Teens Turning Green and International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety

                                          Present

 Devra Lee Davis, PhD, MPH, founder Environmental Health Trust

 Professor of Preventive Medicine Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York

World Premiere of Teen Cell Phone Video!

               TIME:  1:30 pm to 4:00 pm

               LOCATION: Koret Auditoriun

               San Francisco Main Library, San Francisco, CA

               100 Larkin St - enter on Grove; walk from Civic Center Bart 

               Station; underground parking at Civic Center Garage

               PLEASE ARRIVE 15 minutes early as seating is limited

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom recently announced he plans to introduce legislation to require posting of cell phone radiation levels (Specific Absorption Rates or SARs) in all retail locations where cell phones are sold in San Francisco.

  We will post updates on the Mayor's cell phone safety campaign, below. 

San Francisco Downtown Public Library

Koret Auditorium

You may be wondering… what makes my teenage brain more at risk to cell phone radiation?   Why haven’t I heard about this issue before?   What is the effect of wireless antennas, wireless networks and cell phones on my developing body?  

What can I do about it?  

Why would I want to do something about it?

PROGRAM                                                                                                              

      Premiere showing of teen video “Cell Phones: Just Like Cigarettes?”

      San Leandro High School’s Social Justice Academy - panel discussion

      Presentation by Dr. Devra Lee Davis, PhD, MPH

      Information fair by prime sponsor

      TURN STUFF INTO ART!  Bring used cell phones and non-disposables

      Refreshments    

AGENDA

1:30  While we gather, enjoy our cell phone slide show!    

          OPENING                  

       Moderator: Morgan Abbett, Teens Turning Green 

                                       WHY ARE WE HERE?            

          INTRODUCTIONS               

          Elizabeth Kelley, International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety                      

*         Cella Mitchell, Director, Stegner Environmental Center,

      SF Main Public Library, City and County of San Francisco

*  Debbie Raphael         Program Manager, Department of the Environment,

          City and County of San Francisco 

*  Dr. Fernando Torres-Gil, Professor, UCLA

           California Endowment, Board member

*  Karen Ricard, Assistant to the Chancellors, UCLA  

      INTRODUCTION OF PANELISTS: Morgan Abbett, Teens Turning Green   

HAS THIS EXPERIENCE CHANGED THE WAY YOU USE YOUR CELL PHONE? 

              Panelists:  Students from San Leandro HIgh Social Justice Academy, CA 

                                Dr.Renee Sharp, Director, Environmental Working Group, Oakland, CA 

                                Wafaa Aborashaad, Director, Bay Area Healthy 880 Communities-SL,CA

                                Ellie Marks, Director, California Brain Tumor Association, CA

                                Student, Morgan Abbett, Teens Turning Green   

 PREMIERE SHOWINGS OF VIDEOS - Elizabeth Kelley 

      Cell Phones: Just Like Cigarettes? (6 min. YouTube)

      Cell Phones: Teens in the Driver’s Seat ( 60 sec. PSA/You Tube)                

     PRESENTATION:  

         MODERATOR: Morgan Abbott, Teens Turning Green

         SPEAKER: Dr. Devra Lee Davis, Phd, MPH 

          "CELL PHONE RADIATION AND YOUR HEALTH: WHAT TEENS AND FAMILIES

            NEED TO KNOW”                                                         

         QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - Panel and Audience

         RECEPTION AND EXHIBIT - LATINO/HISPANIC HALL  - until 4:00 p.m.

     Dr. Davis will sign copies of her newly issued paperback

                The Secret History of the War On Cancer

         Which can be purchased at the Library bookstore at the event.

      TURN STUFF INTO ART!  You are invited to bring in your discarded cell

        phones and other used, non-disposables and assemble a 3D

        work of art with Ellen Burns from SCRAP!

     Refreshments will be available  

CLICK on "REGISTER" at the top of the page!

REPEAT EVENT!  -  Tuesday, January 19, 2010.  TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

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7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Marin Academy Performing Arts Center in San Rafael, Marin County.                      Pre-registration not required. No charge.                                                              

For more info. see www.teensturninggreen.org.  

Sponsored by Teens Turning Green, Marin Academy, Marin Academy Eco Center,                   International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety, Environmental Health Trust and                      California  Endowment.                                                                                                                                    ______________________________________________________________________________

415-686-0668, steve@launchpublicity.com

                 Are Cell Phones Safe? How Teens Can Avoid Risk

Sunday, January 17

1:30 PM

San Francisco Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin Street

Sponsors: City and County of San Francisco’s Environment Department, the Main Library Stegner Environmental Center, California Endowment, International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety, Environmental Health Trust, Teens Turning Green, California Brain Tumor Association, Healthy 880 Communities - San Leandro, San Leandro High School Social Justice Academy, and Environmental Working Group

Are cell phones safe?  Why do some nations advise that children not use cell phones?  Growing numbers of scientific reports find that heavy users of cell phones face increased risks of brain tumors, reduced sperm count and other serious health problems. 

Devra L. Davis, PhD, MPH, will be the featured speaker on Sunday, January 17^th at 1:30 pm, at the workshop Are Cell Phones Safe? How Teens Can Avoid Risk.  This forum will be held at the San Francisco Main Library, Grove Street Entrance in San Francisco, California.  

A new video, “Cell Phones: Just Like Cigarettes?” will be premiered at this workshop. Teens Turning Green, a national environmental health organization, will moderate a high participation event that will involve students from San Leandro High School’s Social Justice Academy, and from other bay area schools.  Major financial support for the film project was provided by a grant from the California Endowment.

Dr. Davis, a Professor in Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center and founder of The Environmental Health Trust, is “deeply concerned about troubling findings of serious health problems from cell phone use in countries where cell phones have been used for a longer period of time. Many governments, including Finland, Israel, Russia, China, France, Sweden and India recommend that children simply not use cell phones.” 

Event organizer Elizabeth Kelley, who directs the International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety, points out that the Dr. Jacqueline McGlade, Director of the European Environmental Agency, has issued advisories recommending reduced exposure to cell phones, “especially children and young adults who seem to be most at risk from head tumors.” Kelley says, “we want teens to take away the message that cell phones emit radiation that can pose health risks, especially to developing brains and bodies, and, teens can protect themselves by limiting use, texting not talking, using a headset, turning them off when not in use and saving longer conversations for their landlines.” 

Last September, Dr. Davis testified about the urgent need to adopt precautionary cell phone policies and to initiate a major cell phone safety research program before a key U.S. Senate Committee, along with scientists from Israel, Finland and the Environmental Working Group in the United States. A scientist from EWG presented a newly released report that compares the Specific Absorption Rates of cell phones manufactured in the U.S. and advises consumers to purchase cell phones that transmit at lower power. U.S. Senators say they will be holding more hearings.

Dr. Renee Sharp, who directs EWG’s California office said, “"Until scientists know more about cell phone radiation, we think it is smart for consumers to buy phones with the lowest emissions." Dr. Sharp will present EWG's report at this workshop.

Mayor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to introduce legislation that would require retailers in San Francisco to post information on Specific Absorption Rates, or SARs, wherever cell phones are sold in the city.

For more information and to register for the event, see http://teensellphonesafety.eventbrite.com

Enter access code: “teensBsafe” (clear and reenter access code on entry bar) 

Electronic RSVPs are advised, as space is limited for this free public event.

 We will repeat the program on January 19^th at 7:00 p.m. at Marin Academy in San Rafael.

 See www.teensturninggreen.org for more information about that 2^nd event and www.environmentalhealthtrust.org and www.icems.eu for extensive scientific background documentation.

 Dr. Devra L. Davis and Elizabeth Kelley are available for interviews.

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 ______________________________________________________________________

NEWS and Developments:

December 15, 2009. San Francisco Examiner article:

Law would require cell phone warnings
By: Katie Worth
Examiner Staff Writer
December 15, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO  - Every cell phone sold in San Francisco could soon come
with a label detailing the level of radiation you will be exposed to by
using it and recommending a headset to avoid radiation exposure.

If a proposal endorsed Monday by the Commission on the Environment's
policy committee - and preliminarily supported by the mayor - moves
forward, not only would consumers be alerted of potential risks of cell
phone radiation, but it could become illegal to promote the devices in
public schools, and the federal government would be officially called
upon to change their standards for cell phones.

The committee's 3-0 vote came in response to some scientific studies
that suggest cell phone radiation can, over long periods of time, cause
brain tumors on the side of the brain where the phone is held, and men
who carry cell phones in their pocket may experience lower sperm counts.

Other recommendations made by the committee Monday were that The City
purchase cell phones emitting the lowest possible radiation; that the
school district educate students and parents about cell phone radiation;
and the federal and state governments consider banning cell phone
advertising aimed at children, who may be more vulnerable to any health
risks associated with mobile phones.

The committee initially considered requiring cell phone merchants to
provide a headset with any cell phone, but backed off on that
requirement for now. It instead directed The City to "explore ways to
encourage" the cell phone industry to provide headsets.

The proposal still must be endorsed by the Commission on the
Environment, and then approved by the Board of Supervisors and the
mayor. However, Mayor Gavin Newsom supports the idea in concept, mayoral
spokesman Joe Arellano said.

"Mayor Newsom believes that cell phone radiation labeling is the next
frontier in terms of consumer safety," Arellano said. "He believes this
step will allow The City to take a lead role in the United States in
promoting labeling for cell phones at the point of purchase."

In fact, Maine may beat San Francisco to the punch. That state's
legislature is considering a bill that would require a warning label on
cell phones advising children and pregnant women to keep the devices
away from their heads and bodies.

Monday's meeting was attended by Ellie Marks of Lafayette, who helped
advocate for Maine's bill after her husband developed a large tumor on
the side of his brain where he holds his cell phone. She said they are
convinced his extensive cell phone use over 20 years caused the tumor.
She said he used the phone so much she often threatened to throw it
away.

"And how I wish I had," she said. "I'm angry because this horror could
have been avoided."

Dial defense

A Commission on the Environment committee is proposing all cell phones
sold in The City be accompanied by labels detailing radiation levels.

Possible effects of cell phone usage
-- Brain tumors
-- Lowered sperm count

Committee recommendations
-- City purchase cell phones emitting lowest possible radiation
-- Schools educate students and parents about cell phone radiation
-- Federal and state governments restrict cell phone advertising aimed
at kids

Source: Commission on the Environment policy committee

kworth@sfexaminer.com  

_______________________________________

January 1, 2010

Dr. Devra L. Davis recommends:

10 Things You Can Do to Reduce the Cancer Risk from Cell Phones

1. Children should only use cell phones next to their heads for emergencies.

Children’s skulls are thinner than adults’ and their brains are still developing.  Hence,             radiation  from cell phones penetrates more deeply into their brains and is likely to                                cause more damage. Texting while holding the phone away from their body) is fine!  

2. While talking on your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from your body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field (radiation) is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wired headset (not a Bluetooth).

3. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.

4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.

5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from you rather than through you.

6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes, as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure. For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which also uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones.

7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure.

8. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, to limit the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body.

9. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose  others to your phone’s electromagnetic fields.

10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body).

SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.

Taken from www.environmentalhealthtrust.org.

December 15, 2009. Dr. Davis reports:

My new book, "Sell Phone", (to be published mid 2010) will reveal these and other problems and explain simple solutions we can take, until phone companies provide us with safer phones. 

The SAR is not as important as how, when and who uses the phone.  Thus, you can reduce exposure to a cell phone more than a thousand fold simply by holding the phone comfortably away from the body, at the distance of your forearm.

 The SARs are developed based on a 6 foot tall, 200 pound man with a 11 pound head--hardly a model for the millions of children using phones worldwide.  Please see my Hufftington Posts on this as well as recent media linked below.

On Monday, December 7, Dr. Davis PhD MPH appeared on Fox News (WDC) at 9am

 Dr. Davis appeared on Dr. Oz, Tuesday, November 17, 2009.  Watch video part one, two, three.  Read article. 

Huffington Post: Cell Phones: Damaging the Brains of Children and Brain Cancer and Cell Phones: The Jury is Still Out. 

For more info. go to www.environmentalhealthtrust.org, scroll down to cell phone icon. 

 __________________________________________________________________

For press inquires, contact Steve Keyser at 415 686-0668 or steve@launchpublicity.com

For general inquiries, email ICEMS at info@icems.eu.  The teen cell phone safety videos and related educational materials will be posted soon on the ICEMS website Public Education Page - www.icems.eu

We re grateful to all our sponsors, supporters  for their generosity and hope this  informaton

is beneficial for those who attend these events or follow our work online. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:

Steve Keyser