Radiation in Hawaii

I’ve been pouring over articles and information about how the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident may affect Hawaii and the mainland as far as radiation with wind and water.  It’s increasingly difficult to get a straight answer.

Apathetics: explain that the fall out radiation is at too low of levels to hurt humans.

Alarmists: say that our governments are covering things up.

Here is my take on it (after 15-20 hours of research via websites, emails, phone calls, social media, and conventional media.)

Radiation in air

There is definitely radiation in the air being carried by different air currents over most countries in the northern hemisphere.  The radiation is dropping on the land and ocean and is likely to be present on every content within time.  The levels of radiation are minimal and don’t pose a short term danger, unless you’re in Japan near the plant.  These low doses of radiation shouldn’t cause harm in the short term.

Radiation being measured in Hawaii is no greater than that being measured on the mainland and as far as Europe.  The way the air currents work, it seems that the US west coast, Canada, and the US east coast are getting it much worse than we are in Hawaii.  To see some maps with updated radiation levels, visit:

Mainland Radiation

Hawaii Radiation

These numbers are being recorded independent of the government by citizens.  As you can see, the one on Maui is showing far less radiation than in California, and even the east coast.

My conclusion as far as airborne radiation:

We shouldn’t see short term affects from the radiation in Hawaii.  We have less radiation than on the mainland.  Much of this could have to do with the fact that we don’t have huge cities like the mainland does, which accounts for much of the background radiation we absorb daily.  Honolulu is the closest we come to a big city, and this radiation is not from Fukushima, but it’s instead from the large number of buildings, electrical grids, wireless signals, etc…  See below for possible long term dangers.

Radiation in the ocean

From what I understand, it would take a very long time for any radioactive material to get to Hawaii via the ocean.  There are reports of a massive debris island moving through the Pacific (questionable) resulting from the tsunami on the east coast of Japan.  It’s being reported that it will take a year for it to arrive on the west coast US, which could take more or less time to hit Hawaii depending upon current movement (I doubt very much of it will still be floating on the surface, but who knows.)  Nonoparticles of radiation are much easier to dilute in the ocean than the homes, ships, cars and bodies that are reported to be traveling in the debris.  The radioactive Iodine being spewed from the reactor has a half life of 8 days, so it should be harmless by the time the diluted amount reaches any US territory.  The dangers come from the other radioactivity being sent out.  Below, I’ve listed a few of the dangerous elements.

Iodide-131

half-life of around 8 days

Cesium-137

half-life of 30 years

Strontium-90

half-life of 28.8 years

Tellurium-132

half life 3.2 days

The next 3 radioactive isotopes are not known to be released in our atmosphere yet.  If the troubled reactors have more problems like a phase 2 or 3 meltdown, we’re looking at some really big problems globally.  These isotopes are highly lethal and, if released into the atmosphere, would change the Earth as we know it.

Barium-140

Half life 12.8 days

Plutonium-244/240/239/238

Half lives: 244= 80 million years, 239=24,100 years, 238=88 years

Uranium- 235/234

235=700 million years, 234=245,500 years

And probably many more…

Short Term Exposure

Unless you’re right next to the Fukushima Power Plant, you’re not looking at any short term dangers.  Hawaii is in no more danger than any other place on Earth (other than Japan) from the radiation at Fukushima.

Long Term Exposure

This is what is unforeseen.  Hawaii is in no more danger than any other place on Earth from the radiation at Fukushima.  BUT, we’re all (everyone on Earth) in danger of long term affects from this tragic accident.  The danger comes from having very small amounts of radiation building up over time within our bodies.  This can come from the atmosphere or from ingesting contaminated foods and water.  This is a real danger since we’re at the top of the food chain.  Cumulation of small amounts of dangerous radioactive particles can lead to many different forms of cancer.  Those most at risk are new borns & children, pregnant/breast-feeding women, and the elderly.  If you have a healthy diet and lifestyle, along with regular consumption of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants known to cleanse heavy metals, you’re more likely to handle long-term exposure better.  The problem is that most Americans have atrocious diets.

The dangers from low levels of radiation over a long period of time have been called the Petkau Effect.  What this means is that small doses of radiation can have just as much (if not more) of a dangerous affect on cell membranes as do high levels if exposed for a long period of time.  This is partly why there’s so much concern over cell phone and wireless usage.

what to do to protect yourself:

Radioactive Iodine is one of the biggest things in the news.  Perhaps because it’s easy to track and is one of the lesser threatening elements in the air.  Iodine or Iodide accumulates in the thyroid.  Have healthy doses of nonradioactive iodine will help reduce your intake of the bad stuff.  A few sources of this are: Kelp, Irish Moss, Dulse, and Chlorella (outercell wall crushed for better absorption.)  We all need iodine in our diet, and many Americans are deficient.  The problem with this scare is that many people are taking too much, which is equally as dangerous.  I suggest having daily doses through as natural a method as possible.  When adding salt to food, make sure it’s iodized.  Through some dried kelp or other seaweed into your stir fry. Or take a low dose supplement.

There’s thoughts that Cesium 137 can be eliminated from the body by eating pectin found in Fruits and Jams.

Probiotics are said to protect against Strontium 90.

High fiber diets will help you get rid of much of the dangerous bulk metals you’re ingesting daily.  There are lists out there with many other items that can help, but we found some in the list that were iffy.

Here is what we’re taking and eating daily.

N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)

Chlorella with outercell wall crushed

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Antarctic Krill Oil

CoQ10(H)

Probiotics

Oatmeal

Wheat Germ

Fruit and Sugarfree Jams

Brazil Nuts, Chia seeds, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Walnuts, etc…

Green Leafy Veggies (mostly Kale, Spinach, Beet leaves, etc…)

Blue berries

I’m avoiding:

Ocean fish

dairy products

Note that I’m not leaving Hawaii.  After doing all the research, I’m noticing that this is a global problem.  Unless I want to live in Antarctica, leaving Hawaii isn’t going to reduce my radiation exposure.

The good that can come from this:

– A better understanding of how nuclear power is a mistake in the first place.

– Possibly a stop to overfishing the ocean.

– An increased interest in learning about everyday radiation, how it can cause us harm, and how to protect ourselves.

– Healthier eating habits

What the World needs to do:

I don’t understand why every country isn’t getting involved in this clean up.  It seems to be an “out of sight out of mind” scenario.  Send a couple bucks to Red Cross Japan to ease the guilty conscious and forget about it.  What we need to do is make this a global clean up.  We should have every country ask for volunteer heros to go over and help bring this accident to the most immediate conclusion possible.  Can the UN step up in organizing?  I don’t know, but we need to do something to fix this problem faster than the Japanese are currently doing.  We have some very smart people out there.  It would be nice to see them come out and fix this in a more efficient way than was done with the BP oil spill.  ESPECIALLY considering this is far more of a global danger.

Grab a pen and paper, or email your local representative and address your concern about this accident.  We need to help fix the problem and eliminate further construction of nuclear power plants (especially in vulnerable areas.)  Tell me, why would Japan put it on the east coast versus west coast?  Also, I heard that the San Onofre, California power plant was build flipped backwards.  Why?

My question is: how will the elevated levels of radiation affect evolution?  It’s no secret that evolution of man has been speeding up over the last 100,000 something years.  Often the main genetic tweaks come from changes that allow people to survive long enough to procreate and pass on their newly-formed damaged gene (the gene that is now helping them survive better than the other guy.)  Now that we’re exposed to heavy amounts of radiation on a daily basis (via wireless signals, EMF’s from the cities around us, nuclear energy accidents, etc…),  how will we evolve?

My first thought is, “well, new generations will be able to handle radiation better.”  But how does this new radiation gene get passed to surviving generations if we’re only really experiencing the side-effects well after we’ve procreated?  Cancer predominantly hits us when we’re old and after we’ve accumulated daily radiation for years.  Perhaps we’ll evolve from having cancer during childhood (someday.)  But, are we looking at a future where everyone lives to 40 then dies from one of many different cancers from radiation?  It looks like we’re going that way.  Due to cancer’s lingering nature, we may be missing the gene change needed to naturally grow away from a cancerous destiny.

References

Petkau Effect

Radiation Network

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

EPA

All of the information above was collected from random sources.  We are not liable for any harm this information may have on readers health or personal property.  This is a mix of fact and opinion and can not be taken as 100% accurate.