The RF Radiation Our Devices Produce & How to Minimize It

We all love our cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices, but do you know they produce radiation? Today, we can find electronic devices that transmit data everywhere. People are constantly bombarded with wireless signals via Wi-Fi, cell phones, and other networks. To send and receive data, these devices employ radio frequency (RF) energy. Radiofrequency energy is a type of electromagnetic radiation (EMF) and it’s utilized to send out data-carrying messages in the form of radio waves. When you answer a call, your phone works as a transmitter to send your voice to the person you’re contacting through radio waves. Their phone serves as a receiver, converting the signals into your voice. Another source is a pair of wireless headphones. Apple AirPods and other examples can give you harm from radiation since you’re placing a strong, RF-transmitting mini-computer inside your ear canal, which is incredibly close to your brain. When radiofrequency energy is strong, it can be dangerous. RF radiation from Bluetooth devices, phones, computers, and others have the potential to harm your health. This always depends on the amount of RF energy we are exposed to.

Factors Affecting RF Energy Exposure

Many factors can influence how much energy a person is exposed to via RF radiation, including:

1. Time spent on the phone and how a person takes a call

A person who talks on the phone while holding it near to his or her ear is getting more radiation than someone who uses speaker mode or a hands-free device. The more removed a phone is from your body, the less exposure.

2. The distance between a person and the nearest cell phone tower

For efficiency, cell phones use the least amount of power possible to maintain a strong signal. If someone is farther away from the tower, their phone will need more energy to obtain a good signal.

3. Volume of cell phone traffic in the region

Increased traffic due to many people using their mobile phones at time may require your phone to use more energy.

4. The phone model 

The quantity of energy emitted by different phones varies. The quantity of RF energy absorbed by the body is measured by the specific absorption rate (SAR). According to scientists’ safety recommendations, the maximum SAR permitted is 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg) of body weight. Some devices produce up to 7 times more than the amount our bodies should receive.

How to Reduce Exposure to RF Radiation

People who are worried about RF radiation can take a few steps to reduce their exposure:

• Use a hands-free device, speaker mode, or video chat function
• Text rather than converse on the phone
• Limit cell phone usage for yourself (and your children)

Conclusion

At Green Schools Green Future, we believe in sharing knowledge to enable people to make responsible decisions and practice healthy habits such as responsible technology use to limit RF radiation. We are working to develop green schools to create eco-conscious leaders.