GoingTrueGreen's Blog Postings - Going True Green

Bamboo & Mac Butter

9/16/2021

Bamboo, sustainable, sustainable products, milkadamia butter, non-toxic, toothbrushes, going green, going true green, helping the environment, environmentally friendly, natural, BPA free

Bamboo for Toilet Paper?

I recently tried some new products that hopefully are more helpful toward our environment than harmful. I trust this info that I am providing will be of some help.

The First new product I tried is called Milkadamia Buttery Spread.

Wow, made with Macadamia nut oil, this dairy free butter is impressive. Non GMO and NO palm oil, thus helping to protect tropical forests! The best part about this product is the taste! Please give this a try.

The Second new product was a Bamboo Toothbrush.

Made from Moso bamboo with a biodegradable handle and BPA-free. I had no issues with using this tooth brush at all. I will be doing more research into the manufacturing methods and procedures established for this product.

The Last new product I tried is called Babo, a roll of toliet paper made from Bamboo.

This unbleached Bamboo Tissue roll is stated to be Tree-free, septic safe, durable, non-toxic, sustainable and
ECO-friendly. The natural color of bamboo presented the most significant issue... Visual conformation of a clean and completed wiping job is a little harder due to the light brown natural color of bamboo. Also the dissolving rate is not the fastest in a side by side test that I conducted. The individual sheets are also a little more difficult to tear off.

Just a few more actions we can all look into doing for our everyday living that moves a little more toward true green.

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

Failed Evaluation

8/27/2021

I understand that today many people don't read instructions or pay attention to the details for what they are doing. We all have many responsibilities, but events become sad when someone fails to evaluate and understand possible consequences to their actions.

Having an electric car does help our environment in many ways, but that same car can have many opportunities that are detrimental to our environment, if we do not pay attention to details.

The photo above was sent to me from a Going True Green follower. Now while this follower made 'light' of the topic and I am adding this posting under my Comic Relief section, I did want to point out a more complete picture.

Due to the failure of this electric car's owner to evaluate his battery power supply and need, we now have a gasoline powered mini-van bringing a diesel powered generator to charge the stranded electric car.

The only smart thing about this, is that someone saw a new need and formed a new business.

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

Don’t Wait For The Rebate

4/15/2021

Going True Green, Going Green, Eco-Friendly, Weed Trimmer, rebates, utility rebates, rechargeable lawn mower, weed trimmer, sustainability

Example of a rebate insert, mailed with utility bill, fine print on utilities' websites

With Earth Day coming and Spring in the air, some Utility companies are again offering Rebates for certain products. The big push this time is on energy saving appliances and rechargeable cordless yard tools.

Some of us may have put off buying an Eco-Friendly Weed Trimmer or a new lawn mower to see what Rebates would be offered. Any savings, either from the manufacturer or utility company always helps. Yet, does the wait for the rebate really help save us the most money and our environment?

When considering the benefits for our environment as well as our wallet, the answer is NO.

The reasons are based on the amount of time we could have already been saving money and our environment, along with the fine print stating the qualifying rules to receive the rebate.

Allow me to break down some issues:

To wait until next year to see what rebate may or may not be offered for a rechargeable lawn mower to replace an old gasoline mower, is a gamble. The odds are no rebate will be offered and yet, we can be saving money, oil, gasoline, noise and energy for a year ahead of time.

One current $40.00 rebate for a rechargeable lawn mower is also elusive. The fine print will state something like “Up To $40.00” and using a rechargeable lawn mower for a year prior will probably save that much in gasoline and oil alone.

Another caveat in the fine print will state that the product had to be purchased in the last 45 days! The rebate program wasn’t previously announced and the ads mailed out with the utility bills are really just for PR (Public Relations) work that aim to receive a favorable public opinion about the company’s so called concern for helping the environment.

Bottom Line: That rechargeable lawn mower under the Christmas Tree, doesn’t get a rebate. Neither does the one purchased on the President’s Day sale in February, because the rebate program started in April and 45 days ago also disqualifies that purchase.

Additionally, if we run out upon receiving the rebate notice and buy a rechargeable lawn mower, that too does not qualify, because of the wording stating, “Purchased WITHIN the last 45 days.”

How sincere is a rebate program that doesn’t give advance notice and when notice is received, the time to qualify has already concluded?

Don’t wait for the rebate!
Let us start saving on our own as soon as we can.
This is up to us. Our environment is not going to be saved by a corporation, politician, government, organization or celebrity. Each one of us is the superhero.

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

Old Traditions Made New

12/17/2020

DuckDuckGo, duckduckgo, Lincoln Logs, Log cabin toys, toys, Christmas, plastic, scrooge, grinch, save earth, saving our environment, sustainable living, making a difference, save money, Christmas Past, Christmas Future, Christmas Present, GoingTrueGreen, GoingGreen, Christmas Cards, glitter, cotton, linen. porcelain dolls, recyclable, wooden toys, Amish, Amish Toys, Amish Log Cabin toys

Real Wood Amish Made Log Cabin Toy

This holiday season, we can all make a great difference for our health and our planet’s environment just by omitting plastic from our festivities, this year and forever.

“Impossible!” Is the false cry from the Scrooges and Grinches worldwide!

Sadly, when you hear this tone from those in the above categories, they are only spinning a theme in their favor and lying through the process of omission.

I hope this GTG blog will be a helpful start for many. I used the word “start” because, I too, am not plastic free for the holidays. Yet, I have taken significant actions over the last few years leading to a finish line that shows all things are possible.

First action is to remember Christmas Past:

Think of the times when children received a truck made of recyclable aluminum, tin or wood, not plastic. Even the tires were wood or rubber. Dolls were made of stuffed material, with clothes made of cotton or linen. The head was made of porcelain and the hair was real.

Christmas and greeting cards were made with just paper or even hand made. The caring words written carried the message and good wishes. There were no sparkles or glitter made of plastic sprinkled all over the card and envelope that then would fall all over the house.

Children ran into the room to find treasures under the tree. The gifts were right there to see! Already set up and unwrapped. No wrapping paper with multiple color inks or sparkles, just a ribbon tied in a bow on top of “Wow, just what I wanted!” or “Thank you, this is just what I needed.” Then hugs, kisses, and I love you, followed. We enjoyed our gift(s) and each other before getting ready to attend Church, see friends and family.

Second action is to compare our Christmas Present:

Are the hugs and kisses with “I love you” still there? Are we still going to Church to say thank you to God? Do we mail order plastic wrapped gifts and not see family or friends? Do we plow through only our wrapped gifts and not even take time to share the enjoyment of the person next to us and the gift they received? Do we indulge ourselves way too long into a cell phone screen, wide screen TV or Social Media lies about people we don’t really know? Sadly, we are all guilty.

Final action is to plan our Christmas Future:

Here is just one example (Other examples can be found in previous December GTG blogs)

I remember when I was a kid, I would visit my grandparents and their son, who was my youngest uncle. Now these memories were before I learned the truth about a Bishop named Nicholas of Myra who lived from 270 to 343AD in the country now called Turkey and how he, Saint Nicholas, was the real Santa. My Uncle Wilton was still a teenager and he would take out his Lincoln Log sets that he had received as gifts when he was young so I could play with them.

We built cabins, cowboy barns and stables with fences. I built towers and windmills. The log sets were all made of real wood, not plastic. There were no online directions - I had to problem solve myself. There were no batteries - I had to make the sounds and use cardboard for additional parts, such as the blades for the windmill.

Log cabin sets made of real wood are still made today! They are made by hand, no power tools, and they are made by some Amish businesses. All made here in the United States of hardwood and only a non-toxic, water based stain is used. Recommended for 3 years old and up. Parts come in burlap bags with pull string. Wow ingenious! Third party partners help to make these toys available via the web. Try doing a search on DuckDuckGo, a better search engine, to find a wide variety of Amish made toys.

We all need to start evaluating the complete picture for our holidays, so we can take some action that once again, allows us to find treasures under the tree.

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

Furniture Made By Hand Power

11/28/2020

Eco-Friendly, Eco-Friendly alternative, Thanksgiving, dinning rooms, dinning room table, tables, furniture, Amish, Peaceful Valley furniture, handmade furniture, reclaimed wood, furniture from reclaimed wood, Amish craftsmanship, first thanksgiving, sustainability, saving energy, saving money, buying furniture, buying a dinning room set, oak wood furniture, oak, saving earth, going green, going true green, custom made furniture

Just as long as families and friends can get together to celebrate the real meaning behind that first Thanksgiving event and give thanks to God, the where doesn't matter, nor does the table or the ground you share the meal.

I have sat at many types of tables for Thanksgiving. With my grandparents when young, the table was from the early 1930s and not really a table. Built to be placed against a wall with various decor in a hallway, this skinny table opened up to 8 feet long and 2.5 feet wide. The image shows the actual table we used and since there was no dining room in our Brooklyn apartment, the table was opened in the parlor room. AKA, sitting room or living room.

I myself did not have a dining room or any dining room furniture until just recently. My apartments didn't have that option. Nevertheless, I was very grateful for the opportunity to add a room onto my 1942 house about ten years after moving into the house. Then I was faced with managing the large expense that would come with buying dining room furniture. So for several more years I used saw-horses to hold up three quarter inch thick plywood for a table. I was able to add extra wood and saw-horses when needed, because the room was able to comfortably fit a larger version.

When I earned the ability to buy furniture, I immediately went to an Amish business to find hand made furniture at a very reasonable price. The furniture is not only handmade, the work is done without the use of any electricity. This was the Eco-Friendly alternative that I was seeking. The quality surpasses all machine made furniture selling for double the price and that didn't include delivery.

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Eco-Friendly, Eco-Friendly alternative, Thanksgiving, dinning rooms, dinning room table, tables, furniture, Amish, Peaceful Valley furniture, handmade furniture, reclaimed wood, furniture from reclaimed wood, Amish craftsmanship, first thanksgiving, sustainability, saving energy, saving money, buying furniture, buying a dinning room set, oak wood furniture, oak, saving earth, going green, going true green, custom made furniture

My Amish made table is 6 feet long and 4 feet wide! Along the wall is the custom made chest, that I designed and drew up on graph paper as a guide. Communicating any adjustments took time, since the Amish community do not use phones of any type. However, with the assistance of an employee at the Peaceful Valley furniture store, we were able to accomplish my custom designed chest. The chest is 8 feet long and 18 inches deep, leaving room for people to walk by even when others are sitting at the table. Like the table, the chest is made of solid oak wood, even the backs, sides, and bottoms of the drawers are made of solid oak wood.

The amazing part of my custom designed Amish made dinning room table are the 8, one foot wide extension boards. Adding each one of these boards to the table, opens this work of fine craftsmanship to 14 feet long! Fitting 18 people very comfortably.

Four of the extension boards fit under the table and the remaining 4 extension boards are stored in my designed pull down front center door. If you examine the photo, above right, you shall see the boards behind the glasses in their supporting slots. (All images will show a larger view when clicked upon) Below is the table opened to the maximum length of 14 feet.

Eco-Friendly, Eco-Friendly alternative, Thanksgiving, dinning rooms, dinning room table, tables, furniture, Amish, Peaceful Valley furniture, handmade furniture, reclaimed wood, furniture from reclaimed wood, Amish craftsmanship, first thanksgiving, sustainability, saving energy, saving money, buying furniture, buying a dinning room set, oak wood furniture, oak, saving earth, going green, going true green, custom made furniture

Another additional note for more Eco-Friendly alternatives, the Amish craftspeople can use reclaimed wood from old barns when feasible. Just another action we can all consider when in need of furniture. Hoping everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving.

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

HomeMade Hat Rack From Left Overs

11/18/2020

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, going green, living sustainable, sustainable living, homemade, hat racks, left overs, building from scratch, save money, save energy, going true green, sustainability

I came across a need to hang my bicycle helmet and my Indiana Jones hat by the back door. So instead of thinking where can I buy a new hat rack, I searched out my various "odds and ends" that I kept over the years, because I felt they would come in handy one day.

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, going green, living sustainable, sustainable living, homemade, hat racks, left overs, building from scratch, save money, save energy, going true green, sustainability

Reduce, Reuse, recycle

First, I pulled out some old closet door knobs and an Oak Wood Saddle that I never used for the transition between a wooden floor and a rug covered floor.

I then sanded down the two ends to the saddle and rounded the edges. Next I stained the wood after drilling holes for the mounting anchor bolts and the extra long threaded bolts that fit the closet door knobs.

I had black decor covers to hide the heads of the mounting anchor bolts as you can see on the left side of this second image.

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, going green, living sustainable, sustainable living, homemade, hat racks, left overs, building from scratch, save money, save energy, going true green, sustainability

Since I had all the hardware, this was an easy project to save Money, Energy, and Earth, by Reducing my "wants" to create my own product that met my "need" while Reusing and Recycling.

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

Drying Naturally

6/30/2020

going green, going true green, clothes lines,

Mother Nature Drying Clothes Naturally

Always nice to get help from Mother Nature to save Money, Energy, Health and Earth.

Having a clothes line is an inexpensive set up and saves on many topics. This method that was once the staple to completing the wash in America just a few decades ago, is still used by most people around the world. The image above shows a retractable clothes line drying some bathtub mats and bathroom floor mats, but any rope will do, along with a dozen or so wooden clothes pins. Even apartments can set up clothes lines with a pull cord over the tub or the umbrella style stands.

BUT, I don't have the time and my clothes dryer is faster! These statements are true, but to overcome them all you have to do is implement the elements from decades ago that made the system work all the time. Now we don't have to utilize a clothes line with every wash, but at least we can make the effort to offset the modern dryer with a clothes line as often as possible. Here is how we can do this...

First element to grasp again is the Organization of yesteryear families. Everyone had chores and they may even alternate between family members because...

Second element to bring back is Team Work of yesteryear families. Whoever is part of our family, is part of our team and scheduling tasks are done by communicating well with everyone before just stating what must be done.

Third element, make a list of items that can be identified as feasible to dry on a clothes line for your family. Such as bulky items like towels, bath mats, blankets, jeans, sheets and comforters. These items will save the most energy and money because they take up a great deal of space in a dryer, causing us to run multiple loads.

The end result is Big Time Savings for everyone along with obtaining a better understanding of accountability, empathy, responsibility and problem solving. Below is a breakdown on Big Time Savings:

SAVE Money:
No fuel needed to dry clothes
No added costs from utility companies
No need to buy "extras" like static cling removal products

SAVE Energy:
No need to use Electricity or Gas to create heat for drying clothes
No need to use Electricity as an energy source to operate drying machine motor
No need to have lightbulbs on (I hope they are LEDs) by the dryer

SAVE Health:
Clean fresh aroma from solar light and cool wind
No chemicals with store bought dryer sheets to prevent static cling
Getting exercises with the physical effort involved with "hanging clothes out to dry."

SAVE Earth:
Less fossil fuels used
Cleaner Air
Less carbon emissions
And we are leaving a healthier planet for our children's children.

Just think about all this, then speak to the family and together as a team, make a difference.

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

Grandpa's Wood Hangers

2/13/2020

FTC Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate Ad link below and GTG will be compensated if a purchase is made after clicking the link. Thank you.

hangers, wooden hangers, plastic, plastic hangers, waste, garbage, sustainable Living, going green, goingtruegreen, hangers, grandfathers, cotton, wool, garment district, reduce, reuse, recycle

70 Year Old Wood Hangers Still Working

I only had one grandfather in my life when growing up. I never knew my grandfather who was killed in an accident on a loading dock for a World War Two supply ship. The other day I thought of both of them as I reviewed my clothes in the closet. I have been Reducing and Reusing over the years and I make sure that a great deal of my clothes are made of 100% cotton or wool. See my previous GTG Blog post called:
All I Want for Christmas is Cotton and Wool

This time while going through my closet, I noticed something else I have been reusing: My grandfather's hangers made of wood. The grandfather, that I was fortunate to have in my life when young, was a tailor and worked in New York City's Garment District. When the Garment district started its transition and the demand for my grandfather's talent was replaced with overseas manufacturing, the company he worked for eventually went out of business. When he saw the company throwing away all the suit hangers, he took home as many as he could. These hangers were made in the 1950s and I am still using them. I inherited some of those hangers and I proudly use them instead of any plastic hanger made today which could never perform to the same caliber as my grandfather's hangers that he saved from a landfill.

waste, garbage, sustainable Living, going green, goingtruegreen, hangers, grandfathers, cotton, wool, garment district, reduce, reuse, recycle

Curbside Garbage That Is Not Garbage

Sure over the years one or two broke, but I improvised and fixed them. I took the time to think of a way to repair them and spent the time fixing them instead of subscribing to be a member of the "throw away" society. Many times I see items by the curb for garbage pickup that are still in good working order. So many people just don't take the time, 3 to 5 minutes in reality, to make a phone call for someone else to use the items they are throwing away. One phone call to your church, community center or one of the dozens of charities that will pickup items from furniture to dishes, takes but a few minutes and others will be so grateful.

I realize the many faults of my own, even with me having less clothes now, I still have more clothes than my grandfather did. I know, because I remember cleaning out his armoire after he passed-over. I donated his hand-made suits and clothes. However, I kept the wooden hangers he was using and added them to the few he had given me many years before.

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

Victory Gardens Are Needed Again

10/2/2019

Victory Garden, Victory Gardens, World War One, World War Two, World War II, fresh food, food, organic food, growing food, compost, composting, Home Front, Going Green, Sustainable Living, Sustainability, Going True Green

I am sadden how the stories of our past, let them be His-Story or Her-Story, are forgotten or completely changed for a false narrative. I know just a few people reading this Going True Green Blog Post will know what a Victory Garden was so many years ago. Nevertheless, Victory Gardens are needed again.

Victory Gardens were planted by individuals on the Home Front as a patriot sign to make a difference as World War I and World War II were being fought. The premise was simple and the difference made was tremendous. These Victory Gardens were planted in yards, window pots, apartment rooftops and empty plots of land around the neighborhoods. They helped in the battle against food shortages as two world changing wars raged on for years. The food that was produced, was used and shared with those in need.

Today, a Victory Garden would be a major part of the multitude of solutions we can do as an individual. Having a Victory Garden will allow us to eat healthier with fresh organic food and be a positive contributing factor for our changing world. For more facts and information see my Going True Green Blog posts under the Category called: Composting.

If we truly want to be part of the solutions, we all need to have or take part in a Victory Garden. This Fall is the perfect time to start planning your very own Victory Garden for next Spring!

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

Homemade!

5/28/2019

compost, topsoil, fertilizer, growing food, going green, sustainable living, goingtruegreen, saving money,

Homemade Compost!

I have been cooking my own compost all winter and I opened one of my two bins this weekend to find about 400 pounds of enriched topsoil, aka fertilizer.

Immediately I placed some around my grape vines, fig tree, blueberry bushes, flowers and food garden. End results, I am saving MONEY big time. What I created in my compost bin was equivalent to about 12 topsoil bags from the store weighing 40 pounds each. Additionally, since my soil is enriched with nutrients, I didn't have to buy any fertilizer either.

Composting can be done on a kitchen counter, apartment building roof tops, back yards or balcony. We need to stop buying a "bill of goods" when we can make enriched topsoil for free. Here is the RECIPE:

First make your own compost bin or buy one of many designs and sizes. I recommend a bin with a lid that locks to keep out animals. Next, place the following ingredients into your compost bin, but never more than two (2) inches high of the same element.

Scraps and remains of fruits
Scraps and remains of vegetables
Add trimmed plant life, but NO diseased plants or flowering weeds
Add grass clippings like the way you use salt and pepper, but grass is not necessary
Add leaves every now and then, but avoid twigs from tree branches
Coffee grinds and paper coffee filters are great to add into the mix each day

Never compost Meat, Dairy, Fish, Bones, Cheese, Oil, Fats, Diseased Plants, Coal, Cat Litter, Plastics, Ash and Paper with Ink or print.

In about 10 weeks the finished product will be nutrient rich top soil that will nourish plants and keep weeds from growing. So look into cooking your own batch this year.

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

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