With the growing popularity and dependability of cell phones in this country, you'd think that you could make a call from anyplace. Well, that's just not the case, and it's about time something was done about it. Photo by Micheal Betts

 

Accept it. Deal with it. Move on.

I can't help but those words cross my mind whenever I hear a person complain about modern technology. Modern marvels like the Internet and cellular phones are all here to stay, and I couldn't be happier about it. The way humans communicate is always evolving, and you can either choose to ride the new wave of technological correspondence or stand back and watch it fly past you..

The ever-so-popular cellular phones, seem to cause quite a stir in the North Country. For someone who isn't a native to this area, but has traveled back and forth through the region numerous times over the past few years, I always took my own cell phone's capabilities for granted.

It seemed I could call anyone from anywhere at anytime from a phone that I could fit in the palm of my hand. Granted with this power of convenient communication in its latest form, I know that as long as I have my little manmade, charged up buddy with me, I feel a deserved sense of security. I am able to get any kind of help or information at the single push of a button.

I couldn't imagine anyone that would be against this marvelous invention that millions upon millions of people embrace worldwide everyday.

And then I came to the North Country and found out that my sense of security was false. I couldn't use my phone everywhere. The convenience of getting in touch with anyone at anytime was, in fact,not at my fingertips anymore. Why was this happening?

Photo By Michael Betts

Without towers positioned in a particular area, this means no signal is carried, which renders any owned cell phone in that "dead zone" utterly useless. Well-traveled areas in the North Country, such as Keene Valley and Elizabethtown, don't have reliable cellular coverage. Tourists and those unfamiliar with these areas who expect their cell phones to work are in for a rude awakening when they realize that they won't be able to get in touch with loved ones or call for assistance in emergency situations. A former student of Plattsburgh State, who asked their name not be mentioned, said, "When I first started school here, my mother drove up to see me and her car broke down on the Northway. She tried to call me from her cell phone but there was no signal, and not being a native from this area, she had no idea what to do! Eventually someone helped her, but all I could think was if she had been hurt she wouldn't have been able to reach anyone. It's a scary thought."

That isn't to say that there's no validity in the arguments opposed to the spread of cell phone towers in the Adirondacks. 20-year-old Lindsey Pelkey, a resident of Keene Valley and cell phone owner, says, "I feel that if there were some towers in Keene Valley that it would be very convenient for many people traveling through the area, but we feel very strongly about protecting the Adirondack Park and having towers on the mountains would take away from the beauty that Keene Valley is known for."

The construction of the towers, as well as the roadways that lead to them, may also disturb the wildlife habitat. However, if environmentalists closely supervise the construction process, I believe that major environmental problems could be avoided. There needs to be cooperation from both sides for the process to go smoothly and safely.

The Adirondack Park Agency's (APA) updated policy on the issue requires that newer towers should aim for "substantial invisibility". In other words, the presence of the towers should have a minimal impact visually and environmentally in the park. While it's a step in a positive direction, it still causes concern that this will permit cell phone towers to pop-up all over the place.

According to a December 2001 article in Adirondack Explorer, John Sheehan, who is a spokesman for the Adirondack Council, said, "cell phone service should be regarded not as a necessity but as a convenience." He also claimed that cellular service should be made available in the communities of the North Country, but not all over the Adirondack Park. "We want to avoid having the Park covered with shiny metal towers," said Sheehan.

No matter what happens, no one is going to be 100 percent satisfied. It's all part of the never-ending debate of nature versus technology. Cell phone towers are obviously not natural. The point of view of many is the admiration of the scenic Adirondack landscape would be compromised by the multiplication of these structures. Granted, cell phone towers aren't the most appealing things to gaze at, but we aren't talking about nuclear power plants.

We're talking about structures that allow people to communicate with each other. The people of the North Country have the right to use modern technology, as do the frequent tourists, and that right should not be sacrificed for the sake of the view.

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Opinions expressed in the Bullhorn reflect those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of All Points North. Disagree? Agree? Tell us     Cell Phone Fun Facts! -Approximately 20% of teenagers in the United States own cell phones, the majority being girls. -Cell phones are much more popular in Europe, as 60 percent of Europeans own a cell phone compared to 40 percent in the United States -Most cell phones have many other uses besides making phone calls. You can go on the Internet, send text messages, play games, and even take pictures! For more facts about cell phone usage, visit All About Cell Phones.