Recycling For The Whole Family: Three Ways To Engage

Recycling Is A Team Effort

People adopting a greenliving lifestyle need to change many, if not all, aspects of their life and their community.  For example, when choosing to be conscientious about recycling: it is important to recycle in all environments: in the home, in the workplace, on vacation, etc.

Making the change to live green comes more naturally and easily if a group or team is also making that shift.  Oftentimes, it is best to start small and start focusing one one aspect of a green lifestyle at a time.  Some ways to get the whole family involved with recycling, one of the easiest ways to "go green", includes:

1) Create family or household goals for recycling efforts: Perhaps it is filling up the recycling bin every week.  It could be sorting all plastic soda bottles or mixed paper products from the trash and putting those items in the recycling bin.  The best way to start recycling effectively is to start with manageable and track-able goals.

Adjusting The Thermostat Based on the Season: Three Tips

Saving Energy By Monitoring The Thermostat

In many homes, staying comfortable in any season or weather depends greatly on adjusting heat or air flow with the thermostat.  But is there a proper way to utilize the thermostat?  Below are three green ways to use the thermostat and reduce excess energy:

1) Adjust before leaving: Not adjusting the thermostat before leaving the house for a long period of time, for work, trips, or appointments, is one of the easiest ways to waste energy.  Adjust the thermostat to a few degrees higher or lower (depending on the season) when leaving the house or even turn the thermostat off completely.

2) Find a comfortable setting: Instead of cranking up the heat or air conditioning, try to find a setting that is personally comfortable.  For instance, a person may just turn on their air conditioning set at 70 degrees.  However, that same person may still feel comfortable and cool in a home that is 74 degrees.  Finding a comfortable temperature will reduce energy and strain on the thermostat.

The Green Way to Help Those In Need

Aiding Those Impacted by Disaster

Last week, the apartment community of Flower Branch Apartments in Silver Spring, Maryland experienced a disaster when a fire ravaged the apartments resulting in several dead and wounded and many others displaced from their homes.

The Grady Management team wanted to express our sympathies for the Flower Branch Apartments community while also highlighting how to help after a disaster situation:

1) Use caution if volunteering to help in disaster clean up situations.  Specialists are trained to handle disaster situations.  If volunteers are needed, remember to remain cognizant of debris and waste such as stray electrical wires and broken glass.  Often waste needs to be handled in a particular way to reduce personal and environmental harm.

The Importance of Supporting Local Food Banks

Grady Management Team Members and Residents Support Capital Area Food Bank

Food waste is a big problem in America, as revealed in the statistics presented in last week's blog post about refrigerator organization and storage.

What are other ways to prevent and combat food waste?

Donating food to local food banks is a great way to live a green life while also providing resources to those in need and combating hunger.

Several Grady Management communities are participating in AOBA's food drive to support the Capital Area Food Bank.  Residents and team members are encouraged to donate food items to the food bank.  Several of the most needed items include: canned fruits, vegetables, juices, and cereal.

Read more about the most needed food items for food banks on the Capital Area Food bank website.

Grady Management was founded in 1965 and continues to provide a full service residential, commercial, and consulting real estate firm in the greater Washington and Baltimore metropolitan area.  Learn more from our website or Facebook page.

Five Steps To Organizing The Refrigerator

Prevent Food Waste By Following Simple Household Tips

According to CNN and the Natural Resources Defense Council, America annually wastes up to 40 percent of food resources annually.

How can this be?  Too often, people will throw away excess food or leave leftovers to spoil.  Knowing how to organize the refrigerator is one of the best tools to combat food waste:

1) Fridge door:The refrigerator door is the warmest section of the refrigerator.  Use the door to keep condiments, dressings, and butter: food items and products that do not need to be kept very cold.  This is not a good location to place eggs: they will spoil faster.

2) Bottom drawers: Refrigerators with bottom drawers serve as the ultimate place to store fruits and vegetables.  Fruits and vegetables keep best in a naturally humid environment, such as a closed off drawer.  For additional shelf life, wrap fruits and veggies in plastic wrap or a plastic covering.