Going True Green
  • GTG Home
    • GTG Contact Us
    • GTG's Clients
    • GTG's Team
    • Credentials
    • Advertise on GTG Blogs
    • Sponsor a GTG Video, OnLine Class or CheckList
    • GTG Survey
    • How and When to Fly Old Glory
    • Legal Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • GTG Blog
    • Blog Preface
    • Blog Awards
    • Interview with Bill Lauto
  • GTG Insta
  • GTG MEMBERSHIP
    • Become A GTG Member
    • GTG Members/Clients Input
    • Members Only Page >
      • GTG Videos & Podcasts
      • GTG OnLine Classes
      • GTG PDF Check Lists
      • GTG Question Request
  • GTG ENGAGEMENTS
    • Planned & Previous Presentations
    • Request Speaker Info
    • Presentation Survey
    • GTG AUDITS
  • GTG Galleries
    • GTG Gear Gallery
    • GTG Print Gallery
    • GTG Book Gallery

Going True Green Blog:

Please use our SEARCH BOX above to find a specific subject. Also use our ​Membership link to receive access to valued benefits.  This GTG Blog started on Earth Day 2013. Also see our "blog" style postings dating back to 1995 from our original two websites, as well as articles written and published since 1982 at our link Yesteryear Articles & Blogs.

See the Back Story - Blog Preface

Ancient Roman Cement Can Help Our Environment!

5/24/2023

2 Comments

 
Bill Lauto, Going True Green, Roman cement, cement, clasts, lime clasts, self-healing cement, sustainability, Rome, Roma, volcanic ash, calcium carbonate, MIT, Archeological Museum of Priverno in Italy.Ancient Roman Cement 2K Years Old
Roman Cement, aka Cement made 2,000 years ago by the ancient Romans has lasted amazingly well compared to modern cement. Some data states that today's cement starts to breakdown within 50 years. Actually, I have seen cement for sidewalks start to flake off surface layers within 5 years. Yet, ​Rome’s famed Pantheon, which has the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome dedicated in 128 AD is still intact. In the photograph on the left, I am standing next to cement steps and the columns of a Roman Temple, now a Catholic Church in Assisi Italy. This structure was made over 2,000 years ago.

Now since some calculations say that manufacturing cement today contributes 8% of carbon emissions world wide and our modern cement can crumble within decades, especially when exposed to eroding environmental conditions, longer lasting cement will help our environment by lowering carbon emissions.

So why does Roman Cement last thousands of years? The answer came this year in a 2023 study that used reverse engineering on samples of cement made by the ancient Romans. A team of investigators from MIT and laboratories in Italy and Switzerland, discovered ancient concrete-manufacturing strategies that incorporated several key self-healing functionalities. One of several papers was published in the journal Science Advances.
​

First, everything previously assumed about ancient Roman cement is wrong:
  • The one magic ingredient was pozzolanic material such as volcanic ash
  • ​The various small particles in the cement was due to poor mixing practices or just being sloppy
  • The slaking process using water and lime to form a highly reactive paste material made the difference

Under high-resolution with multi-scale imaging and chemical mapping techniques, researchers gained new insights into the potential functionality of "Lime Clasts" and the slaking process was not a contributing factor. Studying samples of ancient concrete, the small white particles were forms of calcium carbonate. Under spectroscopic examination it was determined they had been formed at extreme temperatures. This was the key to the super-durable nature of Roman cement and the hot mixing produced compounds that would not otherwise form. Additionally, this increased temperature significantly reduces curing, setting and construction times.

Trevi Fountain, Going True Green, Roman cement, cement, clasts, lime clasts, self-healing cement, sustainability, Rome, Roma, volcanic ash, calcium carbonate, MIT, Archeological Museum of Priverno in Italy.Rome's Trevi Fountain With Water via 2K Year Old Aqueduct
Studies conducted show that the hot mixing process has the lime clasts develop brittle nanoparticulate architecture, thus creating the ability for self healing. If a crack started in the concrete, a reaction would start with water and create a calcium-saturated solution that would recrystallize as calcium carbonate filling the crack. This adds further strength to the cement and heals cracks before they can spread. Recent examination of ancient Roman concrete samples exhibited calcite-filled cracks.

To test this mechanism, which was responsible for the durability of the Roman concrete, samples of hot-mixed concrete were made and then deliberately cracked. Water was sent through the cracks and within two weeks the cracks had completely healed. As a result of these successful tests, work is being done to commercialize this modified cement material.

If commercializing is successful, this "old made anew" cement material will help improve the durability of the 3D Printing of concrete homes for the poor, (see previous GTG blog post of this topic) save money in production and time, less cement manufacturing due to this cement having a longer lifespan, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
​International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

Research was done by Janille Maragh at MIT, Paolo Sabatini at DMAT in Italy, Michel Di Tommaso at the Instituto Meccanica dei Materiali in Switzerland, and James Weaver at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. The work was carried out with the assistance of the Archeological Museum of Priverno in Italy.
L. J. Williams, Upper Room, Bill Lauto, Shroud, Shroud of Turin, Sudarium, Oviedo, Climate, Climate 2,000 years ago, climate facts, Easter, Jesus the Son of God
2 Comments

Salty Plastic

5/15/2023

0 Comments

 
GoingTrueGreen, Microscopic plastics, plastics, seawater, salt, glacier salt, Himalayan salt, cooking, food additives, nanometer, oceans, pollution, ocean pollution, going green, CO2, environmental issuesMicro-Plastic: Photo from Science Codex
Plain and simple, the largest concern we should all have for our environment, is not a carbon issue, but a plastic issue. ​Cite

Do you consume salt? There is microscopic plastic particles in sea salt. Salt is in a great deal of foods that we consume, even in an ice cream sandwich. Most salt comes from our oceans and our oceans are polluted with plastic.

Microscopic plastics are from plastic litter that is exposed to weathering and physicochemical or biological degradation processes that breaks down the plastic into smaller and smaller and smaller size pieces. We are even seeing nanometer plastic in our oceans from the tons of plastic waste. Plastic is not biodegradable. The potential harmful effects on ecosystems and humankind is only a guessing game now.

A study was published in Environmental Science & Technology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, about 39 various globally salt brands evaluated. Only three of the salt brands studied did not contain any microplastic particles. Sea salt, which is still gathered by the ancient technique of evaporating seawater, was highest, followed by lake salt, then rock salt.

The two safest salts just might be Glacier salt and Himalayan salt. Glacier salt, aka namakier, which is a flow of salt created when a rising diapir in a salt dome breaches the surface of the Earth. These diapirs are rare and are a type of igneous intrusion. 

Himalayan salt is rock salt mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan. This salt often has a pinkish color and is primarily used as a food additive to replace refined table salt. Additionally Himalayan salt is used for cooking and food presentation.

We have to realize that we have to learn the true issues ourselves. We have to protect our own health by not buying sea salt anymore and supporting any of the numerous projects that clean plastics out of our oceans. Don't lie to yourself that some government, politician, celebrity, non-profit, corporation or some make-believe super hero is going to save us. We are not told these truths because these truths don't make anyone money and the people with the microphones don't read scientific peer reviewed studies. They make up there own stories to entertain and cause more damage to our environment and humankind.



Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
​International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

0 Comments

FLASHBACK, 1981

4/25/2023

0 Comments

 
Lee Majors, The Last Chase, Outlawed Cars, cars, HBO, surveillance system, democracy, disease, dictatorship, fossil fuel supplies, public transportation, covid, viral infection, cable network, movies predicting the future, energy, sustainability, going green, oil, gas, gasoline, race carsMovie Poster for The Last Chase
Flashback to 1981 and a movie starring Lee Majors called The Last Chase taking place in the future year of 2011. This was a movie nobody believed that any aspect of the story plot would come true. Thus, the movie was not successful, so much so that the premier cable network at the time called HBO, ran the movie multiple times per day to fill in the time slots with the lowest numbers of viewers. HBO did run the movie in the premier movie night timeslot at first, then dropped the movie into the “filler” timeslots for the whole summer of 1982.
 
Before I venture more directly into this movie’s theme, let us first realize that the time slots that had low viewership back then was because most people went outside to socialize, do activities, invent, accomplish, and live. Today, dreaming and living, has been slowly dying on the living room sofa or in a worn out Sacco chair on the floor, aka bean bag chair. (Which by the way, was designed by three Italian friends in 1968 sharing ideas face to face and backed by the Italian design company Zanotta.)
 
Now let us look at this movie that nobody cared for or believed stood any chance of coming true. Below is the movie plot, does anything sound…???
 
Twenty years after the American people have been told that oil has run out and disease has scared them into complacency, the United States has become a fascist state. Amidst the resulting chaos and general panic, democracy collapsed, and a totalitarian cabal seized power. The new dictatorship outlawed private ownership and use of all automobiles, boats and aircraft, on the pretext that an even bigger crisis, the depletion of fossil fuel supplies, was imminent. The loss of other personal freedoms followed, and a mass surveillance system now monitors private citizens' every move.
 
A former race car driver named Franklyn Hart, (Lee Majors) now a puppet spokesman for public transportation, rebuilds his race car and sets off to California from Boston where people have returned to living life like they were twenty years prior.


Who would think that not just one, but all items in this movie have or are coming true. Not so much in the way the movie depicted, but nevertheless, in the way we are all too familiar with today. Well, except for the part about California leading the way back to freedom. The fact remains that California started down the wrong road when former Governors accepted "support" from a fuel company, shut down the state's last two nuclear plants and helped stop clean, safe, 4th generation Nuclear power plants as a transition to perhaps Hydrogen Fuel Cells running off of water to make clean energy on demand, such as the Fuel Cells on the Space Shuttles.

Our leaders then and now are NOT educating us and providing us with long term solutions. They are placing upon us the systems that make themselves the fastest and largest amount of money while securing their positions. End result, no long term solutions, more harm to the environment and a depletion of individual dignity. We the people are the solutions and we have to self educate ourselves with all the facts. We can start by not believing the lies being told through the process of omission.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
​International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

0 Comments

Climate and The Shroud of Turin

4/7/2023

0 Comments

 
The Morning Brew, Joe Malerba, Bill Lauto, Shroud, Shroud of Turin, Sudarium, Oviedo, Climate, Climate 2,000 years ago, climate facts, Easter, Jesus the Son of God
The Podcast called "The Morning Brew" with Joe Malerba interviewed me this past Palm Sunday. The topic was about the Shroud of Turin and I touched upon the scientific data we have that presents what the climate was like in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. I have researched the connections between the environment and the elements that involve Jesus' burial cloth for several years.

First let us evaluate information about the Sudarium, translation means a sweat cloth, one was used to cover Jesus' face before He was removed from the cross and buried. This meets Jewish tradition that the life blood of a person must be saved and buried with that person. This face cloth held that blood and bodily fluids. Men having a Sudarium cloth, about two feet squared, always tied around their neck, was common. This cloth facilitated the wiping of sweat from one's face in the hot climate. The Sudarium, now kept in Spain, has 120 points of contact and patterns that match the Shroud with computer accuracy. The Sudarium dates back to Jerusalem for the year 616 AD by written documents. Additional information brings the Sudarium back to 400 AD Jerusalem. There is no image on the Sudarium because the cloth would have been removed when Jesus was placed on his Sindone, aka Shroud or burial cloth. Perhaps John used his own Sudarium that was around his neck to cover Jesus’ face. He was the youngest and the only apostle at the foot of the cross. Both clothes were found in the tomb on Easter morning as written in John's Gospel.

The Morning Brew, Joe Malerba, Bill Lauto, Shroud, Shroud of Turin, Sudarium, Oviedo, Climate, Climate 2,000 years ago, climate facts, Easter, Jesus the Son of God
Sudarium of Oviedo, Spain
The Morning Brew, Joe Malerba, Bill Lauto, Shroud, Shroud of Turin, Sudarium, Oviedo, Climate, Climate 2,000 years ago, climate facts, Easter, Jesus the Son of God
Top half image from the Shroud of Turin, left side seen with unaided eyes, right side with depth/3D after a picture is taken with photographic film and developed.
Now, what climate facts support men wearing a Sudarium around the neck in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago:
Just one of several studies done is from the frozen lake bed at the top of Mount Kenya. Quoting the original ScienceDaily article, “A sudden warming of climate lasting several centuries took place in equatorial Africa some 2,000 years ago, according to a new study reported by a Weizmann Institute of Science-led team in the August 14 issue of Science.”

Research scientists performed isotopic analysis of the sediments from Hausberg Tarn, a small lake at an altitude of 4,350 meters on a slope of Mt. Kenya. The top of Mt. Kenya is at 4,600-4,700 meters and is covered by permanent glaciers. Scientists found that a rapid and significant warming of lake water, around 4 degrees Celsius, took place between the years 350 BC and 450 AD, reflecting a warming of climate that probably allowed the Roman Empire to conquer as far north as Scotland.

To have all the facts is always critical and code red to know the complete picture. From the Weizmann Institute report and others, we know for the time period stated above, temperatures were about 4 degrees celsius above our pre-industrial era temperatures. Currently, we are 1.5 degrees celsius above. So 2,000 years ago a rough estimate would put midday temperatures in Jerusalem during the month of April around 93 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, there is environmental data from the Dead Sea's soil excavation that backs up the actual date of the first Good Friday, the earthquakes, and how the day grew dark at noon. There was no solar eclipse that afternoon, but there was a dust storm kicked up by the earthquakes. Upon moon rise that evening, NASA data shows there was a blood red moon rising on Jerusalem due to a lunar eclipse. These events are cited and recorded and only one date meets all the prerequisites: April 3, 33 AD

One more point... There are dozens of facts showing the Shroud is 2,000 years old and the 1988 Carbon 14 tests done on the Shroud of Turin, outside of all proper scientific protocol, have been retracted and are no longer valid. Jesus did one last miracle 2,000 years ago for us today with our technology. He gave us a full front and back photograph of Himself to show that he understands life on earth, the joy and the suffering — the worst kind of suffering. He is with us, He is on our team — humankind, and because of Him, there is existence beyond this earth.

Happy Easter and Peace Be with Us All,
Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
​International Sustainability and Energy Consultant

Contribute your comments!
L. J. Williams, Upper Room, Bill Lauto, Shroud, Shroud of Turin, Sudarium, Oviedo, Climate, Climate 2,000 years ago, climate facts, Easter, Jesus the Son of God
When did you last read a book that not only opened up doors and windows, but removed the roof and four walls of containment?
0 Comments

Food Labels Decoded, FSC

3/28/2023

0 Comments

 
Forest Stewardship Council
FSC, Forest Stewardship Council, Gold Standard, environment, forests, trees, FSC system, packages, no plastic, carton, consuming packages, certified, save trees, FSC council, forest, acres, Resource Defense Council, sustainability, goingtruegreen, going green
Do we evaluate the complete picture when shopping? That is hard to do and most of us do not have all the facts. However the FSC Logo from the Forest Stewardship Council helps us get a more complete picture with all the facts when shopping. No matter what we buy, food or material objects, we are consuming and the packages are mostly ignored.

Cardboard from trees is the number one item used for packages and shipping. Even an Egg Carton, which should be made from recycled products that originated from trees, not plastic, is part of the equation! The FSC sets standards for responsible forest management. This voluntary program protects forests for future generations because each average American can use up to five trees for paper alone every year.

The FSC ensures forests are responsibly managed and the FSC sets the gold standard in forest certification. This is the only system supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council and National Wildlife Federation. Currently the FSC protects
 more than 550 million acres of forest and that is about 155 million acres here in the United States and Canada. Additionally, the use of these trees and the replanting of trees are certified under FSC’s system.

So the next time you buy something, or anything, check the container, the package, the box and see if the FSC Logo is upon the surface! All these actions make for a better sustainable environment.

​Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com

Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

BBV Publishing, L. J. Williams, Untold Stories, Telomere, kindle
By printing here in the United States on demand, BBV Publishing ensures that our process leaves no waste, saves trees and energy. With our commitment to help the environment, all our books are offered in a variety of digital formats. In fact, BBV Publishing was one of the first to start working with Amazon's Kindle.
0 Comments

Climate Conversations Across the Atlantic

3/15/2023

0 Comments

 
Italy, Assisi, solar, climate change, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen, Mt. Kenya, warming, climate warming, sustainability, saving money, saving earth, eu, europe, environmentItaly's Countryside in Assisi
I recently returned from traveling in Italy. I spoke with business owners, families and scholars throughout a large section of the country. I saw the beauty of the land as I traveled in the most efficient way possible from coast to coast. I also saw the issues in the cities and the small towns.

Only when one spends time listening to the people and living with them for at least a small period of time, can we comprehend the complete picture. Italy, along with most of Europe has taken tremendous actions to help our planet. Yes, the United States has also taken a multitude of actions. I know first hand, because I have been a part of these actions for over 40 years now. The early years were the most difficult because that was long before my friends, family, organizations and business owners that I worked with actually saw the advantages to what I consulted on and about. These actions that I presented in reports were to save Money, Energy and Earth for us and our children’s children. To live healthier today and tomorrow and to be more sustainable without sacrifices by using our current technology within our own budget of time and money. These were not recommendations made because we were doomed based on predictions, they were long term solutions. Today I can state with confidence, that all fear filled predictions made were to make money and not to provide solutions like I and other unpretentious scientists were doing. Major predictions of doom have all failed to come true well beyond their presented time frames.

Additionally, here in America we have taken positive actions to clean our air and to make a significant difference since the 1950s. The remaining ingenuity in this country has also developed Hydrogen Fuel Cells on demand to be the long term answer. (Peruse the Link to learn more of a complete picture)

As for the good people of Italy, after twenty plus years of doing everything they were ordered to do for the environment and being made to believe they were the bad guys, they now want the truth. They want their identity back, their culture, their own economy based on their own currency. These were the unanimous words spoken to me from homeowner to business owner, from religious leader to scholar.

They want to know why research such as a study done on the frozen lake bed at the top of Mount Kenya isn’t included in the media’s climate change narratives. Quoting the original ScienceDaily article, “A sudden warming of climate lasting several centuries took place in equatorial Africa some 2,000 years ago, according to a new study reported by a Weizmann Institute of Science-led team in the August 14 issue of Science.”

Research scientists performed isotopic analysis of the sediments from Hausberg Tarn, a small lake at an altitude of 4,350 meters on a slope of Mt. Kenya. The top of Mt. Kenya is at 4,600-4,700 meters and is covered by permanent glaciers. Scientists found that a rapid and significant warming of lake water, around 4 degrees Celsius, took place between the years 350 BC and 450 AD, reflecting a warming of climate that probably allowed the Roman Empire to conquer as far north as Scotland.

To have all the facts is always critical and code red to know the complete picture. From the Weizmann Institute report and others, we know for the time period stated above, temperatures were 4 degrees celsius above our pre-industrial era temperatures. Currently, we are 1.5 degrees celsius above.

Homeowners in Italy also want answers to why solar panels became “out of stock” or “unavailable” after the government implemented a program to make solar energy available to every homeowner. Then when the program ended, solar panels were once again available, but had a 50% price increase and were unaffordable to average homeowners. This sounds like the same thing when I changed my heating system to a 95% efficient unit paid for by my state’s new energy program:

save energy, energy, going green, instant hot water, heating system, bosch, natural gas, oil heat, energy efficiency
I received a low interest loan from my state and had ten years to pay it back. The contractor who installed my new heating system had to join the program for a fee, do all the paperwork to be paid by the state and I just paid the low interest loan. However, when I spoke with the representative from the contractor company seven months later, about installing the same heating system under the state’s program for a friend, he told me that they dropped out of the program, along with everyone else. Reason being, they had yet to be paid by the state for my job and were told all payments under the program can take up to one year. They had to incur the costs to join the program and be approved by the state, incur the costs for filling out all paperwork for each customer, pay for all the equipment to install, pay salaries, pay taxes and then wait a year to be paid by the state. This is a formula for bankruptcy. My state’s energy saving program was a failure.

Most governments of the world they are only about public relations and making money. The Italian companies installing solar panels didn’t want anything to do with the Government’s program, thus the panels were unavailable. Then they raised prices to recoup the money not made during the time the government’s program was in place.

So sad to be so cynical, but greed makes the world go around, not love, support, and certainly not a truthful concern for our environment.


Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

Easter, Jesus, Upper Room, The Way, It Is The Way, BBV Publishing, L.J. Williams, twelve apostles, Gospel, New Testament, God
This Easter Read Upper Room, The Way
0 Comments

An Event for Evening Attire set Environmental Queries and Conundrums Upon Me

2/22/2023

0 Comments

 
Many, many years ago, I attended an event that hosted a conference and award dinner for a Doctor of Sociology who conducted work associated between society and our concerns with our environment and energy needs. The specifics of any environmental issue was not discussed, the focus remained on the connections and challenges society faced toward each issue facing our environment and energy sources.

During the conference, conversation veered to referencing waste management and I contributed the following statement: “Our technology has advanced us so much that we have become very efficient in producing waste.”

I didn’t realize that my statement enticed the good Doctor to seek me out toward the end of the ceremonies. Everyone who contributed to the conversation earlier had to do a brief introduction about ourselves, so the Doctor knew who I was and my field of study.

He located me standing by my table, drink in one hand and the evening’s itinerary table card in my other hand.

The first question he hit me with was loaded and he was testing me. Would I lose my orientation in the depth of a question that had a conglomerate of issues behind the query? That was his test and my mind scrambled. I thank God for helping me with an answer that summarized every issue behind the question. The private conversation went this way:
Attire, Environmental, Queries, Conundrums,, sustainability, goingtruegreen, waste management, energy sources, power plants, ceremonies, sociology, technology, biofuels, hunger, food, fuel, society
“So what does America have to do to be energy independent?”

I smiled, paused and then said, “Use our available current technology correctly.” I placed emphasis on the word, ‘correctly’.

His eyebrow raised and then with a smile he asked the test question on the opposite end of the spectrum. “What do you think of Biofuels?”

Without hesitating I answered, “I have a serious issue with using food for fuel as long as one child goes hungry in this world… because, there is always another way.”

Before I knew, twenty minutes went by as a crowd of people encircled us to listen in on our conversation. We at least touched upon the full gamut of our environmental, energy and sociological issues. We both agreed that the British philosopher William Godwin and the French mathematician, Marquis de Condorcet were correct with their theories and Thomas Robert Malthus, which was being touted by the media and the famous, has been proven wrong many times.
​

We ended our conversation with me congratulating him on his award and we wished each other the very best with our future work. That was a very good evening over-all.

​Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
RAC Mechanical, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, heating, ventilation, engineers, saving energy
0 Comments

GTG Influencer: UPDATE

2/11/2023

0 Comments

 
Influencer, GoingTrueGreen, Eco-friendly, product reviews, social media influencer, Product Reviews
Different companies inquired last year about possible GTG reviews on products they made. All the products had some claim to being Eco-Friendly and wanted a Going True Green blog post to contribute a review as a social media influencer.

Since I did the GTG blog review on a new underclothing product dated February 22, 2022, other companies who requested a GTG blog post on products with the same caveat, withdrew their request. This occurred after seeing what I stated about products, Eco-friendly or not, that were made in China and shipped from China. The main reason was that no matter how Eco-friendly their product was, shipping from China wiped away any benefits. They all had the same issue with their products in need of shipping half way around the world. Additionally, the sale prices were not any less expensive compared to a more local manufacturing set up. The difference comes down to the profit margin demanded.

Influencer, GoingTrueGreen, Eco-friendly, product reviews, social media influencer, Close Up
At this time I also wish to provide an update on
​the underclothing blog done last February. Unfortunately, a hole developed in the same location on both of the men's underwear I received for review and testing. This occurred immediately after we posted our blog.
​

The time of use for both pairs, is based upon wearing each pair once a week for a day. After 5 months, the same defective hole appeared one week apart on both pairs. The holes were in the same exact location on both pairs, thus indicating a possible defect in manufacturing. I trust that the company has reviewed this issue and I hope they are successful in correcting the cause. I also wish them the best in changing manufacturing to be here in the U.S. because I do appreciate their products being made of hemp. I state this because this material along with organic cotton is a plus, especially to keep microscopic plastic fibers out of our wash water!

​Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

Influencer, GoingTrueGreen, Eco-friendly, product reviews, social media influencer,
After 5 Months of Use, Same Defect on Both Pairs of Underwear.
0 Comments

Clear the Air with House Plants

1/30/2023

0 Comments

 
air, air quality, indoor air pollution, indoor air, air filters, plants, boston ferns, hepa filters, NASA, air contamination, formaldehyde, oxygen, trichloroethylene, toxins, fertilizer, toluene, xylene, sunlight, green leaves, benzene, peat moss, goingtruegreen, going green, sustainable living
Electrical Air Filter

VS

air, air quality, indoor air pollution, indoor air, air filters, plants, boston ferns, hepa filters, NASA, air contamination, formaldehyde, oxygen, trichloroethylene, toxins, fertilizer, toluene, xylene, sunlight, green leaves, benzene, peat moss, goingtruegreen, going green, sustainable living
Boston Fern
I have purchased many different types of air filters since the 1980s. I stopped buying them just after the turn into this century. Perhaps I was just buying a "bill of goods" just like Bottled Water is today, but some of the HEPA filters did help with my Hay-fever days. Then there was the cost to operate them... the electric bill, batteries, replacement filters. When winter enters the equation, we have the heat on and air circulation is cut dramatically due to closed doors and windows. Unlike AC units in the summertime that have filters, heating systems raise dust and do not filter. Yet, there is always another way, a better way.

About twenty plus years ago, at least three investigators with NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America found that specific house plants were very good at expunging elements expelled by items such as: new rugs, building materials, furnishings, cleaning agents, paints, varnishes, cigarettes, fabrics, preserved foods and other airborne pollutants.


Everyday items found in every home and office contribute to indoor air contamination. So to improve air quality and add oxygen into your living and working spaces, adding certain types of plants will make a difference for the better.

We already know that plants take in carbon dioxide and substances from the surrounding air through openings in each leaf. These elements are pollutants to us, but are broken down by plants to become food through translocation to the roots of the plant. Below is a list of plants that work the best for cleaning indoor air. They are in alphabetical order:
Aloe Vera 
Known For:     Treatment for cuts, scraps and minor burns
Accomplish:    Removes benzene and formaldehyde
Care:               Sun, well drainage and don’t over water


Areca Palm: 
Known For:     Seven foot height, grow 7 inches per year
Accomplish:    Absorbs formaldehyde, toluene, and xylene
Care:              Indirect Sunlight, water and fertilizer


Bamboo Palm: 
Known For:     Loves the tropical amount of sunlight
Accomplish:    Removes trichloroethylene toxins
Care:               Water only when the soil is dry and never overwater

Boston Ferns: 
Known For:     Needs space to spread and grow its fronds
Accomplish:    Removes formaldehyde and improves oxygen levels
Care:               Water frequently, mist twice per week and add peat moss


Gerber Daisies: 
Known For:     A variety of bright colors and broad green leaves
Accomplish:    Absorbs benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene
Care:              Direct sunlight and moist soil


Peace Lilies: 
​Known For:     Inability to tolerate cold, love warm and humid climates
Accomplish:    Absorbs benzene and trichloroethylene
Care:              Direct sunlight and moist soil that drains well


Snake Plant 
Known For:     Available in yellow, dark and light greens
Accomplish:    Removes formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and trichloroethylene
Care:              Indirect sunlight and keep the soil dry

There are a few more plants that can help, nevertheless, using house plants in your home or office saves money while being Eco-friendly with cleaning out indoor air toxins.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
Picture
0 Comments

New York, The Big Onion

1/13/2023

0 Comments

 
The Big Apple, Utilities, Consumer bill, vetoed, Hochul, PSC, veto, journalist, onion, lawmakers, lobby, lobbied, going green, energy, utility bills, environmental enemy The Big Apple
I received several types of feed back and questions about a story that broke in New York near the end of last year. The newly elected Governor had vetoed a bill that would have helped consumer advocates fight utility hikes. Below is a copy of my comment and answer to the GoingTrueGreen followers that questioned me about this:

Please realize that I am not involved or have first hand information on this topic other than what everyone else knows through the media that loves sensationalizing stories. Nevertheless, there are so many layers to this onion...
​
I heard some things about this veto, but I thought it was the other way around! I thought the bill was to prevent fighting utility hikes and her veto was to allow actions against higher rates requested by utility companies.

I guess just wishful thinking on my part. So her veto turned out to be in support of utility companies requesting hikes.

From my experience when I worked at a Power Utility, many times they put in rate increases for cost hikes that didn't even happen yet. These requests were mostly blocked or reduced to only meet the real cost increases.

Utilities love wording cost increases to sound dire, but most are for future predictions of increases and problems that may or may not even happen! We should have the right to question and examine those requested increases. This puts pressure on the reviewing board, such as the Public Service Commission (PSC), that approves or discounts the utilities increase request. Having a bill to create an easier path for the public to request the reviewing board for a complete scrutinization of all the data is not anything that should be troublesome or vetoed.

Here are two reported pieces of data:
1) The state Legislature from all parties, overwhelmingly passed the bill last year, but the governor vetoed it Dec. 23.
2) The bill received fierce opposition from utility interests, who lobbied the new Governor and state lawmakers on the bill. Supposedly State records show this. With the recent election cycle, the law firms for utilities, raised funds for the New York
Governor's gubernatorial bid. 

I guess the story behind the veto of this bill, which is just a check and balance law, needs some real true investigative journalists. Sadly, they do not exist anymore and the onion stinks.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Follow GTG Blog

    Picture
    Please us SEARCH box at very top of page to find specific topics of interest or our Categories below. ​Also please consider becoming a GTG  MEMBER. Thank you.
    Honors, Going True Green's Blog received, are below:
    Picture
    Top TreeHugger, TreeHugger award, Climate Change, Climate Change Award, Climate Warrior, Climate Warrior Award, going green, going true green, environmental, sustainability
    GOLDEN LEAF AWARD, GTG, Going True Green, LawnStarter, Bill Lauto, sustainable living, sustainability, going green, eco-friendly, earth, saving energy, saving earth, environmental issues, growing your own food
    Top TreeHugger, TreeHugger award, Climate Change, Climate Change Award, Climate Warrior, Climate Warrior Award, going green, going true green, environmental, sustainability
    GOLDEN LEAF AWARD, GTG, Going True Green, LawnStarter, Bill Lauto, sustainable living, sustainability, going green, eco-friendly, earth, saving energy, saving earth, environmental issues, Top Enviro Blogs
    Feedspot, top environmental blogs, goingtruegreen, going green, blog awards, sustainable living
    GOLDEN LEAF AWARD, GTG, Going True Green, LawnStarter, Bill Lauto, sustainable living, sustainability, going green, eco-friendly, earth, saving energy, saving earth, environmental issues, Top Enviro Blogs

    Categories

    All
    Appliances
    Climate Change
    Comic Relief
    Composting
    Cooling
    Eco Friendly Products
    Events
    Explanations
    Food Labels Decoded
    Heating
    Insulation
    Introduction
    Issues
    Less Lawn More Garden
    Light Bulbs
    Make A Difference Now
    Memories
    Nature And Universe
    News Interviews
    Nuclear
    Pollution
    Preface
    Recycling
    Solar
    Solutions
    Speaking Engagements
    Speaking Greenish
    Survey
    United Nations
    Water
    Welcome
    What We Waste
    Wind
    Yesteryear Articles & Blogs

    Author:
    Bill Lauto
    Environmental Science, International Sustainability and Energy Consultant 

    Bill Lauto, Environmentalist, Energy Consultant
    Bill Lauto came on the scene in 1981 to present facts and teach details about how we can save our environment without making  sacrifices. He demonstrated how correctly implementing the technology we already obtained in 1981, allowed us to save Money, Energy and Earth. He voice was one among the few who taught green facts long before anyone else talked about sustainability. 
       Bill Lauto's Credentials
    By 1994 the Internet was being explored as a tool to provide energy saving information to all of America by Mr. Lauto. Having the foresight, he first launched the Light Bulb HotLine web site off of the company's Domain in 1996. Then in April of 2001, EnergyHotwire became a resource. Today,
    GoingTrueGreen.com presents decades of info to dispel mis-information and provide the facts about truly Going True Green.
    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    October 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    January 2010
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    August 2007
    July 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    April 2007
    March 2007
    February 2007
    December 2006
    August 2006
    April 2006
    March 2006
    January 2006
    December 2005
    September 2005
    August 2005
    July 2004
    June 2004
    April 2004
    January 2004
    November 2003
    July 2003
    April 2003
    February 2003
    January 2003
    December 2002
    November 2002
    July 2002
    June 2002
    May 2002
    April 2002
    March 2002
    September 2001
    May 2001
    June 2000
    May 2000
    April 2000
    March 2000
    December 1999
    June 1999
    May 1999
    April 1999
    February 1999
    July 1998
    June 1998
    May 1998
    April 1998
    February 1998
    September 1997
    August 1997
    July 1997
    June 1997
    April 1997
    November 1996
    May 1996
    April 1996
    February 1996
    January 1996
    December 1995
    May 1995
    April 1995
    March 1995
    January 1995
    December 1994
    November 1994
    October 1994
    April 1994
    November 1993
    May 1993
    April 1993
    January 1993
    October 1992
    June 1992
    May 1992
    April 1992
    March 1992
    February 1992
    January 1992
    November 1991
    October 1991
    September 1991
    August 1991
    July 1991
    June 1991
    May 1991
    April 1991
    September 1990
    June 1990
    May 1990
    April 1990
    March 1990
    October 1989
    September 1989
    August 1989
    May 1989
    April 1989
    March 1989
    February 1989
    December 1988
    September 1988
    April 1988
    November 1987
    April 1987
    January 1987
    December 1986
    November 1986
    October 1986
    November 1985
    September 1985
    July 1985
    April 1985
    February 1985
    December 1984
    September 1984
    May 1984
    April 1984
    February 1984
    October 1983
    September 1983
    July 1983
    April 1983
    April 1982
    November 1972

    Going Green, Going True Green, Green, Green Products, sustainability, going green Tshirts, save the environment

    Categories

    All
    Appliances
    Climate Change
    Comic Relief
    Composting
    Cooling
    Eco Friendly Products
    Events
    Explanations
    Food Labels Decoded
    Heating
    Insulation
    Introduction
    Issues
    Less Lawn More Garden
    Light Bulbs
    Make A Difference Now
    Memories
    Nature And Universe
    News Interviews
    Nuclear
    Pollution
    Preface
    Recycling
    Solar
    Solutions
    Speaking Engagements
    Speaking Greenish
    Survey
    United Nations
    Water
    Welcome
    What We Waste
    Wind
    Yesteryear Articles & Blogs

    Picture
    Coming Soon

Parent Company:

 B and B Ventures dba BBV Publishing
​www.BBVpublishing.com
Copyrights © 1995, 1998, 2000, 2013,
2019, 2020 by BBV Publishing.
​All rights reserved​

Noteworthy:

 legal terms of use
​
 privacy policy
Picture
GoingTrueGreen, GTG, GoingTrueGreen Blog Awards, Going Green, Bill Lauto, Eco-Friendly, Green Living, Golden Leaf award, Eco-Conscious, Treehugger
GoingTrueGreen, GTG, GoingTrueGreen Blog Awards, Going Green, Bill Lauto, Eco-Friendly, Green Living, Golden Leaf award, Eco-Conscious, Treehugger
Treehugger & Climate Warrior Award
Picture
GoingTrueGreen, GTG, GoingTrueGreen Blog Awards, Going Green, Bill Lauto, Eco-Friendly, Green Living, Golden Leaf award, Eco-Conscious, Treehugger
GoingTrueGreen, GTG, GoingTrueGreen Blog Awards, Going Green, Bill Lauto, Eco-Friendly, Green Living, Golden Leaf award, Eco-Conscious, Treehugger
Going True Green, GTG, Going Green, Bill Lauto
going green, america, united states, freedom, old glory, american dream
Photos used under Creative Commons from JohnSeb, Camp Pinewood YMCA, jeffgunn, Center for Neighborhood Technology, ndrwfgg, T100Timlen, C Jill Reed, c. felicori, kennethkonica, Dendroica cerulea, PSNH, Scrap Pile, fishermansdaughter, gailf548, www.metaphoricalplatypus.com, bobosh_t, Ted Drake, Dick Thomas Johnson, jimbrickett, russf, sally9258, inkknife_2000, magesomido, Gene Hunt, PrescottFoland, stallio, RosyPics, post406, blair_25, PermaCultured, ampersandyslexia, Anny Turolla, steve p2008, kvanhorn, PseudoGil, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), stab at sleep, www.metaphoricalplatypus.com, R Schofield, Thalita Carvalho ϟ, m01229, Dennis Wong, AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker, cam_rich345, SierraTierra, mlinksva, KOREA.NET - Official page of the Republic of Korea, jeffdjevdet, ampersandyslexia, Upupa4me, thewebprincess, juliejordanscott, JessyeAnne, gruntzooki, Andy Morffew, quinn.anya, EcoLivingAdvice.com, Soil Science, jbloom, jc.winkler, shig2006, photographerpandora, AngelaShupe.com, AlishaV, jenny downing, CMFRIESE, sirqitous, JULIAN MASON, Sarah Elizabeth Altendorf, kevin dooley, kevin dooley, xbeta, Phillie Casablanca, Iwan Gabovitch, CapCase, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, Plutor, Iana Peralta, stefano lubiana wines, m01229, Vu What When, generalantilles, smkybear, pestoverde, n.karim, Paul J Everett, Bob Stein, net_efekt, Minnaert, cogdogblog, Mr. T in DC, Äpfel X, MMU Engage, ikthuse, MTAPhotos, ** RCB **, SOMBILON ART, MEDIA and PHOTOGRAPHY, christophercarfi, fabsit, DixieBelleCupcakeCafe, Michele Dorsey Walfred, Seattle Municipal Archives, symphony of love, David Holt London, slopjop, pelican, Sustainable sanitation, ninahale, joefutrelle, Images_of_Money, emma.kate, Cliff Johnson, Editor B