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Money, Power and Hiding the Truth
Sign on a 1950s gas pump
Money, Power and Hiding the Truth
Many well documented, peer reviewed studies have shown the extremely negative health effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). However, most people are unaware of these studies. Also, many economic interests don’t want this information to come out. As such, they use their money and power to hide the truth.
The Story of Thomas Midgley, Jr. and Leaded Gasoline
I read a book by Bill Bryson entitled “A Short History of Nearly Everything” a few years ago. In it, Bryson relates the story of Thomas Midgley, Jr. who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Thomas Midgley, Jr. was an engineer who had received over 75 patents and numerous awards and honorary degrees for his technological contributions to society. At the age of 32, Midgley discovered that by adding tetraethyl lead to gasoline, it prevented knocking in automobile engines. Yes, he was the one that invented leaded gasoline! General Motors and Standard Oil, now Exxon-Mobile, formed a company named Ethyl to sell his invention.
Unintended Consequences of Leaded Gasoline
The production plant had to close almost immediately because workers were getting lead poisoning and dying. Future plants had the same effect on workers including lead poisoning, hallucinations and death. From 1925 until his death in 1944, Midgley suffered from lead poisoning and ultimately, he developed poliomyelitis leaving him disabled. The unintended consequences of using leaded gasoline was that it released large quantities of lead into the atmosphere. This affected the entire world population, not just plant workers or those who chose to use leaded gas. Hundreds of thousands of people, if not more, suffered from serious long term health issues from childhood including neurological impairment. Shortly after leaded gasoline was introduced, the concentration of lead in the atmosphere grew by a multiple of 650! It was introduced in 1923 and the level of lead in our air still remains very high today!
The Long Term Impact of Leaded Gasoline
Scientists proved the harmful effects of leaded gasoline, and the EPA began to ban it as early as the 1970s. Despite that, it wasn’t until 1990 when the “Clean Air Act” banned it and that didn’t take full effect until 1995. Time Magazine included leaded gasoline among the list of the 50 worst inventions in history!
It is important to understand that adding lead to gasoline started out as a brilliant invention to improve people’s lives. When dangers of leaded gas were discovered, economic incentives hindered attempts to get this atrocity banned for nearly 70 years! As a result, generations of people suffered and died before it was stopped.
The Story of Thomas Midgley, Jr. and Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
And now, the 2nd famous invention of Thomas Midgley, Jr.: A team was formed to develop a compound to replace highly flammable ones used in refrigeration systems. In 1928 it was branded Freon, otherwise known as chlorofluorocarbon or CFC. It replaced all other refrigerants and started appearing in aerosol spray cans as well as asthma inhalers. Midgley received the Society of Chemical Industry award , the Perkin Medal for this invention. Freon began being used commercially in the 1930s.
Unintended Consequences of Freon, AKA Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
Fast forward to 1984 when a hole in the ozone layer was discovered. The very thin ozone layer protects us from very deadly UV rays from the sun. By 1987 diplomats in Montreal forged a treaty which called for drastic reductions of CFCs. But it wasn’t until 1996 that the USA banned its use. Until then, businesses making fortunes from CFCs were able to block attempts to ban its use.
Thomas Midgley, Jr. was not a bad person. Yet, he seemed to have “an instinct for the regrettable that was almost uncanny” said author Bill Bryson. Environmental historian J.R. McNeill said that Midgley “had more impact on atmosphere than any other single organism in Earth’s history”!
I tell this story to demonstrate that sometimes inventions or products that seem to be a great contribution to mankind. But, when discovered to be deadly, can take scores of years and much distress to mankind and many deaths before the damage can be undone.
Unintended Consequences of Electromagnetic Radiation
It seems criminal to allow businesses or governments to install devices (such as smart meters, 4G LTE and 5G towers, meshed networks, etc.) that use pulsed millimeter wave EMF technology on or near someone’s property where they sleep, eat and live, without their consent, whether they know they suffer from the effects of those technologies or they are simply not convinced of their safety.
Read the blogs on “What is EMR and EMF?”, “EMR and Our Health”, and “Dirty Electricity” to learn more about how electromagnetic radiation can impact our health and wellbeing.
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Your article – Money, Power And Hiding The Truth – is an excellent reminder about how long it takes the status quo to change, especially after what is thought to be a great beneficial or convenient invention! I just presented my Garden Club with the facts regarding the substantial and rather sudden current losses of wildlife, insects, birds & pollinators. A story like this one would have them realize that the “course corrections” for initially unintended harm are often resisted vehemently by those who have a corner on that market. But actions to change must be firm and bold. Toxins harm even when they were first thought of as “innovative and beneficial.” We just get to invent a safer way of innovating again and the market share winners can reap the profits and be the heroes that save our health, all at the same time!