Green Bank, WV

In 1956, the world’s largest radio-observatory was built in the mountains of West Virginia. Because of this, a mandate disallowing devices that emit electrical frequencies was put into place. Today, the same mandate exists, outlawing wifi and cellphones. This has attracted a community of electromagnetic sensitive people seeing pain free lives. With harsh laws in place (and even wifi police) the community is like no other in the world.

Our Experience

After hours of driving through mountain roads we were welcomed by a remarkable view of one of the largest pieces of tech in the United States. Surrounded by farm houses and small town plots, the Green Bank Observatory radio-telescope stuck out like a sore thumb. This raised many questions for us…why would people move here to run away from technology? Why is wifi (and other technological devices) illegal here? And most importantly, who can answer our questions?

Do people live in Green Bank, West Virginia?

Yes, Green Bank, West Virginia has residents within the city. Many of those who reside in the area have located there to escape electromagnetic frequencies given off by electronic devices. The city is within the borders of a National Radio Quiet Zone, and has banned the use of cellphones, wifi transmitters and other devices. Source

Can you be allergic to Wifi?

Many are believed to suffer from a rare disease called Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS). The legitimacy of this disease is highly debated, yet sufferers and advocates like Diane Schou of Green Bank, WV argue that their symptoms will grow in prevalence as technology is further integrated into everyday life. Source

How do you get in touch with people in Green Bank, WV?

Communicating with folks who live in the WiFi ban zone proves to be quite difficult. Through our time visiting we realized that many of the residents are truly there to escape technology, and under that umbrella is many communication methods. It is possible to communicate with some people via email and hard lined phones.

We were lucky enough to set up at least one interview before we arrived to Green Bank. This proved to be extremely difficult as many people there don’t have phones, or want to use them for health reasons. When we arrived we went to the Green Bank Observatory where we were lucky enough to speak with Mike Holstine, the Green Bank Observatory Business Manager. He was one of the residents who is comfortable with technology and is not impacted by electromagnetic waves. Mike gave us an in-depth tour of the observatory grounds and even brought us up to the base of their largest radio-telescope.

How big is the Green Bank Telescope?

The telescope stands at 485 feet and has a collective dish area of more than two football fields. Source

What is the Green Bank Telescope used for?

It turns out that different organizations rent the observatory equipment for various projects, and that the research topics are all over the board. One of the main uses of the telescope is looking for extraterrestrial life.

How large is the quiet zone in West Virginia?

The National Radio Quiet Zone in West Bank, WV is around 13,000 square miles large. Source

Why is WiFi illegal in Green Bank, WV?

As for wifi being illegal…a mandate was put into place disallowing devices that send out frequencies that interfere with the research at the observatory. This is what draws the electromagnetic sensitive (EMS) community to Green Bank. It is basically a safe zone for those with radio frequency sensitivity.

Why do people with EHS live in Green Bank, WV?

Many people move to Green Bank, West Virginia to escape the grasps of technology. The area is unique in that WiFi is illegal, and thus the technological impact in the region is significantly lesser than other parts of America. Because of this flocks of people suffering from Electromagnetic Hyper-sensitivity have moved to the area. It is a sort of safe-haven from technology.

How did you conduct interviews with people?

This one was difficult… Of course, in order to capture any footage in the area we needed to use our cameras. The sight of a film crew holding electronics put many people off and made it very difficult to get conversations started. Our goal was to speak to someone who moved to Green Bank for refuge. Almost everyone rejected our interview request…until we stumbled into a Diane Schou, an EMS (EHS) expert.

What is Diane Shou’s story?

Diane Shou suffers from EMS and has felt negative effects for much of her life. After years of hunting for a safe space to live, Diane and her husband landed in Green Bank, WV. When talking about the living conditions she said, “Its not perfect, but it’s better…” Talking with her was eye opening. She made it clear that as technology finds itself in our lives more and more it is easy to look past the potential negative effects.

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