GoingTrueGreen's Blog Postings - Going True Green

CONNECTING

7/3/2020

clouds, 4th of july, God, sky, heaven, celebrate, shows, COVID, Natural Show, Connect, connecting, 4th of July show, sustainable living, make a difference, going true green, nature, family, friends, neighbors

Natural 4th of July Show

Humankind walks a fine line. Somewhere between various possible devastations and a lackadaisical existence, we have convinced ourselves that we are in control. Yes, we can "make a difference" of many situations, but only if we are connected to everyone and everything with the complete picture - All the facts.

We have many holidays and celebrations, but only a few have an engaging impulse to reach for truth. The fourth day of July, for me, is one of those holidays. Studying the good, the bad, and the ugly, allows me to sense when lies or narratives are being sold to make money. Let it be from those who scream we are doom or those who whisper there are no worries.

So allow me to suggest something we can all do to make a difference now. Since there are no big productions this year to celebrate, because of the COVID virus, try watching the most amazing natural show around. Pull up some chairs by a window or in a yard. Sit on a stoep or stand on the street's corner. Then while practicing smart germ protection steps, watch an amazing show with family, friends, neighbors. This show is free and has an all star cast. Take your time watching and conversing about the details, because the show never has reruns.

Pay attention to Nature's cast that presents Sky, Air, Sunlight, Clouds, Colors, Moon and Stars. Don't forget to study the supporting actors such as Wind, Rain, Breeze, Flashes of Light, Sounds, and so many others such as Snow and Comfortable Humidity. Then while watching, connect with God, who is an encouraging Producer and Director.

clouds, 4th of july, God, sky, heaven, celebrate, shows, COVID, Natural Show, Connect, connecting, 4th of July show, sustainable living, make a difference, going true green, nature, family, friends, neighbors

Finally, don't neglect to turn and look at the actors next to us. Ourselves and our neighbors are also starring in this show. Mine are completely diversified and yet, we are all connected.

So LOOK UP and find that silver lining, see and learn the complete picture. Each time, humankind takes the time to learn all the facts and have intelligent discussions, we are always successful.

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

NEW GTG CATEGORY: MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW

5/21/2020

climate change, time, sustainability, sustainable living, future, solutions, environment, answers

Right now, this very minute, do you want to help save the world? Be a superhero to kids and a leader to your peers? All while saving money, energy, health and without sacrifices?

This is for all of us, a new Going True Green Blog category:
MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW

I find taking questions lately, after I speak with a class of students, more troubling. When I see fear in the eyes of teenagers and they share that fear about the world becoming unlivable due to the destruction of our environment, this becomes painful for me. There is always a few students who believe there is no hope unless we end all CO2 emissions now. This belief is the result of stating a narrative along with the process of omission. To me this is another form of verbal abuse, especially when no solutions and no hope is offered. For me, there is always another way. Adults must be superheroes to the very young. We must teach all the facts, along with solutions and hope, to teenagers and adults of all ages.

We have to collect all the details, evaluate the complete picture, because if we believe just ending humankind’s injection of CO2 into our environment will save the day, then we are all fooling ourselves. Our environment has multiple issues that may or may not occur, but are in need of intelligent execution by each one of us, so that we don’t manifest those predictions of horror or evoke the occurrence of negative future outlooks founded on current statistics increasing in the wrong direction.
First we must work to change what we are capable of changing and be at peace with what is truly beyond our control.

Earth, magnetic field, nickel core, man made disaster, CO2, CO2 emissions, Ozone, Solar, solar radiation, satellites, polar flip, climate change, time, sustainability, sustainable living, future, solutions, environment, answers

Slide from European Lecture Tour

Two Beyond Our Control Examples:
1) There isn’t anything humankind can do to stop our planet’s inner iron and nickel core from flipping, thus for a time (no one knows how long) lowering our protective magnetic field surrounding Earth. Yet, we can invent protective systems for our electronics and shelters for us against the increase in solar radiation. Yes, this is an environmental issue and no one knows for sure any of the facts or time frames. We will do what we can over time and we must be at peace with this. I will be including my European lecture tour in different languages for GTG members under GoingTrueGreen’s Membership section later this spring. This lecture covers additional information on Earth’s core and magnetic field.

2) There isn’t anything humankind can do to stop one of our planet’s largest volcano, located under Yellowstone national park, from erupting. Some calculation show that a major eruption is already overdue. Additional predictions show the population of the world being decimated if there is indeed a full size eruption. No one knows for sure ‘when’ or ‘if’ this major event may occur and worrying about this, is useless.

However, I mention these potential disasters to put in perspective what we can do for other major environmental issues. The current virus situation shows how fragile our supply chains are and how their collapse will cause hardship and death. If our infrastructure for the power grid crashed, some calculations are horrifying. Systems that can’t come back online within months will cause massive starvation. If the power grid is down nationwide, within the year some predict over 50% and higher, of the population will perish. Think about this for a minute, delivery drivers for food and gasoline cannot conduct their routes, because they can’t get gas for their cars. If they can’t drive to work, they can’t drive delivery trucks, trains, cargo ships, or planes. Also they have their own love ones to care for in addition to job responsibilities. On top of all that, if there is no electric power, then there isn’t any working refrigeration units and gas station pumps are rendered useless.

Examples Within Our Control:
Nevertheless, we have many intelligent options and actions that can be taken by each one of us in all three areas of concern:

For the events we have no control over, hopefully we have faith to give us peace.
For natural and human made disasters, we can prepare.
For all other environmental issues, we have solutions we can do now to make a difference.

GoingTrueGreen’s new Blog category addresses the third area of concern, however, let us briefly review all three:

1. To have God’s peace within you, that is a journey each of us travel alone. That is not to say there isn’t anyone among us to assist, but that we must accept peace ourselves.

2. When a natural or humankind disaster comes upon us, we only have our preparations and knowledge to survive. One action I took was to become state certified in preparedness under a division of Homeland security and emergency services. Today, programs like that are available online. Additionally, I am trained and teach survival courses, which I will be including as videos for GTG members in GoingTrueGreen’s Membership section later this summer. However, with all humankind disasters, we will be "all the better" when we take actions to avoid and prevent them. Such as nuclear power plants creating risks to human life in the event of a disaster when operating or even afterwards with spent fuel creating radioactive waste.

3. As an individual we can execute multiple solutions to help our world’s environment. These actions that can be done save us Money, Energy, Health and Earth. Additionally, all actions are done without making any sacrifices to the life we know. So please peruse the new GTG blog category MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW in the near future to review actions that can be done today. Solutions and actions with explanations showing the how and why, then in turn, that information enables us to empower others.

If we could end all CO2 created by humankind tomorrow, there will still be natural amounts of CO2 in our atmosphere which is necessary for our planet’s balance. This virus has shown us that after a major close down of the world’s transportation systems, CO2 levels were not depleted by much. Some estimates hover around five percent. Until we truly know the percentage of natural and humankind CO2 levels, we all must address every issue in our environment within our best ability to implement solutions feasible to our budget of time and money. I do not expect a family struggling to put food on the table to put solar panels on their roof. However, they can continue doing actions such as recycle, reuse, reduce, along with additional actions perhaps not yet taken. Such as: composting, growing some vegetables in a yard or windowsill, not littering and using a surge protected with an on/off switch to power down products that still use electricity, even when off, because they are plugged into an outlet. The cost of these surge protectors pay for themselves within a few months and money is saved off the electric bill every month.

Europe speaking tour, Vatican university, Earth, magnetic field, nickel core, man made disaster, CO2, CO2 emissions, Ozone, Solar, solar radiation, satellites, polar flip, climate change, time, sustainability, sustainable living, future, solutions, environment, answers

Slides from European Lecture Tour

Europe speaking tour, Vatican university, Earth, magnetic field, nickel core, man made disaster, CO2, CO2 emissions, Ozone, Solar, solar radiation, satellites, polar flip, climate change, time, sustainability, sustainable living, future, solutions, environment, answers

Humankind Killing Prochlorococcus

Europe speaking tour, Vatican university, Earth, magnetic field, nickel core, man made disaster, CO2, CO2 emissions, Ozone, Solar, solar radiation, satellites, polar flip, climate change, time, sustainability, sustainable living, future, solutions, environment, answers

Connection with Litter, Ocean & Air

I trust my new GTG blog section will help in areas such as providing the powerful reasons for actions like NOT littering, because we all enjoy breathing! The connection between litter, our oceans and our oxygen supply is real and just as concerning as increasing levels of CO2. Let us start today, let us start with ourselves and let us change what we can and have peace with what we can’t.

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

REALLY... Glove Litter?

5/4/2020

gloves, virus, covid, covid19, litter, litter bug, litterbugs, careless, medical gloves, wakeup

Discarded Glove: Neighborhood Lawns

gloves, virus, covid, covid19, litter, litter bug, litterbugs, careless, medical gloves, wakeup

Discarded Glove: City Sidewalk

I do not get out much lately due to "stay at home" orders, but every time I had an essential trip (doctor/food) to make... Really? GLOVE LITTER!

Why would anyone allow their glove that may have been contaminated to be dropped or discarded on a street, lawn, hallway or sidewalk?

Each one of us is the solution, but sadly, we are also our worst enemy.

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

Earth Day Impaired

4/22/2020

Earth, Earth Day, Going Green, Impaired Earth Day, Going True Green, sustainability, sustainable living, CO2, Greed, Everything Green, environmental science, saving energy, EPA, Gaylord Nelson

New Day Over Earth as of 7:28am Pacific Time, April 22, 2020

Fifty years is a long time. We had amazing accomplishments and we still have much to change. However, afford me the time to read this GTG blog post, because the change I will speak of, may surprise many. Nevertheless, the change I wish to share, will make the difference. I have seen the evidence and the facts over the decades while working in the environmental science/energy fields.

An impaired Earth Day may have come at the right time. Not just because of a virus that has confronted the world and cancelled outdoor events for Earth Day's 50th anniversary, but because of many other reasons. Exactly 50 years ago when Senator Gaylord Nelson started the first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, over 20 million people in the United States attended events that day. The day's mission was to teach, present facts and learn other ways of doing everyday tasks so our environment would not be harmed. For me today, that mission has become impaired because of the following truth that I find self evident:

Back in 1970 the problem was how Earth's environmental issues were NOT addressed by political parties and the environment's concerns, were NOT covered by the media. Today, the reasons and mission for Earth Day has been hijacked by political parties, the media, and anyone with a voice who is not interested in educating, teaching facts or presenting solutions. They are just using the complex and multiple issues of our environment to make money or protect money already being made, by failing to show the complete picture. Both extreme sides are purposely omitting truth and only telling their narrative by the process of omission. They blame someone else and as a result, effective feasible solutions are rarely presented or taught.

A vortex of excess verbiage has hit our ears over the years and demands have been thrown at politicians and corporations, much justified, for many decades. Sadly this approach called "the blame game" and "listen to me so I can make greedy amounts of money" comes from both sides and has caused doors to be shut and effective communication to be destroyed. At the conception of Earth Day both American political parties worked together to not only start Earth Day, but also the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Corporations were even persuaded to work as one team and save the world's Ozone layer from being obliterated. So what went wrong? Greed.

Different view points are always beneficial when presented objectively, however today, everything has become subjective. So perhaps this is a time for a third view point...

Only recently, there is additional talk about how each of us can implement solutions to save ourselves money and our Earth. Originally in the 1970s, this discussion was based on conservation, which translated into making sacrifices. Put on a sweater and lower the heat. However, with the complete picture based on facts and the correct technology, an individual's action is a much more powerful phenomenon than most realize. All of us together become the team that surpasses any government or corporation. This may come as a surprise to some or perhaps many, but long term solutions are both tangible and attainable for each one of us. Teaching the data and facts for decades has been my mission. Demands made by others did not help me put out one garbage can a week, while my neighbors put out two cans, twice a week. Waiting for someone else to save the day did not have me obtain a Net Zero home. First I had the lowest electric bill in town because of multiple actions done within my own budget of time and money. Then after I was able to get solar panels (with a payback in 3 years and 8 months) I have no electricity costs for almost 5 years now. I gave up red meat almost 25 years ago. I do not buy potting soil, top soil, or mulch, because I make my own for free! No celebrity, politician or corporation taught me that - Actually an Amish farmer did.

Today with all the blame and spin going around, we have very little progress because we have very little education with all the facts. Also when each one of us implement a solution ourselves, that does not make anyone else money! So perhaps we have to teach ourselves. I for one have been sharing as much as I could over the decades.

Basically, this is easy... Teach the individual and we save the world. Think about that and ask who is a politician? Who runs a corporation? Individuals make up the corporation's board, CEO and so on. And yes, as hard as this is to believe, politicians are individuals too.

Each one of us can be the problem or together we are the solution! The battle is not between them over there and those standing here. The battle is within each one of us!

Additionally we need to come together with communication, facts and solutions because our environment is complex and has thousands of situations that need our intelligent caress. For if we are to believe that all our environmental issues will be solved just by lowering or eliminating carbon dioxide, then we are truly leaving our grandchildren with a "world of mess" to clean up. God help them to do so, if we do in fact, fail them.

Here are a few additional serious concerns for our planet that are rarely addressed and may play a larger role with harming our planet's sustainability:

We are causing great harm to our oceans, the truly one main source of our oxygen supply. The invisible O2 producing forest within our oceans’ waters is called Prochlorococcus. These microscopic green photosynthetic organisms were discovered around 1989 and they use sunlight to convert Carbon dioxide into oxygen. They divide once a day and have been making oxygen for millions of years. One drop of ocean water has 20 Thousand cells! Humankind is killing them with Nitrogen and Plastics!

The Rainforest is being cleared to meet the demand with increase consumption of meat and palm oil. Palm oil is found in products and food we all consume everyday. Decrease our forests and increase our issues with oxygen and CO2.

Another major concern is that we are manufacturing clothes mostly of plastic. We are all contributing to the fact that we are drinking, breathing and eating plastic. When we wash our clothes, research studies showed that up to 700,000 Micro Plastic Fibers go out with the water for each wash load! Studies in Germany found plastic fibers in all of the 24 beer brands they tested at Octoberfest four years ago. They also found plastic in honey and sugar.

My hope is that this GTG blog post will be a catalyst for each of us, every individual, to be inspired with learning the complete picture of our environment. Many parts of that picture can always be found in my GTG blogs and website.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, GoingTrueGreen.com has created a GTG Membership program with a Lifetime enrollment to provide organized solutions so each one of us can make a difference. From Videos to Check Lists, please consider this and the benefits with the link above. This summer, two new On-Line classes called:
What Actions Each Individual Can Do and Sustainable Survival! Both will be included in our membership program.

Thank you for reading and following GTG all these years. You are already part of the solution to make our planet's complete picture look beautiful in the future!

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

Dead Solar Panels

3/10/2020

solar, solar electric, solar panels, gallium, solar farms, photovoltaic, solar energy, recycle

Unusable Solar Panels: Recycle or Bury

Solar Panels have a life span of about 20 to 30 years. They help our environment in that time period by reducing the alternatives which would increase our carbon footprint. However, to prevent dark clouds from forming overhead due to the coming waste management issue with old solar panels that are decommissioned, we need a plan toward an efficient infrastructure to recycle up to tens of millions of solar panels.

America has over two million solar installations ranging from roof tops on homes and businesses to rack systems on the ground in solar farms. Many older systems are at the decommissioning stage. Currently, America does not have efficient solar panel recycling policies. The U.S. actually has no national policy.

Europe has policies for solar recycling programs because the Dual Systems laws, which have been in place for years have the manufacturers take back their products to recycle. In July of 2014, I wrote a GTG Blog post on this called:
eRecycling and eWaste. Here in the U.S. the homeowner is on their own, especially with older systems that do not have monitoring abilities in place to inform the contractor or homeowner when the solar panels need to undergo decommissioning.

Solar panels are 99% recyclable since they are made up of glass, aluminum, plastic, copper, lead, gallium, cadmium and silicon. However, the process to recycle solar panels is very involved. Dissembling all parts and separating some of them with melting, lasers, a solvent, cutting or a stream of electrons to selectively break apart components on a surface maybe necessary. Despite all that, great recycling opportunities are coming and an economic upside can come from recycling solar panels. Some estimates state that there will be a 15 Billion dollar business waiting for the new solar recycling industry by 2050.

The time to start is now, so we don't find ourselves burying dead solar panels in landfills.

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

Telomere, Telomeres, cold spring harbor, L.J. Williams, BBV publishing, living forever, romance novel, woman heroes, 2001

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!

First Presentation For Earth Day's 50th Anniversary

1/21/2020

Since the middle of last year I have been talking with different organizations, schools, and universities, about presenting for this year's 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. My main purpose is to speak the truth about our multi-level and very complex environment. I wish to share data, stories and suggestions on how, we as Individuals, are the solutions to a better tomorrow.

Each one of us, by living a more "sustainable life" will save a great deal of money, our health, energy, and our Earth without making any sacrifices! I know, because I practice what I preach. I have no electric bill and what I have done over the years within my own "budget of time and money" is not rocket science. I made no sacrifices. The facts, the trade secrets and encouraging support, is what the world needs. Each of us as an individual is the solution, not some government, corporation, political party, politician or celebrity. Yes, all of these entities have a role and can assist us in our goals, but only when they have the complete picture, all the facts and not just coffee or tea table chatter.

St. Anthony's High School, Earth Day, EarthDay, 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, Bill Lauto, Rome, Pontifical Regina, National Honor Society, rocket science, sustainable life, sustainable living, sustainability, save energy, save earth, save money, Franciscan Brothers, St. Francis

Chapel Entrance to St. Anthony's HS

Nevertheless, I hope to be a positive contributing factor. I have three speaking engagements already confirmed. The first will be at St. Anthony's High School in Huntington. The administration approved my presentation last week and I will be speaking to 500 National Honor Society students. That date is February 5 and my Earth Day talk is scheduled for 5:45 to 7:00pm.

Just after Earth Day, on April 28, I am humbled to be invited back to speak in Rome at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum Institute of Science and Faith. I am currently in the process of finalizing additional presentations in both domestic and international venues for this important milestone. I will keep you posted on the dates and locations.
Thank you.

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

Tree Top Garbage

12/5/2019

Plastic Clouds, Bill Lauto, microscopic plastic, BPA, PS, oligomer, bisphenol A, molecular bond, pollution, plastics, petroleum, plastic islands, plastic in beer, plastic in air

Tree Top Garbage

Tree Top Garbage
by Bill Lauto

There it shall stay,
until it erodes away.
Let loose by humankind,
into our air & out of mind.
Innocently caught by a tree,
until it’s digested by you and me.

If the garbage is some kind of foam, plastic or any other very slow degradable product made by humankind, the key word or the upsetting word in the poem above is digested. Litter, such as plastic, is made from petroleum. The official name is polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. When organic material, such as grass or an apple, is exposed to the elements of nature or buried, bacteria breaks down the item into the original compounds that formed the organic element. This biodegradation process doesn't occur on plastic in the same way or period of time.

Studies have shown that UV light will break the molecular bonds holding plastic together so that item can break down into smaller pieces. And smaller and smaller and smaller pieces. Nevertheless, there are problems because buried plastic in landfills are in a place where the sun doesn't shine and when plastic does break down into smaller pieces, this is proving to be a very serious problem.

First let us review what we all know: Plastic is building up in our oceans, especially the Pacific ocean. Humankind's plastic shopping bags, water bottles, take out containers, soda bottles, product packages and six-pack plastic rings are bathing in sunlight as they float in our oceans and waterways. The UV rays will eventually break down that plastic into smaller pieces. Ten years ago, a study from Nihon University in Chiba, Japan, discovered that plastic in our oceans can start to degrade within one year. Thus, creating smaller and smaller pieces.

BREAKING PLASTIC DOWN INTO SMALLER PIECES IS BECOMING A MAJOR WORLD WIDE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM

These smaller pieces of plastic are not natural. They are made of bisphenol A (BPA) and PS oligomer. These are carcinogens and these toxic chemicals end up in the bellies of fish and perhaps evaporate into our air. So let us continue with that natural process of the rain cycle...
After Evaporation is Condensation and finally Precipitation, allowing these chemicals to settle on the land and crops. Animals eat the chemicals and humankind eats the fish, the animals and the crops!

I am now asking everyone who is perusing this GoingTrueGreen blog post to also revisit or read for the first time, these two previous posts:

Plastic Water, Air and Food (12/27/2017)

Plastic Clouds (03/19/2019)

As for all of us, may I suggest that we be extra mindful this time of year with the Christmas and holiday wrappings, boxes filled with shipping material and plastic waste.

GoingTrueGreen.com is teaching the complete picture for saving money, energy, our Earth and our health - Not teaching poetry.

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

What Home Heating Fuel is More Efficient, Oil or Natural Gas?

9/24/2019

snow, winter, heat, heating system, oil heat, gas heat, oil, gas, natural gas, saving on heating bills, heating costs

Snow & Heating Costs Can Pile Up

With the 2019 winter heating season just around the corner for most of the United States, the title of this article is the most popular query I have been asked over the years about Heating Systems. Unfortunately the answer is not that simple and the answer depends on several variables.

If you ask someone who is associated with Oil heating in any way, shape, or form, the answer is Oil.

If you ask someone who is associated with Gas heating in any way, shape, or form, the answer is Gas.

Both "someones" are leaving out important details and information so immediate justification for their fuel can be given.

The question now becomes:
Who is correct? Here is the TRUE answer:

Depending upon several different circumstances either answer can be correct...
The reason for this is because heating your home ALSO depends on what type of Heating Unit being used and HOW Heat is Delivered throughout your house. All Heating Systems consist of three (3) parts:
The type of Fuel used, the Heating Unit, and the Heat Delivery Method throughout the house.

The question now needed to be asked is:
What are the circumstances and how do we know what is the most efficient Fuel for us?

With OIL, the fact is more BTUs are produced by Oil as compared to Natural Gas, thus making Oil the more efficient FUEL at face value. HOWEVER, some Gas Heating Units offer the highest efficiency rates. Thus by using Gas as a Fuel in tandem with a higher efficiency Gas Heating Unit and a more efficient method of delivering the heat throughout the house, GAS becomes the more efficient FUEL.

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. This is an approximation for the amount of energy needed to heat up one pound
of water, one (1) additional degree in the Fahrenheit scale.

Let us start to break down the circumstances...

First thing to realize is that there are numerous steps to improving and making all the components contributing to heating the house far more efficient. Even if you finally do decide to get a new heating unit, gas or oil fired, all the additional steps must be looked at, considered, evaluated and implemented when necessary for maximum energy savings. Below are two questions from some of my clients:

I now use oil to heat my house, the heating unit is almost seven years old and I have gas in the house. Currently natural gas is cheaper than oil. Do I make the switch from oil to gas?

Whenever the above details are true, the answer is No. This is because the cost to switch (at least $5,000 to $7,000) probably will have a long payback period of 7 years or more. Additionally, over the years the cost for oil and gas will follow historical trends making one fuel more expensive than the other from one year to the next. Another expense will probably come into play if the way heat is "delivered" throughout the house needs to be upgraded to one of the more efficient methods. Now this action with save more on heating costs, but add additional years to the payback period. Thus upgrading the way heat is delivered throughout the house, such as changing from a Hot Water Baseboard delivery method to a Hot Water Radiant Floor Heating method, will wipe out the additional savings gained.

Rating the way heat is delivered throughout the house:

Pex, Pex tubing, radiant floor heat, snow, winter, heat, heating system, oil heat, gas heat, oil, gas, natural gas, saving on heating bills, heating costs

Radiant Floor Heat

Most efficient delivery method to send heat around your house:
Hot Water Radiant Floor Heat
(Today, PEX tubing - not copper pipes, would go down first in order to be under the floor. This is best installed with new construction or complete remodeling projects.)

baseboard heating, hot water base board, snow, winter, heat, heating system, oil heat, gas heat, oil, gas, natural gas, saving on heating bills, heating costs

Hot Water Baseboard

Second best delivery method to send heat around your house:
Hot Water Baseboard

Then comes methods such as:
Forced Hot Air; Hot Water Radiators; Steam Radiators / Steam Pipes; etc.
(The order of efficiency for these methods could alternate depending on other variables in the house, such as how well the house is insulated and / or the location of vents. {Facts on vent location is below})

Also please note these delivery methods of heat throughout the house become less efficient with additional variables.
For example: Forced Hot Air coming out of one set of vents on the wall where the vents are up by the ceilings. This (less expensive to install for a builder) "single room vent" with a dual function for delivering heat in the winter and AC cold air in the summer, has a much higher expense in energy cost for the homeowner due to a lower efficiency with delivering heat. The reason for this is because we have basic laws of physics that state Hot Air Rises. Why then would we place the vent that delivers heat to a room up by the ceiling and not down near the floor? Vents by the ceiling are only good for delivering Cold Air from a central AC system, because Cold Air Drops. Another law of physics. We all need two vents per room, one for heat by the floor and one for cold air at the ceiling.

Below is another question from a different client:

I have oil heat for my house and the boiler (heating unit) needs to be replaced. I have gas in the house for my gas stove and clothes dryer. Should I switch from oil to gas and will I save money on my heating bills?

The answer will be Yes, if all the answers to the following questions are YES...
- Do you have Hot Water Baseboard or Hot Water Radiant as the Heat Delivery method throughout the house?
- Can you get the new gas heating unit installed with a rebate, tax credit, or low interest loan?
- Is the new gas heating unit offering a high efficiency rating of at least 87%?

If your answers are NOT all YES, then consideration should also be given to a new more efficient oil heating unit, compare the numbers with payback times as well as look at all other elements connected to lowering overall operating costs for heating. For example: Insulation levels throughout the house and if hot water pipes are covered with insulated wrap.

WARNING - Please Note that sometimes we can get an incentive from our utility company for converting, when they also provide Natural Gas service, but in most cases they are only offering a new gas heating unit that provides 80% efficiency or less. A far cry from 87% and the better gas heating units that offer up to 95% efficiency.

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

BPA Is Not Alphabet Soup

9/4/2019

CSPI, Center for Science in the Public Interest, BPA, BPAs, canned food, glass jars, food storage, plastic, wax paper, porcelain, toxins, microbial contamination, sustainability, living green, green living, going green, going true green

By now many people know about BPAs: Bisphenol-A, which is a chemical that has been in the lining of most cans holding food since the 1960s. The chemical prevents a faster break-down of the can's integrity and prevents microbial contamination of the food within a period of time. This chemical is also used in plastic bottles and in plastic storage containers for items like food.

So over the years consumers have become aware of the health risks that BPA can present, especially to fetuses, infants and young children. Some Health officials are concerned about the role that BPA may have in childhood brain development and behavior problems. Additionally, some studies on animals have shown a possible link between BPA exposure and an increased risk of cancer later in life. Complete evaluation of this data shows tests done on animals, not humankind. Nevertheless, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) had CSPI's nutritionist David Schardt stated: "We don't want to tell people not to eat canned beans or tomatoes, but at the same time, it makes sense for all parents, and especially pregnant and nursing women, to minimize the exposure of their kids' developing bodies and brains to BPA."

CSPI, Center for Science in the Public Interest, BPA, BPAs, canned food, glass jars, food storage, plastic, wax paper, porcelain, toxins, microbial contamination, sustainability, living green, green living, going green, going true green

CSPI, Center for Science in the Public Interest, BPA, BPAs, canned food, glass jars, food storage, plastic, wax paper, porcelain, toxins, microbial contamination, sustainability, living green, green living, going green, going true green

Glass Jar of Olives

Several products from different manufacturers now have BPA free packaging and that statement is made on the package. Products in Tetra Paks are more popular today and they are BPA free. Many soups now come in Tetra Paks and so do puree products.

Try to buy items such as Tuna, in glass jars and do the same with olives. Change over your plastic food storage containers to glass within your own budget of time and money. If you are unable to do so, then just wrap the left-over food in wax paper before placing in a plastic container. Wax paper, Glass and Porcelain do not leach toxins into our food. Avoid tomatoes or sauces in cans since they are highly acidic and aid in the leaching process of BPAs into the food. Just remember that most aluminum cans are lined with BPA and so are shiny thermal receipts from some gas station machines, ATMs, lottery or airline tickets, prescription labels, and cash registers.

Some additional information to keep in mind is that the Polycarbonate plastic with a recycling number "7" contains BPA and BPAF, which some studies claim to be worst. Also do not recycle receipts that might contain BPA and do not use a hand sanitizer after holding a receipt in question, because some reports showed that the absorption of BPA is increased with the use of hand sanitizer. Just use good old soap and water.

Now the complete evaluation of this data presents no evidence that we should have a panic attack because, once in a while, we had a tuna sandwich made at a diner that used tuna from a can. However, a serious effort should be made to avoid BPAs when expecting a child or feeding young children. A reasonable effort should be made for adults. In a short period of time, we will see safer food packaging across the market place as a steadfast transition takes hold.

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