Tech | February 24, 2009 | 12 comments

Fear, but Few Facts, on Hybrid Risk

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/automobiles/27EMF.html

Image
covelogibbs
ALMOST without exception, scientists and policy makers agree that hybrid vehicles are good for the planet. To a small but insistent group of skeptics, however, there is another, more immediate question: Are hybrids healthy for drivers?

There is a legitimate scientific reason for raising the issue. The flow of electrical current to the motor that moves a hybrid vehicle at low speeds (and assists the gasoline engine on the highway) produces magnetic fields, which some studies have associated with serious health matters, including a possible risk of leukemia among children.

With the batteries and power cables in hybrids often placed close to the driver and passengers, some exposure to electromagnetic fields is unavoidable. Moreover, the exposure will be prolonged — unlike, say, using a hair dryer or electric shaver — for drivers who spend hours each day at the wheel.

Some hybrid owners have actually tested their cars for electromagnetic fields using hand-held meters, and a few say they are alarmed by the results.
  1. groups:
    Tech,   Green,   Health
  2. tags:
    Green,  Tech,  Environment,  Health,  23 more
  3.     
    |

12 comments // Fear, but Few Facts, on Hybrid Risk

  • covelogibbs
    • 0
      covelogibbs  
    • Image

    • Shielding is an interesting idea, but testing to see where the EMFs are and avoiding or eliminating those areas or appliances seems easier to me. For example, I now know to stay well away from my printer when it is printing and that it also puts out some EMFs just being plugged in. Although it doesn't like it, I unplug my printer, unless I'm printing. Shielding my printer seems like it would be a bigger pain than taking a few simple precautions.

      I recommend testing all areas of your home and work for EMF levels and taking whatever precautions you feel are necessary, but I think shielding would be my last choice. I would first exhaust all my other options.

    • 3 years ago
  • cybexg
    • 0
      cybexg  

    • I trust that the commentators live a fair distance from power lines, have no electric heating blankets, have shielded wiring in their home, have a shielded display for their computer (as well as having it shielded), etc.

    • 3 years ago
  • covelogibbs
    • 0
      covelogibbs  
    • Image

    • "Some hybrid owners have actually tested their cars for electromagnetic fields using hand-held meters, and a few say they are alarmed by the results."

      I fall in this category.

      I was most surprised that even without the car turned on, simply stepping on the brake peddle would spike the EMFs in the back seat. While you're driving? Forget about it! Why take the risk with two small children in the back where the EMFs are high while driving? so, I finally sold my Prius yesterday. I have mixed emotions, sad at the $10,000 dollar loss, but happy that the buyer got a really good deal. The car had 81 miles on it when I bought it new and only 6,200 when I sold it, so It was still like new. Probably the last new car I'll ever buy! It was very cramped with my two kids and their car seats in the back anyway. Now I don't have to think about the extra EMF exposure anymore. Peace of mind is priceless, I guess.

      The new owner's children are all grown and in college, so they don't have any babies to get exposed in the back. I feel a little guilty about not even mentioning EMFs to the new buyer, but many people I talked to thought that I was being overly cautious and some said I was downright silly. The passenger seat and drivers seat areas were within "normal" EMF readings, so It's really only the back seat that has high readings. The new owners will mostly be in the front, so I shouldn't feel too guilty, should I?

    • 3 years ago
  • covelogibbs
  • cybexg
    • 0
      cybexg  

    • Relative risk. Is there some risk associated w/ Hybrids? Probably some. But think of the risks associated w/ a gas vehicle - greater amount of exhaust (greater potential for exposure to toxins, etc.), more frequent fueling (again, more exposure to toxins, etc.), etc.

      So, weigh your risks.

    • 3 years ago
  • Lehvin
    • 0
      Lehvin  

    • E M F's are in everyone's home, if have an electrical box you have a decent level of emf in your home. And inhaling poisonous fumes and coming in contact with a myriad of known harmful glues, metals, preservatives, insulations etc... is healthier?????

    • 3 years ago
  • covelogibbs
    • 0
      covelogibbs  
    • Image
    • Lehvin:

      Use alternative, "green," building materials if you're ever lucky enough to be able to build a home or remodel. Zero VOC paints and glues are an absolute must. Some things that seem eco-friendly need to be researched, for example, bamboo floors are great, but be careful some brands use toxic glues. Even main stream building supply stores either stock or can special order alternative building supplies. Don't scrimp on things like your bed, furniture and carpeting. Many of these items have flame retardants and are made with toxic materials. If nothing else, consider buying an organic bed. There's not much more important than sleep and we spend so much time sleeping. My mattress is natural latex with an organic cotton and wool cover and I love it. The wool provides the fire protection, without any chemicals. :)

      Our cars are made with toxic materials as well, and off gassing of VOCs can be a big problem. Before my current car, a 2008 Prius, I had a 2002 VW Jetta TDI which I ran on biodiesel. The Jetta got better fuel economy than the Prius and I put 30,000 miles on it using 100% reclaimed restaurant waste oil. It felt good driving using a diverted waste stream as fuel. Man I loved that car, unfortunately it had a toxic smell that I could not get rid of, even after spending thousands replacing sub-flooring and carpet. The part I couldn't even get the body shop to give me a quote for was the sub-flooring that was between the dash and the motor compartment. :( bye bye Jetta.

      Our homes aren't just toxic to us, but to mother eartth as well.

      "Buildings, not cars, produce the most CO2 in the United States. Private residences, shopping malls, warehouses, and offices account for 38 percent of the nation's emissions, mainly because of electricity use. It doesn't help that the average new house in the United States is 45 percent bigger than it was 30 years ago."

      From National Geographic March 2009 "Saving Energy: It starts at home."

      http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/featurehub

      So, if you build "green" and don't use any toxic household cleaners or bodycare products, you shouldn't be inhaling any poisonous fumes and the planet will be happier too.

      As far as the EMF levels in your home, I definitely recommend getting a meter and testing everywhere. One of the things that was most concerning in my home was how far the EMF extended from a CFL. I also learned to never operate a "laptop" on my lap. I also got rid of my cordless phones. :(

      Warning: Never buy a DECT 6.0 phone or baby monitor and if you absolutely have to have a cordless phone, use a 900MHZ model.

      For more into, see:
      "Medical warnings needed on DECT cordless phone use"
      http://www.emfacts.com/papers/dect.pdf

    • 3 years ago
  • Lehvin
    • 0
      Lehvin  
    • Lehvin:

      Actually, I'm in school at the moment for sustainable construction and building evaluation/ Eco-consulting. At the completion of my courses I will have acquired all the knowledge need to start my own Eco-construction and/or Consulting business and that's exactly what I plan to do:) Also my self and my husband are in the planning stages of building our home and it will be done sustainably. solar power and wind turbine ( symbiotic systems best used together) ,Rain water catchment and grey water recycling system, poured concrete floors, passive solar heating / cooling , not sure if I'm going with S I P S or I C F, depending on coast we may just try to find a preexisting structure to renovate ( a barn or old commercial space ). So thanx for the links :) and keep on greenin on :)

    • 3 years ago
  • sammysoul
    • 0
      sammysoul  

    • Pallleeeze, if that would be dangerous, than how dangerous would a subway ride in NYC be? There you basically sit directly over electrical engines that are incomparably stronger than any hybrid's puny one. People have been riding them daily, for decades and if there were any adverse health effects I'm sure there would have been many law firms eager to press charges.

    • 3 years ago
  • kcfoxie
    • 0
      kcfoxie  

    • More reasons to drive a car powered by vegetable oils and animal fats.

      Hey, this tank I'm at 430mi and not even at the last 1/4 mark!

    • 3 years ago
  • cerealforeal
  • covelogibbs
    • 0
      covelogibbs  
    • Image

    • "Health Risks of Hybrid Cars Have Been Misrepresented by the Media"

      A New York Times article published earlier this year raised questions about the health risks of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in hybrid or electric vehicles.

      EMFs have been linked to serious health matters, including cancer and a potential risk of leukemia among children, so limiting exposure is in your best interest.

      However, a safety report by Stan Hartman, an environmental health consultant in Boulder, CO, specializing in electropollution, found that hybrid vehicles are not a problem for your health.

      “There were a lot of misleading statements in the recent NY Times article, including claims of 100 mG fields, which are causing alarm,” Hartman said.

      “It's next to impossible to get accurate readings in a moving vehicle. Since there was no lift available to simulate road resistance to the drive train in a constant external EMF atmosphere, the results of this testing are only approximate at best.”

    • 3 years ago
more from Tech:
from the community

top videos