off cell phone use for them as long as possible!

Cheers,
Dr. Misa