ES Michelle Berriedale-Johnson , editor of Foods Matter magazine, describes how she managed with her 'old' fluorescent Apple screen and the difference that her new Lenovo LED screen has made.

February 2009
Several readers have asked how, with my electrosensitivity, Imanage to use a computer and continue editing...
So, very briefly... Since my article in the autumn I have reorganised my life so as to minimise my contact with mobile phone masts, wifis and DECT telephones, so they give me little trouble.

Far more disruptive is my relatively low tolerance of electric light (tungsten and halogen) and my non-existent tolerance of low energy light bulbs and fluorescent lights – relevant in terms of my work as even my beautiful new flat Apple computer screen is lit by small fluorescent bulbs.

I have moved my office into the spare bedroom at the back (and phone-mast-free) part of the house. My computer now lives at the far side of the room (nearly four metres from my desk) and I sit about a metre and a half from my screen. Fortunately, I can ‘blow up’ almost anything that I am either reading or writing on screen so that I can see it with only occasional recourse to the telescope!

I am trying to get hold of an LED (light emitting diode-lit, not fluorescent) screen which should reduce the problem but they are very new, hard to get and expensive.

Meanwhile, I have also installed a number of Stetzer filters. These dramatically reduce the amount of ‘dirty electricity’ in the system. ‘Dirty electricity’ (on which more in a future FM) is a series of spikes created in the flow of electricity by the various pieces of equipment using it. The spikes each generate their own little electro-magnetic fields – which create problems for anyone who is sensitive to them. And while the shielding net and paint work wonderfully against the high frequency waves from phones masts, they are of little help with the smaller, locally generated waves.
For more on ‘dirty electricity’ and Stetzer filters see www.grahamstetzer.co.uk and in the 'dirty electricity' section of the site.
For my progress – watch this space...

April 2009
Thanks to my new Lenovo Thinkvision L2440X screen, I am now able to nestle up to the screen and actually see what I am doing!
This is because the Lenovo screen uses light emitting diodes, or LEDs, instead of fluorescent light. According to Wikipedia ‘LEDs are based on the semiconductor diode. When the diode is forward biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine with holes and energy is released in the form of light. This effect is called electroluminescence and the colour of the light is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor... LEDs present many advantages over traditional light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size and faster switching.’
And if you do not understand this, nor do I! But all I know is that the
screen no longer triggers my electro-sensitivity.
Moreover, if you are environmentally aware, it uses 60% less
power than a conventional 24-inch screen, is mercury, arsenic and PVC free and low halogen. However, as always, such luxuries are not cheap and the Lenovo 24-inch screen will cost you a minimum of £400.
For more information click here - to buy one contact www.hemini.co.uk.

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First Published in 2009

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