Page 11 - the NOISE October 2013

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NEwSbriefs
illus By maris cumminGs
smart meter
movie premiers
as clarkdale considers “opt out”
By cindy cole | cindycole@live.com
The documentary film Take Back Your Pow- er recently made its Arizona premiere at Se- dona’s Mary D. Fischer Theatre. Tickets were made available for free and a third showing had to be added when the first two quickly sold out.
According to the movie’s website, “Take Back Your Power is a historic community- funded film which exposes the technocratic
“smart meter” agenda, by which corporations are currently attempting to quietly assert the basis for further control in the lives and homes of the world’s citizens. The film will also focus on specific solutions – which are presently available – for humanity to leap- frog outdated ideas of control, and co-create a better future.”
On June 19, 2013 the Sedona City Council voted 4-3 in favor of sending a letter to the Arizona Corporation Commission asking it to allow all citizens of Sedona to opt out of Arizona Public Service’s Smart Meter instal- lation without penalty. This act makes Sedo- na the first Arizona city to join those in other parts of the country who are standing against the implementation of wireless meters.
It is still unknown whether the ACC will honor the city’s request. In the meantime, Sedona Smart Meter Awareness has formed, a group of local citizens raising awareness on the dangers of smart meters, the proposed smart grid, and exposure to in- creasing amounts of Electromagnetic Fre- quency radiation in the general milieu.
In order to further their efforts, the group recently brought the documentary film to Sedona with the help of an anonymous donor and the Sedona International Film Festival. According to the group’s website, sedonasmartmeterawareness.com, 375 Verde Valley residents viewed the film dur- ing its three screenings. Each showing filled the theatre to capacity and raised a myriad of questions for audience members. In addi- tion, DVD copies of the film made available at the theatre sold out.
The film highlights aspects of the push by utility companies across the country to impose smart meter technology on their customers. The documentary explores the health, safety and privacy issues surround- ing smart meter technology and grassroots efforts to resist their implementation around the globe.
In a letter dated June 24 and signed by Mayor Rob Adams, the Sedona City Coun- cil expressed the community’s resolution to
“opt out” of smart meters without financial penalty. On October 5, Clarkdale City Coun- cil will consider a similar resolution brought by citizen initiative.
APS is currently requesting a $75 initial fee and an ongoing $30 monthly fee for citizens who choose to keep their analog meter rath- er than have a smart meter installed.
Sedona’s letter questions the logic of APS’ solution, citing current meter reading fees of $1.86. The letter further reads:
“Hopefully you can agree that through- out the State and the nation, serious con- cerns have arisen by a significant number of citizens about the health, safety and privacy effects of smart-meters. Studies do indicate the long-term exposure to high levels of electro-magnetic radiation does have the potential to affect the health of human beings.
“While it is understood that the radiation from smart-meters is similar to that emit- ted by other devices such as cell-phones and micro-wave ovens, it cannot be dis- puted that installation of thousands of smart-meters city-wide will only serve to substantially increase the cumulative ef- fects of electro-magnetic radiation.
“One of the major themes we heard from our citizens was that the most prudent course of action, given the health concerns about smart-meters, is to delay their imple- mentation until more scientific informa- tion and study come available.”
APS customers may opt out or comment on “smart meters” by calling 800-253-9405, and may comment to the Arizona Corpora- tion Commission on its upcoming ruling on the topic by calling 800-222-7000.
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news
• october 2013 • 11