California County Bans SmartMeter Installations

kiwimate writes "Marin County in California has passed an ordinance (PDF) banning the installation of smart meters in unincorporated Marin. Among the reasons given are privacy concerns associated with measuring energy usage data moment by moment and the potential for adverse impact on emergency communication systems used by first responders and amateur radio operators. The ordinance also comments that 'the SmartMeters program ... could well actually increase total electricity consumption and therefore the carbon footprint,' citing 'some engineers and energy conservation experts.'" The ordinance also mentions "significant health questions" raised about "increased electromagnetic frequently radiation (EMF) emitted by the wireless technology in SmartMeters."

Comments

Re:Grow Ops in Marin?

[spun]

You think the unions want to keep meter readers in business? It wouldn't be unprecedented, we still have fire-tenders on electric trains. But I'd like to see some evidence. There is a very, very strong push by business interests to smear unions going on right now.

Re:Grow Ops in Marin?

[Yohahn]

Actually there are generally not many low-skilled jobs out there.. they slowly dissappear.
There was a research project in the 90's called "The midwest Job Gap". It's basic conclusion was there were 2-4 low-skill workers (for various reasons, these people aren't going to learn their way up to high skill jobs) for every 1 low skill job.

Here's an old reference to it: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4404804.html

The premise that there is enough work to go around for low skill workers is generally false.

Re:Grow Ops in Marin?

[afidel]

As someone who had to work with the uaw idiots as a non-union outside contractor let me tell you that most of the characterization of the union is an understatement. I had to come back to one plant 4 times before I could get a union electrician to come watch me install a couple racks of equipment because nothing could be plugged into an electric outlet without an electrician present. Then when we finally did get things plugged in the UPS's refused to run because the power was so messed up. He said yeah we know that transformer is messed up, and walked away. So a half million in equipment is afaik still sitting unpowered in racks in that data room because the electrician who couldn't be bothered to meet me for 4 scheduled appointments also couldn't be bothered to fix the power in the building.

Re:Grow Ops in Marin?

[spun]

Within the last 40 years, nearly all the gains in productivity have gone to the top 1%. The middle class has barely broken even. The poor have gotten poorer. I doubt the top 1% are actually responsible for those productivity gains, in fact I'm pretty sure the rest of us did the lion's share of the work. But we got shafted instead of getting rich, with a tiny minority harvesting all the fruits of our labors.