Cell phone safety

http://www.bioinitiative.org  http://saferemr.blogspot.com.
http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/how-safe-is-your-cell-phone

Love your iPhone? Keep your phone love affair healthy by texting more and talking less. That’s one of the tips from eco-nonprofit Environmental Working Group, which today released an easy-to-navigate online consumer guide to cell phone radiation.

The guide isn’t about getting rid of cell phones altogether — just picking the better ones and using them more safely. “We at Environmental Working Group are still using our cell phones,” according to the guide, “but we also believe that until scientists know much more about cell phone radiation, it’s smart for consumers to buy phones with the lowest emissions.”

To that end, you can check out the best and worst 10 phones and PDAs on EWG’s handy list — or search to find out the radiation level of your current phone. Don’t know what model your phone is? Try popping out the battery; model numbers are often listed under there. I’ve got an LG LX125 — which scores in the middle range, as do iPhones.

EWG also offers 8 tips to help you reduce cell phone radiation exposure, from getting a headset to texting more than talking. Why’s cell phone radiation something you should be concerned about? Recent studies have linked this radiation to brain cancer, salivary gland tumors, migraines, vertigo, and behavioral problems. Get more details on these findings by reading EWG’s report, Cell Phone Radiation: Science Review on Cancer Risks and Children’s Health (PDF) — and send a letter to the FCC and the FDA to make more cell phone radiation research a priority.
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http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/6-Safety-Tips

USE A HEADSET OR SPEAKER

Headsets emit much less radiation than phones. Choose either wired or wireless. Experts are split on which version is safer. Some wireless headsets emit continuous, low-level radiation, so take yours off your ear when you're not on a call. Using your phone in speaker mode reduces radiation to the head.

HOLD PHONE AWAY FROM YOUR BODY

Hold the phone away from your ear and your body when you are talking. If you are using a headset, don't put the phone in your pocket or clip it to your belt – put it in your bag, purse or on some nearby surface. The amount of radiation absorbed by your head and body decreases dramatically with even a small distance.

TEXT MORE, TALK LESS

Phones emit less radiation when sending texts than during voice communications. Texting keeps radiation away from your head.

CALL WHEN THE SIGNAL IS STRONG

Fewer signal bars mean the phone must try harder to broadcast its signal to the tower. As much as possible, make and take calls when your phone has a strong signal. Research shows that radiation exposure increases dramatically when cell phone signals are weak.

LIMIT CHILDREN'S PHONE USE

Young children's brains can absorb twice as much cell phone radiation as those of adults. EWG joins health agencies in at least six countries in recommending limits for children's phone use, such as for emergencies only.

SKIP THE "RADIATION SHIELD"

Radiation shields such as antenna caps and keypad covers reduce the connection quality and force the phone to transmit with greater energy, generating more radiation.