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Indybay Feature

Smart Meter Fight Red Hot in Santa Cruz County

by J Hart
PG&E CUSTOMERS CALL THE ‘SMART’ METER ‘DELAY’ LINE 877 743 7378

If you witness a smart meter installation occurring in unincorporated Santa Cruz County, or any of the dozen other local jurisdictions who have criminalized ‘smart’ meters, call law enforcement. Santa Cruz County Sheriff is at 831 471 1121
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As you probably know if you follow this website, PG&E has begun to install wireless “smart” meters in Santa Cruz County- the home of Stop Smart Meters! , violating our democratic right to decide what technology we allow in our own communities. This is not a war being waged with guns and bombs, but rather glossy mailers, full page newspaper ads, tv ads saturating the airwaves, and of course- microwave radiation.

Why would PG&E need to advertise a product we’ve supposedly already bought? A product they claim they have full legal rights to install. Why are they spending millions of our ratepayer dollars to convince us to accept a device that now 45 California local governments have told them is not wanted?

It’s because they realize that our campaign is having an impact.

The truth has a funny way of getting out there. A corporation like PG&E can spend millions on a promotional campaign, manipulating mainstream media coverage of an issue but they can’t prevent people from holding up banners on he side of the road, or making copies of the flyers they just received to warn their friends and families about the wolf in sheep’s clothing at their door. They can’t control the internet, with the thousands of reported ‘smart’ meter caused illnesses and malfunctions. Grassroots organizing terrifies the corporations. And so it should. Particularly right now when PG&E has bungled their ‘smart’ meter installations badly and put the whole ill-conceived “smart” grid at risk.

At the end of the day should we be surprised that people are wise enough to see through the gimmicky ‘smart’ advertising from the utility? That people care more about their health, their privacy and their safety than the vague promises of being able to “see your power” and unsubstantiated greenhouse gas reduction promises?

How do we know this? We don’t have high priced market research firms like PG&E- but we do speak to our neighbors, and we’ve noticed that when we hold a banner over the highway that the number of honks and thumbs ups we receive has been increasing while the number of middle fingers has (thankfully) been declining.

Nevertheless, PG&E and Wellington Energy are installing as we speak while people are away at work, sneaking around backyards and forcing the devices onto people’s homes.

Full article and video: http://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/07/18/winning-hearts-and-minds-in-santa-cruz-county/
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by J Hart
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RobertWilliams
Tue, Jul 19, 2011 6:06PM
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