My first glimpse of Hinsdale was of kids skating in Burns Field. It was an idyllic picture straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. It was this serenity that made us move to Hinsdale.
Now I feel this serenity is being threatened by the influx of 5G. Verizon has picked Hinsdale to roll out their 5G network. 5G is needed to run the “internet of things.” 5G, however, will lead to a significant increase in electromagnetic smog. It involves placing additional 100-150 antennas in Hinsdale. These antennas form hot spots of electromagnetic exposure. These antennas radiate low-level nonionizing radiation.
Nonionizing radiation does not kill cells like ionizing radiation does, but it does compromise cellular function and DNA repair mechanisms. This stress forces our immune system to be hyperactivated. Mostly our bodies will compensate. But sometimes they wont. Lack of compensation increases risks for cancers, neurological and immunological dysfunction. Especially vulnerable are pregnant women and children. The data is not fully proven. But there are definitely concerning animal studies. And when this is the case, the burden should rest on proving safety before subjecting us to an experiment.
A law signed by former Gov. Rauner in 2017 takes away our right as a village to refuse the telecommunication companies. But laws can be changed. Given the stakes, we need an uniform outcry to our representatives in Illinois and to Verizon that we do not want to be part of this experiment. The lessons, if learned in retrospect, will be too costly. — Dr. Fariha DiPasquale, Hinsdale
