GoingTrueGreen's Blog Postings

LOHAS

5/28/2013

Speaking Greenish: Part seven

LOHAS, Sustainability, Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, going green, speaking greenish, LOHAS in Japan

Japan's LOHAS demographic numbers

Here is another acronym for you: LOHAS stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. Okay, so what does this mean? LOHAS is a section of the consumer market place referring to a demographic of people who show initiatives in going green, being ecologically sound and want to relate to sustainable living.

This demographic, for the most part has an upscale income. Many hold a degree beyond college. They demand products that have sustainability incorporated into the production while still retaining the same quality and features of comparable products being sold in the marketplace.

Research from five years ago, has shown a wide range of sizes to the LOHAS marketing demographics. Approximately 30% of the American market, some 41 million people, are considered LOHAS consumers. Japan has shown as many as 17 million people within the LOHAS demographic, which is approximately 12% of Japan's population and rapidly growing. Now in 2013, the numbers are much higher and this type of consumer demand cannot be ignored.

Bill Lauto, GTG

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Mushroom Packaging

5/24/2013

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There is a new company in New York State called Ecovative and their mission is to replace plastics, bubble wrap and other non-sustainable products with inedible crop waste held together with mycelium, a fungal bundle of cells that are like threads. One can say that they are like the "roots" of mushrooms. Then after a few days of growing in the dark, you can have mushroom packaging looking like this:

mushroom packaging, ecovative, eben bayer, Gavin McIntyre, Sustainable

mushroom insulation, mushroom packaging, ecovative, eben bayer, Gavin McIntyre, Sustainable

Insulation for homes and businesses

The founders of Ecovative are from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Two young men with a passion and a purpose. With so many against the use of Styrofoam, this great solution provides more cushioning than polyethylene and can be composted in your backyard instead of adding to the trash.

The list of products is growing. From packaging to containers. From coolers to building insulation and from car bumpers to surf boards. Keeping the American spirit alive - I like that.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend everyone.

Bill Lauto, GTG

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LEED Standards

5/21/2013

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Speaking Greenish: Part six

You may or may not have heard this acronym. Most people in commercial building know that LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design. However, few in residential home construction even attempt to be involved with LEED standards.

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council, the system is designed for applicants to meet various prerequisites to earn points or credits. A minimum number of points are needed to meet established standards for green building or green construction. Depending on the number of points or credits earned, the applicant may or may not receive a rating that obtains one of four levels. The levels are: Certified, Silver, Gold and the highest level is Platinum.

LEED, LEED Platinum, U.S. Green Building Council, LEED certification, LEED standards

Back in 1994 when the program came alive, the goals were admirable and still are today. However, LEED standards have many critics and most criticism is believed to be well founded by many experts in the very diverse fields of energy and our environment. For many, the highest standard, Platinum, is far from being True Green. While I am not going to engage this particular posting with the pros and cons to LEED standards, I will suggest a solution. Expand and welcome insight from those outside the established council. After all, we are on the same team!

Bill Lauto, GTG

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God's Green Earth, soil and food

5/16/2013

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Earth, planet earth, bill Lauto, soil, world, God's green earth

Our very survival on this planet has many key components, yet our future may rest on the dirt we walk upon. We think that we are smart, but perhaps we are outsmarting ourselves.

Top soil that allows us to grow the food we need to survive is being depleted. We need to learn from our mistakes, so that we can sustain our own children tomorrow. To put this into perspective, note that the world's food supply is grown only on 11 percent of our planet's surface. From that 11 percent, only 3 percent is the best fertile soil. Topsoil is heterogeneous clumps, loose, and with plenty of air pockets. Yet, we outsmart ourselves by building harvesting tractors that are bigger and better. Well, they are bigger and heavier, but not necessarily better. These giant harvesters cause a compaction of the soil. Hard soil prevents roots from penetrating the ground and water flows off the rock-like soil causing erosion instead of being absorbed into the ground.

The above is just one of many problems we face toward growing food. Some estimate that by 2030 we will need 30 percent more grain than what we grow now. This blog posting isn't about all the science and problems behind this issue, this is about what we as individuals can do.

soil erosion, depleted soil, top soil, heterogeneous, food supply, farmland

Erosion caused by land mismanagement

* First, take an interest in reports and news stories dealing with farmland and soil worldwide. Don't just think this is dirt and not important.

* Second, join the voices to protect current fertile soil and resurrect depleted landscapes.

* Third, start your own garden. If you are fortunate to have a back yard or applicable rooftop, start composting and growing as much food as you can. Share with family and friends so that we can all be on the same team that realizes we have to appreciate what we have, nourish and care for the soil we walk upon.

Bill Lauto, GTG

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Energy Efficiency (continued)

5/13/2013

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Speaking Greenish: Part five B

Hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. Today I am continuing with Energy Efficiency from part five of Speaking Greenish. Lets summarize with this example: A business or new house installs Recessed or High Hat fixtures with an energy saving fluorescent bulb. The problem is with the fixture... This less expensive fixture saved money for the person who purchased the product, but not for the person paying the electric bill nor does this help our environment.

recessed fixture, high hat, high hat fixture, energy saving lighting, lighting fixtures,

Less expensive and a less efficient energy saving product

A more efficient fixture design

Bill Lauto, GTG

The Recessed ceiling fixture shown on the left has two 13 watt Quad energy saving bulbs. Yet, the product is inefficient compared to the design shown in the image just below on the left.

A large percentage of the light output from the top fixture is lost inside the fixture itself. So two bulbs are really needed to do the job of one bulb because of the side mounted design. Those two black spaces toward the right side of the fixture are holes. They allow room for when you pull the bulbs out for replacement. Miss the opening and you risk breaking the bulb and cutting your hand. Also those two holes in every fixture allow warm air to escape up into the ceiling, thus increasing heating costs. The transformers or ballast to start the two bulbs are within the ceiling at the back of the fixture. If a ballast had to be replaced, that job's labor will wipe out the energy savings.

The fixture shown at the bottom has one 15 watt flood with its reflector built in, thus giving the same light level at task, as the two bulbs above. No holes to lose heat and the bulb screws in and out for easy replacement because the ballast is built into the 15 watt flood light bulb.

Some newer fixtures have a higher wattage bulb mounted sideways, but they still have most of the same issues as the top fixture. The only difference is a higher installation cost, because you will be putting in two fixtures compared to just one fixture to have the same light level output as the bottom fixture.
Knowledge truly is Power.

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Energy Efficiency

5/10/2013

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Speaking Greenish: Part five A

With the meaning to Energy Efficiency, most focus on selling or buying a product that is energy efficient. Yet, we fail to realize that there are now many products considered energy savers, but far from energy efficient. The end result is that we, the consumers, are being sold a "Bill Of Goods" and we are being ripped off. As for our environment, once again our planet is being "used" and littered upon... Just like the trash thrown onto the feet of the actor portraying a native American in the commercial that inspired me so many years ago when I was a kid. That commercial still inspires me to this day, I know because here I am writing about it again. Please use this Link, Preface Posting or the Preface Category on the right for the commercial and my story behind all this.

I base my above statement on the very definition of the word Efficiency:

EFFICIENCY
"Achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense while preventing the wasteful use of a particular resource."

We have products in almost every category that claim to be energy efficient, but are in fact, very wasteful. Let us name a few examples:
- Refrigerators
- High hat fixtures with fluorescent light bulbs
- Energy Star Labels

Yes, the Energy Star Label is a product. Designed by the government to help us consumers to buy an environment and energy saving product. Yet, many people are confused by thinking the Energy Star means they are buying the best model for saving the most energy. The energy star is helpful, but the label DOES NOT automatically mean you are looking at the MOST energy efficient model made. Any appliance with an energy star means it is more efficient than an appliance without one. However, the difference between a model without the Energy Star and one that does, could be the bare minimum of energy savings. In other words, just enough to qualify for the Star. Refrigerators fall into this premise much too often. In fact, the very design of the most popular refrigerator models screams inefficiency! Placing the freezer at the bottom instead of at the top, goes against the laws of physics.

energy star label, energy star, energy efficient, appliances, refrigerators

Learn more about the
Energy Star label

bottom freezer, side by side, energy star label, energy star, energy efficient, appliances, refrigerators

Learn more about the inefficient design of refrigerators

As stated in part four of Speaking Greenish... Knowledge truly is Power.

On Monday I will post part five B and present an example dealing with inefficient lighting found in homes and businesses. The explanation shall cover how energy efficiency is not always automatic. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Bill Lauto, GTG

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Greenhouse Gases

5/9/2013

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Speaking Greenish: Part four

Greenhouse Gases are made naturally and by humankind's activity. Ingredients such as methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and water vapor, constitutes Greenhouse Gases. All Greenhouse gases are a contributing factor of Global Warming. (Global Warming will be covered in another Post)

check list, energy check list, greenhouse gases, energy efficiency

The amount of things an individual can do to help reduce Greenhouse gases, created by us humans, is so enormous that we are unable to present all of them on a check list. Thus, we have our Going True Green Blog, Web Site, Videos and our parent site: EnergyHotwire.com.

For those of you making our postings, web sites, and videos, part of your research, we humbly thank you. Please continue to tell others about our work, your work, and remember:

Communication is the Tool
Knowledge is the Power
Implementation is the Victory

Bill Lauto, GTG

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LEDs, Compact Fluorescents, Light Bulbs

5/8/2013

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Over the past thirty years the design and technology for light bulbs, along with lighting in general has changed so dramatically that it would not only be financially rewarding, but also tremendously convenient to spend some time reviewing your home's lighting.

Edison light bulb, incandescent, light bulb, thomas edison,

Thomas Edison, Edison light bulb, incandescent, light bulb, edison bulb

The odds are that the majority of your home's lights, inside and out are still incandescent. That is to say, they are the Edison style light bulbs with technology from 1879 and a 1928 design. These incandescent lights not only have the shortest life span available (average light bulb 750 hours, average), but they are also the most inefficient and expensive to operate. Up to 90% of the electricity consumed, produces heat. Only 10% of the energy used creates light. However, the biggest tease about incandescent light bulbs is that all of them can lose up to 45% of their light level with age!

"However, the biggest tease about incandescent light bulbs is that all of them can lose up to 45% of their light level with age!"

I am sure most of you have experienced the fact that when you replaced a burned out bulb with a new one of the same wattage it was much brighter than the bulb that just blew out. That is because if you have a one-hundred watt bulb on twelve hours a day in about one month it could be giving you only fifty-five watts of light and you are still paying for a hundred watts of electricity! In about two more months that bulb will burn out.

Northeast coast power companies place at least 15% of the homeowner's electric bill toward their lights. There is no illuminating reason why your lights should cost that much when there are new types of light bulbs now available to reduce the "lighting" part of your electric bill by 70% or more. These new bulbs have longer life, less heat, better light color, and only about a 10% light level lost with age. Also when replaced correctly there is no sacrifice to your present light levels, only a lower electric bill.

Phillips Lighting, SL-18, compact fluorescent bulb, energy saving bulbs, Bill Light Bulb Lauto, Clean Energy

The first enegry saving bulb was Philip's Compact Fluorescent called the SL-18 and then the EarthLight. While only using 18 watts, this high-tech fluorescent light bulb gave off 75 watts of light.

"Yes, compact energy saving fluorescent bulbs were available to buy in the United States back in 1982!"
For more details on energy saving bulbs, visit our section at EnergyHotwire.com

Energy Saving Bulbs

The newest electronic fluorescent bulbs come in many wattages and are small enough to fit everywhere. Today you can buy a 23 watt bulb that gives you a light level equal to a 100 watt incandescent bulb and with the same warm light color as an incandescent. These bulbs are now under $5.00 each, will last an average of seven years and over the life of the bulb, you can save about $50.00 off of the electric bill in certain areas of our country.

For those of you thinking about some negative features to these light bulbs, I will address those topics in future postings. However, please note that the pros far out weight the cons and the cons are mostly from these bulbs being mass produced today by many different companies who wanted the bulbs to be cheaper, but not better.

LED candelabra bulb shape

Many different LED bulb designs are now coming out on the market. However, their pricing is very high and eats into your payback time because whatever you save on the electric bill, was spent to buy the product.

The first energy, money and earth saving bulb (SL-18) had been around since 1982! Unfortunately, because of money making goals, twenty years had to go by before they became readily available at affordable prices. I fear the same will stand true for the new LED bulbs.

So next time a light bulb burns out in your house, instead of changing that bulb with the same old routine, look into buying an energy saving bulb today. The end result will be you helping to save our environment tomorrow!

Bill Lauto, GTG

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Renewable Energy, Clean Energy and Sustainability

5/7/2013

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Speaking Greenish: Part three

Today I will clarify similar terms by continuing with the seven parts under the title Greenish. This third part covers Renewable Energy, Clean Energy and Sustainability.

Renewable Energy and Clean Energy are one in the same. Wind power, solar power, tidal power, hydro power, and fuel cells that run on hydrogen derived only from water with electricity created from a renewable source are renewable energy.

Wind Power

Solar Power

Tidal Power

Hydro Power

Fuel Cell, Fuel cells, energy, space shuttle, power, going true green, bill lauto, renewable energy, clean energy, going green

Shuttles used Fuel Cells

"A Fuel Cell that runs on Hydrogen derived from natural gas or gasoline is not renewable nor 100% clean."

Also many people place Biofuels into the category of Renewable Energy or Clean Energy. I respectfully disagree.
One synopsis: Growing Corn for fuel requires diesel fuel tractors to harvest and food for fuel should never be justified if one child goes hungry on our planet called Earth. We, us Americans, are and must be better than that.

biofuel, corn, bio fuel power, going true green, bill lauto, renewable energy, clean energy, going green

Corn as a biofuel

Pollution from tractors

food for fuel, Wind power, going true green, bill lauto, renewable energy, clean energy, going green

Feed the children

"...food for fuel should never be justified if one child goes hungry on our planet called Earth. We, us Americans, are and must be better than that."

Sustainability is a process that is repeatedly accomplished without any negative environmental effects on people or our planet. Also note that placing no effects on people goes beyond us today. Sustainability is when we meet our own needs today, without hindering our children's children to meet their needs in the future.
Nobody ever said this would be easy.

Bill Lauto, GTG

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Worldwide Waste of Natural Gas!

5/6/2013

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A new week has arrived and over the weekend a topic came up about some news coverage that occurred around one year ago. A report from GE had the news wires talking about how five percent (5%) of the World's Natural Gas is wasted, lost and putting CO2, by the millions of metric tons, into the air each year.

Many environmentalist would estimate that 5 percent is probably the least amount being wasted just through gas flaring. What is Gas Flaring?

Each year throughout our world, natural gas is burned-off and wasted by the billions of cubic meters (BCM). Mostly from the process of oil extraction. Yes, the natural gas is a by-product and has been burned-off year after year, after year, after decades.

Gas Flaring, wasting gas, natural gas, venting, going true green, going green, global warming, Bill Lauto

The consequences to this wasteful Gas Flaring are:

- None of this fuel supply is used to create any energy
- Gas Flaring contributes to global warming and health issues
- Natural gas does not offer an infinite supply to us so this waste is pure glutton behavior

Another issue is how does one derive a five percent amount? What about all the UNKNOWN natural gas lost and wasted throughout the leaks in the world's infrastructure of supply pipes.

Isn't the real issue about why hasn't this wasteful practice been eliminated?

Let us first put into perspective the amount of natural gas wasted ANNUALLY through "Gas Flares" or "Venting" as shown in the chart below:

About 15 BCMs of natural gas wasted in
Nigeria*

About 25 Percent (25%) of our consumption in the United States is wasted

About 30 Percent (30%) of consumption in the European Union is wasted

About 50 billion cubic meters is wasted annually in the
Russian Federation

"The total is about 400 million metric tons of CO2 per year, with no production of any power or energy, just wasted gas... Worldwide"

The amounts of natural gas wasted by gas flares should have been eliminated back in the 1970's during the first gasoline shortage. However, because of low natural gas prices and the high cost to capture flare gas, the waste continued.

So the wasteful burning of unused gas continues today, but today we have the technology to stop this wasteful practice. In fact, all this gas wasted can be stopped within a few years. The types of solutions to prevent wasting natural gas matches the part of the world the gas flares are occurring. There is gas re-injection to improve the oil recover process, generating power on the spot, and creating a distribution of gas pipelines.

This wasted natural gas is reliable and affordable power. Our global economy will also improve if this wasted natural gas was placed on the market. Some estimates show Twenty billion dollars lost annually. What are these companies waiting for?

* About 50% of Nigeria's population does not have electricity so diesel-powered generators are used to make electricity. Capturing the flare gas can save Nigeria about 13 billion dollars that is spent each year on creating electricity from diesel-powered generators and help that country's economy.

Bill Lauto, GTG

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