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Going True Green Blog:

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

See the Back Story - Blog Preface

The Sun's Only Rival

12/19/2019

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Edison, GE, Thomas Edison, Lewis Latimer, Lewis Howard Latimer, Edison Electric Light Company, LED, incandescent, Earth Day, 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Pontifical Regina Apostolorum Institute, Bill Lauto1925 GE Edison bulb
When Thomas Edison finally produced a successfully working electrical light bulb, with the help of an amazing team, the world was amazed. Light bulbs became the wonder of the world and a company called GE came up with a great catch phrase to sell their light bulbs after the turn of the century. 

The catch phrase is the title of this Going True Green blog post. I took the photo of a GE bulb, still in the original package from 1925, when consulting on a job involving energy savings for a house built in 1925. This bulb was in the basement for almost 100 years, as if waiting for me to take a photo. This was surreal, a time warp for me, but this also created a teaching moment.

Edison, GE, Thomas Edison, Lewis Latimer, Lewis Howard Latimer, Edison Electric Light Company, LED, incandescent, Earth Day, 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Pontifical Regina Apostolorum InstituteLewis Howard Latimer
One scientist that became part of Thomas Edison’s team was Lewis Howard Latimer and he was a major contributing factor to the success of the light bulb. Latimer and Joseph Nichols, invented the carbon filament light bulb, which was a tremendous improvement on Thomas Edison’s original filament that would burn out rapidly. After receiving a United States patent for the carbon filament, a second patent was received in 1882 for the process of “Manufacturing Carbons” which was an amazing improvement to the method of producing light bulb carbon filaments.

The Edison Electric Light Company in New York City hired Lewis Latimer in 1884 and he supervised the installation of public electric light throughout New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, and London. Then in 1892, the Edison Electric Light Company merged with the Thomson-Houston Electric Company to become General Electric or as we all know, GE.

Bonnard, Pierre Bonnard, Le Soiree Sous Les Lampes, Barnes Foundation Collection,  Evening Under the Lamps"Evening Under the Lamps" by Pierre Bonnard, c. 1903
The future looked so bright, that even famous artists did paintings and photographs featuring the light bulb. So by the 1920s, GE was selling the new improved light bulbs like the one in my photograph above and then in 1928 came the incandescent bulb we all used until compact fluorescent bulbs slowly replaced them. Today and the future seems bright with LED technology leading the way. Some data shows that a 2 or 3 watt LED will soon give off the light level equal to a 75 watt incandescent light bulb.​

In April of next year, the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and for that event, 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.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all. Best wishes for a happy, safe and blessed New Year.
​

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

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Posting Additional Look Backs

7/31/2019

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Before I started GoingTrueGreen.com, I wrote code for websites on the World Wide Web in 1992. By 1995/96 I had the LightBulbHotLine website up and running to help people learn about the many new compact fluorescent light bulbs that were being sold since 1982. Eventually the LightBulb HotLine website became EnergyHotWire.com (EHW) and then I launched GoingTrueGreen.com (GTG) so they could work in tandem. Today, GTG is leading the way!
Light Bulbs, light bulb hotline, energy saving lightbulbs,  Energy Saving Light Bulbs, Saving Energy, Saving Money, Sustainability, Climate Change, Sustainable Living, Going Green, Going True Green, Blogs, Articles, Bill Lauto
First Website, 1995, Light Bulb Hotline
Christopher Lauto, Going True Green, GTG Blog, EnergyHotwire, electric bill, energy comics, energy saving comics
Comic Relief On EHW Blog In 2007
Energy Hotwire,  Energy Saving Light Bulbs, Saving Energy, Saving Money, Sustainability, Climate Change, Sustainable Living, Going Green, Going True Green, Blogs, Articles, Bill Lauto
 Energy Saving Light Bulbs, Saving Energy, Saving Money, Sustainability, Climate Change, Sustainable Living, Going Green, Going True Green, Blogs, Articles, Bill Lauto
Kiplinger's, Kiplinger's Finance Magazine, Saving Money, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Energy Saving Light Bulbs, Sustainable Living, Going Green, Going True Green, Blogs, Articles, Bill LautoKiplinger's April 1992
Over the years, before Blogs came about, I wrote articles or provided data for publications doing a section or column on energy savings. One such publication was in Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, April 1992. The first day Kiplinger's magazine hit the newsstands, I received 95 phone calls from around the country. The section was titled: Lights That Lighten Your Electric Bill.

I have always been writing and teaching facts about Energy Saving Light Bulbs, as well as many other energy saving and environmental topics over the decades. I started loading up my articles to EnergyHotwire.com before the Blogging format took off.

This summer I am posting several more of those "Yesteryear" articles from Newspapers, Magazines, my LightBulb Hotline website and EnergyHotwire.com to my GoingTrueGreen Blog. You can take a trip down memory lane by accessing these postings under the Category called: Yesteryear Articles & Blogs, found in the right hand column of this page. For the Kiplinger story, you may click on the date: April 1992 under Archives, also found in the right hand column. To see how I was doing with my energy bills in my first apartment for the year 1988, click on the date May 1989. You can even use the Archives to click on the date November 1972 to peruse my very first paper I wrote on our environment back in middle school. My first article for newspapers on the new energy saving fluorescent light bulbs will be the next Archived date of November 2, 1987.

I also finally added the Category: COMIC RELIEF which brings you back to early 2007 when I published 3 different comic strips on EnergyHotwire.com.
​Use this LINK to start off your visit back in time with a laugh or two or three - Comic Relief.

Enjoy the "Look Back" - Thank you.


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

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Fruit of the Vine

6/27/2018

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wine, grapes, going green, going true green, grape vines, grape jam, eating grapes, amish, peaceful valley, pergola, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, LED, LEDs, red grapes, patio, Peaceful Valley FurnitureGrapes abound on my Pergola made by the Amish
Five years ago, within my budget of little time and money, I began working on building a patio with a grape vine overhead. My entire backyard project is ten years in the making and I am still working toward completion.

Nevertheless, this year I should enjoy the fruits of my labor on the patio section and I believe my Grandfather would be proud. I planted two grape vines 5 years ago, one is
 Swen Red grapes for eating and the other, Bluebell for making jam. 

I selected these two vines for their ability to flourish in my zone of weather patterns and to have organic grapes that have several medicinal values. The parts to my wooden Pergola kit were custom made to size by the Amish. The ordering and coordination was done through the Peaceful Valley Furniture store in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The customer service and workmanship was impeccable.

wine, grapes, going green, going true green, grape vines, grape jam, eating grapes, amish, peaceful valley, pergola, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, LED, LEDs, red grapes, patio, Peaceful Valley FurniturePeaceful Valley's Pergola
So while my grape vines where growing along my new fence, the Pergola was delivered at the end of August and pouring the cement footings was paramount before the weather turned cold at night. I didn't have the time to complete the top of the Pergola until November and the sand for the patio stones sat all winter long in a pile.​

I installed Bistro style lights across the Pergola's top and each light bulb you see in the image to the right uses only 1 watt of electricity. They are LED bulbs and they are operating off of Solar electric power. The entire set of lights consumes a total of 15 watts of electricity, but is providing a light level equivalent to 375 watts of old style Edison incandescent bulbs.

wine, grapes, going green, going true green, grape vines, grape jam, eating grapes, amish, peaceful valley, pergola, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, LED, LEDs, red grapes, patio, Peaceful Valley FurnitureFirst crop of Bluebell grapes
At the end of last year's growing season I had a small crop of grapes, however the night before harvest, the birds, squirrels and cats had a war. Despite my Owl facsimile, the next morning I found all the red eating grapes gone. Not one was left. The squirrels must have torn open my netting, the birds ate the grapes and cats ate some birds. The patio floor told the tale of a brutal scene. Smashed red grapes with squirrel and cat foot prints stained the stone, bird feathers were everywhere and a torn off bird's leg was left behind. For some reason, most of the Bluebell grapes survived and I was able to make a few jars of jam.

This year after the arrival of the patio table and benches, all made from 100% recycled plastic, many friends and family have expressed their enjoyment of the ambience created under the grape vines. Almost everyone has asked me why not grow grapes for making wine? My Grandfather made wine with his grapes and I remember all the work involved. So I am leaving the wine making to the professionals. The only thing left for me to do is buy a stronger netting before this year's harvest.

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

Picture
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Recycled Bad News Coverage Targets LEDs

2/17/2018

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LEDs, Fake News, Recycle, Compact Fluorescent bulbs, energy saving bulbs, 12 LED Bulbs
Here we go again! Same old, one sided exaggerate theme to create fearful entertainment under the label of News. The subject is again energy saving light bulbs.

​Many years ago the "so called news" was about Compact Fluorescent bulbs and how dangerous they can be to our lives. However we were only told one side of the facts. Today, this story line is being recycled and used to create fear toward LED lights. 

Television news and science magazines ran story titles like: Are LED Bulbs Dangerous To Our Health? 

Clever verbiage was used to mimic the newest movie version of Star Wars out in the theater:
Learn the Dark Side of LEDs.


Compact Fluorescent light bulbs have substances such as Mercury inside, but when you provide details and cite sources, the complete story is a teaching moment. The media needs to realize that these types of stories are an opportunity for teaching and if they can write or speak well, the news they present will not be boring. I believe an example of this complete news reporting can be viewed at my Blog post from April 2014 called, Evacuate The House!

So what is the story today with LED light bulbs? They do have microscopic amounts of elements such as lead, Arsenic and Nickel inside. If someone breaks dozens of Compact Fluorescent bulbs and started inhaling them, he/she could get sick. With LEDs one would need to break open hundreds and start inhaling to cause harm. So my answer for LEDs is the same from my Blog post in 2014 with Compact Fluorescent bulbs. If any LEDs break in your house, clean them up safely, with rubber gloves and a damp sponge. Then place the broken bulbs into a Zip-Lock plastic bag and bring that bag to Home Depot or Lowe's for free recycling.

​Sadly most news stories don't tell all the facts. These media companies are really just entertainment companies in disguise with one goal, which is to make money. They have no interest in being Reporters presenting News with logical answers because that makes the story BORING! Unfortunately the real reason for the boredom is because they don't know how to make a teaching moment interesting.

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

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Light Bulbs Out In The Cold

1/25/2018

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LED, LEDs, Compact Fluorescent bulbs, CFL, Cold Temperatures and LEDs, Energy Savings, Going Green, Saving MoneyUnderperforming Fluorescent Bulb
​Many parts of the United States are experiencing some serious cold winter weather this season and I received a few emails asking about outside lights. Many Going True Green readers and members have compact fluorescent bulbs in outside fixtures. Depending on where we live, most compact fluorescent bulbs have not caused any issues until this season's long cold snap and a bomb cyclone winter storm that hit the Northeast. Below are some of the questions and my answers:

​- How come my outdoor Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are so dim over my front door?
- Why are my fluorescent light bulbs outside only half as bright as normal?
- My energy saving fluorescent bulbs outside are hardly coming on since our 7 degree temperatures?
- Will LEDs do better in cold temperatures?
- Should I switch back to regular light bulbs for outside?


​Most Compact Fluorescent bulbs have a lower lumen (light level) output below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Then light levels drop off "Big Time" below 20 something degrees Fahrenheit as shown in the image.  Any temp lower than that, most of these bulbs don't even come on! They may just glow a little, but no significant light level is provided. Additionally, these lights will still cost us the full wattage of the bulb in electricity even though we are not receiving the proper light level. In other words, that outdoor 20 watt compact fluorescent bulb (able to give off a light level equal to 75 watts) is still costing 20 watts in electric power, but only giving off about 3 watts of light when outside temperatures are severely cold. Another negative factor is the bulb's life will be cut short as the components struggle repeatedly to work properly in temperatures dropping toward zero degrees.

​Don't even think about switching back to regular incandescent bulbs for outside. They too will burn out faster because of the heat they produce vs the cold outside air. Did you know that with the energy used by a regular light bulb, 90% produces heat and only 10% omits light? Also switching will just run up your electric bill, because now you will have a 75 watt bulb in place of the 20 watt compact fluorescent.

As for LED light bulbs, they will get brighter in colder temps! Additionally you will be only using a 14 watt LED (current technology, LEDs are getting more efficient) to give off 75 watts of light. So to make the long dark winter nights a little brighter, start to change over to new LED bulbs. We will all save a little more on the electric bill, some energy for tomorrow, and have a brighter front doorway.

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

10/8/2017

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LEDs, lightbulbs, incandescents, fluorescents,  saving energy, lower electric bill, going green, sustainability, 1980s Look Up Flyer
Have you “looked up” lately at the lights in your place of work, corner coffee shop, favorite store, or even you own home?

Lights are changing and I am presenting my old LOOK UP seminars from the 1980s once again. However, I am speaking about LED lights today and not about the compact fluorescents lights of the 1980s that saved money, energy, and earth. Yes, compact fluorescent bulbs have been available since 1982, unfortunately most people didn’t hear or learn about them until fifteen years later. That is another story.

Today, several questions are circulating more and more about LED tubes that can replace Fluorescent four foot tubes. More so now than before because of the lower prices and the recent popularity of standard LED light bulbs.

First I will list and answer the most common questions, followed by some specific queries:

Yes, LEDs are dimmable but confirm on package text.
Yes, LED tubes can fit into current fluorescent fixtures.
Yes, LED tubes have a longer life span than fluorescents.
Yes, LED tubes consume less energy, thus securing lower electric bills.
Yes, like LED bulbs, the four foot tubes come in different color ranges of light.
Yes, there is a far lower impact on our environment compared to fluorescents.
Yes, energy efficiency is increasing on LEDs and lower electric bills will abound.

With replacing four foot fluorescent tubes with LEDs you now have several options:

LEDs, lightbulbs, incandescents, fluorescents,  saving energy, lower electric bill, going green, sustainability,
Four Foot LED Tube to Replace Fluorescent
A Hybrid LED tube is now available and that works WITH and then WITHOUT the ballast (transformer) in your old fluorescent fixture. Just install your new 4 foot LED light tube and the lamp will work with your old ballast. When the ballast stops working, the LED tube will run off of the line current directly. 

A standard LED tube will cost less than a Hybrid and will be a more efficient way to operate. The reason is because you will be operating off the line current directly and there is no need for a ballast. Operating without the old energy consuming ballast will save more in electricity and money per fixture. However, when disconnecting just one or a few ballasts in a small shop or your home, it will be cheaper to buy the Hybrid tubes than to pay a licensed electrician to disconnect a ballast or two. For any location with a large number of fluorescent fixtures the opposite will be true. You will need to crunch some specific numbers for yourself to know how many fixtures represents which method is more efficient. On average, paybacks are less than one year when you disconnect your ballasts for each fixture and put in new LED tubes.

On the topic of different ranges of colors, you will mostly see these three labels for the most popular colors of light output:

Warm White , Soft White, and Bright White. The first will create a yellow warm light just like standard incandescent light bulbs. The Soft White will be close to the fluorescent light we all know in an office and the Bright White is also known as Daylight, this is cooler color and has an emphasis on blue tones. The name Daylight is used because the light is similar to the color of light we see in the North sky. Our sun travels from east to south to west, but never does the sun pass through the North sky, thus leaving us to see a very natural and balanced light.

So next time you are sitting in your office, store, or even your own play room down in the basement with fluorescent fixtures, Look Up! If you do not see LEDs, tell your boss, your doctor or dentist, store owner, and yourself to change over to LEDs. Only then, we the people can make a significant difference while saving money, energy, health, and our environment for our grandchildren.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
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Macy's Exit Sign Secret

9/19/2017

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Macy*s, Macy's, Macy's department stores, world's largest store, Philips, Philips LED bulbs, LEDs, sustainability, Philips light bulbs, going green, going true green, energy saving lights, lower electric billsHerald Square Macy*s, New York
Hard to believe that 25 years ago, back in 1992, I presented a break-through project to Macy*s New York Department store. A project that has been a secret all these years. Macy*s was my largest client since 1981 and together we were saving Money, Energy, Earth, and thousands of barrels of oil for America. The implementation of energy saving compact fluorescent lights a decade before they were available in stores and redesigned valance lighting provide tremendous savings. We also addressed inefficient operations in store restaurants and air cooling systems with stores from New York to Florida. However, this presentation was different... Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) was being presented for all the Exit signs in every store that were on 24 hours a day, everyday.

Many people said that I was years ahead of everyone else when it came to saving energy, but this time my presentation was too far ahead. No one at Macy*s heard or knew about LEDs and I wanted to Retro-Fit EXIT Signs that was an emergency system that could not fail. If they did, the Fire Department would levy costly fines. Yet, the facts that I determined out weighed all concerns... First, LEDs had a long history and the best that we see today was yet to come.

Nevertheless, LEDs were discovered back in 1907 by British experimenter H. J. Round at Marconi Labs. A Russian inventor named Oleg Losev made the LED in 1927. Rubin Braunstein working at Radio Corporation of America used different elements in 1957, and in 1962,
 Biard and Pittman of Texas Instruments developed an efficient emission of infrared light.

More importantly was the fact that at the time of my presentation, exit signs employed not one, but two various sizes of 40 watt incandescent light bulbs.This was in case one bulb failed, the second bulb would still provide guidance to the fire exits. These incandescent 40 watt bulbs did two things well, they burned out every 3 months or so and they used electricity around the clock 365 days a year.

The
LED retro-fit kits for Exit Signs in North East Macy*s stores replaced the two 40 watt bulbs with a total of 4 watts of LEDs. A high-polished reflector was place in the back of the LEDs to maintain proper lumen output, (light level). The expected life of the LEDs was 60 years. Eventually Macy*s changed to new modern looking Exit Signs with LEDs built in, but for some of the old Exit Boxes still operating in the back storage rooms of a few stores, those LEDs have yet to burn out.

The numbers I presented for savings on the Macy*s electric bills, labor to change bulbs, and the cost to buy new bulbs was the catalyst that started the project in earnest. With an average of 300 Exit Boxes per store, we saw a reduction from 24,000 watts to only 1,200 watts per hour, 24/7. Payback on Macy*s investment to retro-fit all Exit Sign boxes was around 8 months!

So after being years ahead of all other corporations in saving energy and our environment, Macy*s never bragged about what they accomplished so many years ago by being one of the first to change incandescent bulbs in Exit Boxes to LEDs. This well kept secret is now revealed and credit must go to Macy*s Operation Managers who had the foresight to make a change for the better. All I did was present the facts, they made the call against the status quo of wasteful building operations.

Philips, Philips LED bulbs, LEDs, sustainability, Philips light bulbs, going green, going true green, energy saving lights, lower electric billsToday's LED bulbs
As of 2017, LED lights for the home are as cheap as a comparable compact fluorescent bulb with the same light level. However, the LEDs last longer and they are  more energy efficient along with fewer environmental concerns. In addition, the efficiency of LEDs is increasing. I expect to see a 2 watt LED bulb replacing a 75 watt incandescent bulb very soon.


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

Telomere, Telomeres, BBV Publishing, Living forever, L. J. Williams,
TELOMERE, by L. J. Williams "Telling The Untold Stories™ BBV Publishing
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Light and Heat

2/3/2017

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colds, dry air, heating, winter colds, energy, duct work, going green, saving energy, winter dry throat, dry throats, force hot airDry 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, sustainabilityBuild 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, sustainabilityThe 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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Saving Goes Way Back

3/10/2016

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Coal, WWI, Light, light bulbs, World War one, coles phillips, light consumes coal, 1917, climate change, going green, going true green, bill lauto, great war, led bulbs, sustainabilityWorld War One Poster
The days were dark in spirit throughout America when World War One was occurring. The nights were even darker because of all the unknowns. America would enter the war in 1917 and not one person knew for sure how long the war would last for America. All efforts diverted supplies to fighting the "Great War" and on the home front, large supplies of items such as coal, were hard to find.

An example of this can be seen in an original World War I poster by the United States artist Coles Phillips. The poster, seen on the left, is called "Light Consumes Coal" and was commissioned by the United States Fuel Administration.

The unknown can be a terrifying feeling and in 1917 with coal as the major fuel source used to produce power, people didn't know if they would have enough to light up their homes at night with those new Edison light bulbs operating off of electricity. Also the public had to wondered if America would even have enough coal to win the war.

Today we have a new war and the unknowns are just as fearful. Despite all the worst and best predictions of what Climate Change will bring upon our world, the truth is that not one scientist knows for sure what will happen. Speculation based on the facts that we do know, can be a double edge sword. I see the bottom line as this:

The facts do prove our climate is warmer and NO Government, Politician, Industry, Company, Business or Individual should RISK our planet's future. This does not mean we must force change with violence, this means we need a "smart transition" that starts in our own homes, then bring those changes into work, to our businesses and complete the team effort with our elected officials.

The bottom line has the solution starting with each one of us as an individual. Changing a few light bulbs to LED bulbs today doesn't cut it anymore. I changed all my light bulbs back in 1982 to energy saving compact fluorescents! At GoingTrueGreen.com we have been a sustainable force since 1982 by asking and teaching people to live a more sustainable life. GoingTrueGreen.com is a great source to review and learn hundreds of things that we can do as individuals to help save money and our environment. Humankind is a definite contributor to Climate Change, but at GTG, we never scare people into saving the environment. We point out the extremely important environmental benefits, along with all the relating reasons to live a more sustainable life, because you save a great deal of money, live healthier and all without sacrificing the life you know!

Next year, just a little more than a year from the date of this GTG Blog Post, it will be one hundred years since America entered World War One. Today, the unknown for our environment's future 100 years from now is a fearful proposition. Good or more likely bad, only working together to live more sustainable lives will we eliminate the fear and win this "world war".

Bill Lauto
, GTG
Environmental Scientist

International Sustainability and Energy Consultant


Contribute your comments!

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The Holiday Light Switch

12/8/2015

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Picture
Not the light switch... Switch lights! Don't wait another year to change your Holiday lights to all LED bulbs!

One of my largest clients as an Energy Consultant was MACY*S Department Stores. Around 1990, I introduced LED conversion kits for EXIT Sign Boxes to Macy*s Operation Managers and the conversion began almost instantly. Those same reasons for Macy*s to switch to LEDs stand true for decorative Christmas lights today.

Number One reason is savings and a fast payback. Today the cost for LED Christmas lights has come down and the price is even a better deal when placed on sale at the end of the season.
A house decorated outside and with a tree inside will use a minimum of 400 bulbs. That will be about 160 watts with the incandescent mini lights. If you have a timer running the lights from Dusk to Dawn between Thanksgiving and January 7th, your electric bill with a 19 cent Kilowatt rate will be around: $15.32.

If you use LEDs consuming about 4.8 watts per 70 bulbs (total LED bulbs used 420) you will consume a total of 28.8 watts for a total electric cost of only $2.77! A savings off the electric bill of around $12.55. So no matter how many bulbs you are using, the savings is around 82% when comparing LEDs to Incandescent bulbs. Also buying the LEDs on sale can offer you a payback on your investment in one holiday season.

Another reason to get LEDs is for all those times where the last row of lights are up, you come down the ladder and plug in the lights to only see half or none of them light up. Then that conversation starts:
"Did you test the bulbs?"
"Nooo, I thought you tested the bulbs!"
"Are these the lights where if one goes out they all go out?"
"I don't know, didn't you buy them?"
"That was three years ago! I don't remember."
"Just buy those new LED lights, they last decades, not years."

So put the "JOLLY" back into the holidays and keep most of your money in your pocket by using LED decorative lights. Your electric power company will still send you a bill, but in this case, less is much better than more. Merry Christmas.

Bill Lauto
, GTG
Environmental Scientist

International Sustainability and Energy Consultant


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    Bill Lauto, Environmentalist, Energy Consultant
    Bill Lauto came on the scene in 1981 to present facts and teach details about how we can save our environment without making  sacrifices. He demonstrated how correctly implementing the technology we already obtained in 1981, allowed us to save Money, Energy and Earth. He voice was one among the few who taught green facts long before anyone else talked about sustainability. 
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