GoingTrueGreen's Blog Postings

Mouths Drop Open

2/24/2017

Solar, solar panels, solar energy, energy saving, electric bill, going green, going true green, saving money, lowering electric costs

Holiday Conversations

This past year's holiday parties that I attended all had a common topic, Electric Bills. I guess when the weather outside is cold and all the lights are on by 5 in the afternoon, electric bills come to mind. Yet, I myself was surprised by the dynamism and strength of the conversations. Especially because I didn't start the conversations!

At one event, where I didn't directly know the host, guests took turns talking about various steps they have taken to lower electrical costs. Then while dessert was being served, the host proudly announced how much they reduced their electric consumption.

"We went from about $325.00 to $275.00 a month!"

Everyone congratulated our host and so did I which provoked another guest, who knew about my background, to inform everyone that I was an Energy Consultant.

"Oh, what are your electric costs?" Someone asked.
"Mine is around $120 dollars."
"Wow," people replied. "That is really amazing, 120 dollars per month."
"No," I responded. "That is per year."

Mouths dropped open with or without dessert still in them. They slowly closed as I explained:

For almost 15 years I have been making my house energy efficient and more sustainable. No rocket science, common steps everyone can afford to accomplish. So when I went with solar panels two years ago I have been producing more electrical power than what I consume. Prior to this winter, I had 2,000 Kilowatt hours in excess and with our sun low in the sky I have been using that supply to make up the difference. By the time winter is over, I will have about 1,400 Kilowatt hours still left over and the power company will write me a check after I start my new calendar year in April. The ten dollars or so that I pay per month is for taxes and fees. I hope the check from my power company will cover most of that cost. However, that will depend on how much my electric utility pays me per Kilowatt. They charge us at least 18 cents but pay out between 3 and 4 cents per Kilowatt. How do you like them apples?

If you want solar panels to work this well for you, there are many steps to be taken first. The most important one is to have a very energy efficient house and that does not mean a "smart" house. I mean a common sense efficient house. Just peruse through my blog posts, you will understand what I am talking about soon enough.

Bill Lauto, at Going True Green
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Telling the untold stories™

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Quarters, Garbage, and Virtue

2/16/2017

3 Comments

garbage, recycling, dumping, illegal dumping, garbage collection, garbage taxes, going green, going true green, STOP program, Honor System, pay for what you throw away

Quarter Per Can

Stories can teach us a great deal. They are one of the best ways to learn from History, (and Her-story) as long as all the facts are presented. My recent January 2017, GoingTrueGreen Blog called: Quarters On Garbage Cans received an excellent level of attention. Comments and e-mails expressed admiration for my father who taught me appropriate virtues and how we seem to make things so much more complicated today.

I also received a few questions and a serious concern from long-time followers about Illegal Dumping and Littering associated with paying for only what was thrown away. The credence to this topic provoked me to believe that this follow-up GTG Blog Post was warranted. Here is my evaluation and why I favor a system that charges us only for what we throw away:

Several decades ago universal costs for garbage collection was implemented through taxes. One of the reasons for this was the collapse of the “honor” system. In our society more and more malefactors were creating serious issues by illegally dumping their garbage to avoid paying fees. The health and well-being of every adult, child, animal, and nature, was being harmed. The universal tax translated into permission for throwing away anything and everything. Along with no additional costs associated with the amount thrown away, waste became rampant.

Over the years, many rules changed. Many Townships placed limits to how much you can throw away on any given day, along with when to place various items at the curb for collection. Recycling was finally in vogue only because companies developed recycling systems that produced a profit. (Some of those recycling operations are now failing and losing money. See my GTG Blog post entitled: Is Recycling Striking Out?)

Nevertheless, things that once cost too much to throw away and the numerous items that we were not able to put into daily garbage collections are accepted today through numerous recycling programs and specific Township wide collection days for polluting items. Programs such as S.T.O.P. programs, (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) are now nationwide. Paying a small fee only when we utilize that service will prevent waste and save us money.

Not What We Want

In fact, all astute garbage producers are now being paid to bring various recyclable materials to businesses that will Weigh and Pay. Your old rusted aluminum shed in your backyard may be too much volume to fit in your car trunk, but today you can have a Recycling Company pick it up. The only difference from you carting the pieces to the company address is the amount of money they pay you. For example, carting all the aluminum from a shed to the recycling business may pay you $75.00, if they pick it up at your location you may only receive $50.00. A cost of twenty-five dollars for the pickup.

Perhaps you may have broken up an old cement driveway and no way you want to pay the cost for dumping all those pounds and ounces. You also don’t want to be caught on a surveillance camera or someone’s cell phone showing you illegally dumping, thus giving you a large fine and jail time. Yes, jail time for illegally dumping will need to be the rule nationwide. Reason being that today, you don’t need to dump. Search the web, make a few calls, and you will have a business picking up your broken cement at your door. Some may even pay you for the old cement. They, in turn, will crush the old cement for making various other products that can be resold. There is always another way.

I also realize that I don’t have all the answers and the necessary recycling services may not be available in every Township to make feasible the system of only paying for what you throw away. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t get all the answers and support new recycling businesses to start up so that we can seriously consider implementing systems where we only pay for what we throw away. We the people may need to demand an evaluation of this alternative system, because the Townships may be in fear of losing tax dollars.

Bill Lauto, at Going True Green
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Light and Heat

2/3/2017

2 Comments

colds, dry air, heating, winter colds, energy, duct work, going green, saving energy, winter dry throat, dry throats, force hot air

Dry Air, Dry throat, Winter Colds

HEAT:
Winter time stuffy noses, dry and scratchy throats are upon us and most of us feel only washing our hands is all we can do to prevent getting these symptoms. While that might be true for fighting against germs and the common cold, there is much more we can do when dealing with a dry nose, watery eyes, and scratchy throat, that is caused by our indoor environment.

If you have a Force Hot Air heating system in your home or facility, the number one culprit for these irritating symptoms is dry air and an excess of particulates in that air. Dust and dust mites, along with mold spores, are a major contributing factor. Opening your windows is a temporary solution to the problem and raise the heating bill for your house or business. Vacuuming, cleaning, and dusting, is helpful with heat delivered by Hot Water Base Boards or Steam Radiators. Cleaning under and on top of all radiators when they are OFF and COOL is crucial.

heating, heating systems, duct work, mold, duct cleaners, going green, sustainability

Build up on Duct Work

However, with a delivery system that is Forced Hot Air and uses Ductwork to deliver the heat throughout the house, that ductwork may need to be cleaned out professionally if necessary. For example: When large amounts of dirt has built up over the years or when Mold is growing. If your system's filters are changed on schedule, a professional cleaning may only be needed after twenty years of use. Nevertheless, I have seen inside ductwork that has never been cleaned out for decades and nobody wants to breathe that stuff into their respiratory system! Also a well maintained humidifier on the heating system is necessary when you have Forced Hot Air. End results: Healthy inhabitants, lower heating bills, and more money saved in your pocket, not the pockets of your utility or doctor.

Edison, Thomas Edison, first light bulb, energy saving bulbs, light bulbs, LEDs, first lightbulb, lightbulbs, incandescent, going green, sustainability

The 1st Lightbulb

LIGHT:
With Indoor Lighting, we finally have long overdue advancements since Thomas Edison’s first light bulb. LED bulbs are meeting all our needs and lowering our electric bills tremendously. Soon a 3.5 watt LED bulb will give off the same amount of light level as an incandescent 60 watt light bulb, while lasting decades before burning out.

Yet, you may have now seen on the internet various articles that take part of a truth and make it into a money grabbing scheme. Perhaps some of these titles have crossed your email box:

- Can light affect your health?
- We are sharing the HIDDEN dangers of LED lights!
- Major downsides to LEDs!

These articles immediately use Key Words that invoke fear. Such as: EMF radiation, macular degeneration, blindness, and metabolic disorder to cancer.

Then they use large technical words as if to justify the fear. Words such as: Nanometers, lumens, color rendering index (CRI), visible spectrum, infrared, and kelvin temperatures.

However, mixed into this vortex of excess verbiage, which I know and “correctly” used throughout my career, are the most important words of all: Can, potentially, if, may, perhaps, and maybe. All these words prove that the article is speculative at best and with no cited cases or proof that you “will” have an issue. Yes, if an LED bulb shines into your eyes all day long from just a few inches away, you will have a problem. Then again, any light source within those parameters will be an issue for everyone.

Then when you are about halfway through the article, the Ad pops up in your face. They are selling something, perhaps their own lightbulbs or a lifetime subscription to a newsletter warning us of all the things that can cause harm. A "so-called" doctor's newsletter, with new warnings every week, and all for just $9.95 a month... Amazing.

Bill Lauto, at Going True Green
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

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