2017 GreenLiving Blog Recap

In just a few days, it will be time to ring in the 2018 year!  The next GreenLiving Tips blog will be posted in January 2018. The Grady's GreenLiving Tips team wanted to provide the links and a short description of our top blog posts from 2017 to provide a review of the past year of green advice and resources:

1. "Five Reminders for a Daily, Green, Checklist": This blog, posted on October 10, details five easy to accomplish steps to promote GreenLiving every day.  Read the post here.

2. "#Thanksgiving2017 : Five Easy Ways to Have a Green Thanksgiving": This blog, posted on November 21, reviews green ways to prepare for and enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.  Topics include managing food waste, traveling for the holiday, and hosting people for Thanksgiving.  Read the post here.

3. "Five Tips for a Sustainable Super Bowl Party": This blog, posted on January 31, describes ways to host a sustainable Super Bowl party.  Read the post here.

Remember, in 2018, Grady's GreenLiving Tips will change to an every-other week posting schedule.  Learn more by reading our first blog post of the new year.

Have a happy and healthy start to 2018!

Grady's GreenLiving Tips was created in 2014 by Grady Management, Inc.  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.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: 2017 Holiday Season Challenge

What Holiday Materials can be Reduced and/ or Reused?

Picture this: It is January 1, 2018.  The 2017 Holiday Season is officially over and done.  Gift bags, wrapping paper, and bows and ribbons are spread throughout the house.  Electronics boxes and toy packages is spread haphazardly in the family room.  Holiday decorations are still on display in windows and doorways.  Holiday meal leftovers are shoved in the refrigerator.  If this scene sounds familiar, try to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle this holiday season to better prepare for the 2018 holidays and practice GreenLiving techniques. 

Recycle: The end of the holiday season can be a great time to practice some easy recycling techniques.  Separate all of the gift wrapping and packaging components to determine what can be recycled.  Remember, Styrofoam packaging material and shiny or glittery wrapping paper cannot be recycled.  Cardboard boxes should be broken down and recycled.

Five Green Gift Shopping and Gift Giving Techniques

GreenLiving Tips for the Holiday Season

Planning to give or receive gifts this holiday season?  Remember to practice GreenLiving ideas when shopping for and/ or preparing to give gifts.  Several green gift techniques include:

1) Bring Re-usable Bags: If shopping for presents in department stores and/ or malls, remember to bring re-usable bags or leftover plastic bags instead of receiving a new, wasteful, plastic bag.  Plastic bags can take more than 100 years to decompose in landfills.

2) Save Gas and Shop Online: Want to skip long lines and preserve the environment?  Save on gas and complete holiday shopping online.  If shopping in stores are preferable, try to utilize public transportation, such as a bus or train. 

3) Donate Instead: Instead of a traditional gift, donate money in someone's name as their gift for the holidays.  This memorable gift will save time and resources.

Grady's GreenLiving Tips Reminder

Still looking for more GreenLiving advice and tips?

Remember, beginning in 2018, Grady's GreenLiving Tips will change from an every week posting schedule to a twice a month schedule.  All blog readers will still be able to read two GreenLiving posts per month.

Grady Management's new blog, Apartment Resident #LifeHacks, will be linked on this blog in late December for all GreenLiving readers to also enjoy.

Please let us know if you have any questions by commenting below!

Grady's GreenLiving Tips was created in 2014 by Grady Management, Inc.  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.

A Green Start to December

Early Winter Tips for the Cold(er) Months

It's hard to believe that it is almost December!  With winter only a few weeks away, there are several eco-friendly steps people can take to ensure their homes are both "green" and ready for the upcoming winter temperatures and weather.

1) Set the thermostat: Remember, an easy way to live a green life is to stop wasting energy.  In the wintertime, it can be enticing to turn on the heat full blast all day long.  However, leaving the heat to run all day, even when outside the home, wastes energy.  Try to reset the thermostat before leaving for long periods of time, such as heading to work or visiting family, so the heat doesn't run constantly indoors.

2) Remember seasonal decor: Hanging holiday lights outside or assembling a holiday tree?  Though staples of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget to turn off or unplug holiday decorations at the end of the day.  To save energy, try to unplug seasonal decor when leaving the room or, at least, by a set time every night.  It may help to create a seasonal checklist to ensure all decorations are unplugged at the end of every night.

#Thanksgiving2017 : Five Easy Ways to Have a Green Thanksgiving

GreenLiving Ways to Celebrate Turkey Day

Thanksgiving is this Thursday!  Planning to host a Thanksgiving dinner or family and/ or friend get-together?  If so, try to put in place some green and eco-freindly practices to the holiday celebrations. Though it can be a challenge, the holidays can be a good time to practice several GreenLiving skills.  Several ways to stay "green" during Thanksgiving include:

1) Manage food waste: A big component in many Thanksgiving celebrations is a meal shared by family and/ or friends.  If hosting this year, try to set up a buffet style meal so that everyone can get the portion of food they would like, instead of being served too much (or too little!) and wasting excess food.  If attending a Thanksgiving celebration: try to wait between courses before getting more food, to avoid getting too much food and wasting excess.

2) Compost when possible: After the Thanksgiving meal, some of the food scraps can be composted.  Remember: avoid dairy products and bones, but any organic material such as shells, vegetables, and fruits can be put in the compost bin.  Learn more about composting here.

Three Ways to Celebrate America Recycles Day (Nov. 15)

#BeRecycled for a Green End to the Year

Recycling is an easy and efficient way to live a green life.  Sorting recyclables, such as plastic soda bottles, aluminum cans, and newspaper, from waste, re-using products, and re-purposing goods and supplies are all ways to recycle that will have a positive impact on the environment.  

Tomorrow, November 15, is America Recycles Day, an annual, green, holiday that celebrates the positive impact of recycling.  Three ways to celebrate America Recycles Day includes:

Take the #BeRecycled Pledge: Located on the official America Recycles Day website, the digital pledge allows people to commit to recycling and even narrow down on a particular product or products to recycle more of throughout the year.  Signing the online pledge also allows individuals to opt in to receiving recycling tips via email.

Attend a Recycling Event: Multiple recycling and GreenLiving themed events are taking place this week in honor of America Recycles Day.  Find a nearby event online.

A Special GreenLiving Tips Announcement

Since September 2014, Grady's GreenLiving Tips blog has published one post a week, every Tuesday, about green and eco-friendly advice, news, and more.

The Grady's GreenLiving Tips team wanted to keep our blog readers updated because, beginning in 2018, this blog will change from an every week posting schedule to a twice a month schedule.  All blog readers will still be able to read two GreenLiving posts per month.

This change is because the team is currently developing a new blog that will also post on select Tuesdays.  More information about this new blog will be announced in November and December.

Please let us know if you have any questions by commenting below!

Grady's GreenLiving Tips was created in 2014 by Grady Management, Inc.  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.

Eco Friendly Halloween Tips

Three Easy Ways to be "Green" for Halloween

It's Halloween!  A time for many that includes costumes, candy, and, most of all, fun!  This year, remember that Halloween can provide an opportunity to practice some green and eco-friendly tips.  Below are three ways to be "green" for Halloween:

1) Prepare a flashlight: Preparing a flashlight for trick or treating or passing out candy is not only a smart way to celebrate Halloween, but a chance to practice eco-friendly living.  Remember to pick out an LED flashlight, as these light sources last longer and save energy.  In addition, another great way to save energy is by using glow sticks.  Glow sticks are long lasting, are often cheaper than flashlights, and come in a variety of colors (perfect for this spooky holiday).

2) Trick or treat the "green" way: If collecting candy this year, or even just handing out candy, remember some green tips.  Watch out for litter, such as candy wrappers, that can accidentally become strewn and, eventually, contaminate waterways and plant and animal life. 

3) Organize Halloween decorations after: Halloween decorations can be a chance to creatively recycle, or "upcycle", resources for future use.  After the holiday, take stock of what decorations are still in good conditions to neatly pack away for next year.  Some decorations, like streamers and balloons, can be upcycled into craft projects.  Other decorations may need to be recycled in a more traditional way or simply thrown away.  Remember, there are even ways to recycle pumpkins that are in a good condition after the holiday.

Happy Halloween to everyone celebrating!

Grady's GreenLiving Tips was created in 2014 by Grady Management, Inc.  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 Ways to Prevent Energy Vampires

How and Why to Stop Wasting Energy

With Halloween one week away, it is easier than ever to find vampire costumes or decorations in stores and outside neighborhoods and homes.  But a certain type of vampire can lurk inside the home without anyone knowing: energy vampires!  While not the scary character featured in books or movies, "energy vampires" is a term used to describe appliances or devices that use small amounts of energy even when the appliance is turned off and not used for hours or days at a time.  But what exactly are energy vampires and why and how can they be prevented?  Learn more here:

What exactly are energy vampires?

An "energy vampire" is any device or appliance that plugs into a wall outlet for an extended period of time when turned off.  Many people believe that appliances only use energy when turned on and in use.  However, small amounts of energy are used when devices are turned off but remain plugged into outlets.  Common energy vampires include coffeemakers, laptop and phone chargers, and even floor lamps. These devices may be turned off but the appliances are still using energy.

Why are energy vampires negative for "green": and eco-friendly homes?

Those who live a green life often try to find creative and effective ways to limit energy use and reduce waste.  Energy vampires may use small amounts of energy when not in use, but that amount of energy can add up over the days, weeks, and months that appliances are plugged into the same wall outlet.  Small amounts of wasted energy eventually may cause a large, negative, problem for the environment.  

Three Art Crafts for Autumn Leaves

Seasonal Crafts Perfect for the Entire Family!

This autumn, try to turn some common natural resources into beautiful crafts or creative projects the whole family will enjoy.  In an earlier October blog post, Grady's GreenLiving Tips detailed how to use excess pumpkins for crafts or DIY projects.  This week, learn how to utilize another natural, autumn staple, fallen leaves, in art projects.  Below are three different type of craft ideas for autumn leaves:

1) Wall Decor: Once collected, leaves can be added to photo frames to create seasonal decor inside any home.  Additionally, leaves can act as a stencil for paintings or an addition to drawings to create a more realistic look for any autumnal scene.  Leaves can also be painted, dipped in wax, or brushed with glitter and then hung on walls and/ or doorways as another type of seasonal decor.

2) Unique Centerpieces: Leaves can be used to decorate seasonal paper lanterns (perfect for Halloween or harvest festivities!).  In addition, if leaves are place outside a bowl and glued together, the leaves can form a bowl shape that would create a memorable centerpiece.  

Five Reminders for a Daily, Green, Checklist

Remember GreenLiving Tips by Preparing Ahead of Time

One of the easiest ways to live a green life is to stick to a regular routine.  Incorporating several GreenLiving tips into daily tasks and goals will make eco-friendly practices easy to remember.  Below are several ways to create a five point checklist to remember GreenLiving advice:

1) Set a morning routine: Making breakfast?  Showering?  Getting dressed?  All of these aspects of the morning routine is a chance to incorporate a GreenLiving method.  Remember to time showers and turn off the tap after using the sink in order to avoid wasting excess water.  Another GreenLiving tip to add to the checklist is to unplug appliances like the coffeemaker before leaving the house to save energy.

2) Think of options: Travel options that is!  Commuting to work?  Use a green checklist to track what days it is possible to use some other form of transportation to commute and/ or travel.  Try ride sharing or catching the bus or train/ Metro.  

3) Prep "green": Preparing meals and/ or food throughout the day is a great way to practice GreenLiving tips.  Remember to utilize leftovers and bring containers to meals for better food storage techniques.  Don't contribute to food waste!

#FallDIY: Five Creative Ways to Recycle a Pumpkin

Autumnal Themed GreenLiving Tips

Pumpkins are a staple of the fall season, especially in the days leading up to and including Halloween.  But what are ways to utilize leftover pumpkins after this season?  In this blog post, Grady's GreenLiving Tips explores five ways to use a leftover pumpkin:

1) Utilize pumpkins for food and baked goods: Leftover pumpkins can be cut up and made into pies, cakes, and/ or jams.  Pumpkin seeds can also be scooped out and baked as well.

Learn more pumpkin recipes in the All Recipes article "19 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes".

2) Compost old and/ or leftover pumpkins: Pumpkins are primarily made of water and, because of this, are easily broken down into compost.

Five Steps to Create an On-The-Go Green Kit

Traveling?  Heading to the Office?  Simple Steps to Easily Promote GreenLiving

For those who live a green life, practicing eco-friendly habits can be challenging outside of the home.  For individuals who like to be more prepared, compiling a Green Kit can be a great way to enjoy eco-friendly practices when on-the-go for work, trips, hobbies, and beyond.

What are five items to pack in a Green Kit?  Read more here:

1) A durable water bottle: Purchasing plastic water bottles are fine as long as they are recycled afterwards.  But, sometimes, when traveling, it is not always easy to find a recycling bin nearby.  Pack a reusable water bottle in the green kit to refill with water whenever needed.

2) A fork, knife, and spoon: Plastic cutlery is not green and is designed to be thrown away after single, individual, use.  Try to pack one set of durable silverware in the Green Kit that can be used for on-the-go snacks.  This way, it won't be necessary to waste plastic cutlery.

Three Ways to Celebrate Upcoming Car Free Day! (#CarFreeDay)

Car Free Day is on September 22

Celebrating green holidays is a great way to promote a green and eco-friendly life.  One upcoming green holiday is Car Free Day 2017 that will be celebrated on Friday, September 22.  Car Free Day, sponsored by Commuter Connections, encourages participants to find alternatives for the car in order to commute to work.

What are three ways to celebrate Car Free Day?  Learn three possible ways below:

1) Biking: Biking is a great way to commute to work or travel.  Biking is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to travel and, in many cases, is just as reliable as cars and other traditional vehicles.

2) Carpool: Though not, exactly, car free, carpooling is a great way to commute to work that simultaneously reduces the amount of vehicles on the road.  Less vehicles on the road (one of the main goals of Car Free Day) reduces the amount of pollution that is released in the air and environment.

2017 Anniversary Roundup

A Look Back at Five Popular Posts

Grady's GreenLiving Tips blog recently celebrated a three year anniversary!  Since September 2, 2014, one new post for Grady's GreenLiving Tips has been published every Tuesday.

For this anniversary, the Grady's GreenLiving Tips blog has compiled a roundup of our top posts.  Review and read through some of the most popular posts published on this blog:

1) Spring is in the Air- Green Resources: Published in February 2015, this post details user-friendly websites and online guides web users can access to learn more about greenliving and eco-friendly practices.

2) Green Tips for a Clean Car: Three, simple, car care tips that also help to protect the environment.

3) Grady's Green Initiatives: This blog post details the green initiatives of Grady Management, Inc.  Learn more about how Grady Management, Inc. promotes greenliving at apartment communities by reading the original blog post or visiting the official website.

4) Get Ahead on Your Spring Cleaning: The Eco-Friendly Way: Even though springtime is a few months away, recap on some greenliving cleaning practices in this blog post from 2015.

5) Five Ways To Recycle a Pumpkin: Just in time for the Fall 2017 season, this post, published in 2016, details creative and unique ways to "upcycle" and/ or reuse pumpkins after fall festivals and celebrations.

Thank you to all Grady's GreenLiving Tips fans and readers!  Want to recap on a particular blog post?  Let us know in the comments and we can share the link!

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.

Three, Online, GreenLiving Resources for Apartment Residents

Expert GreenLiving Advice for our Valued Residents

Trying to find greenliving advice?  Knowing where to find factual and accurate greenliving and eco-friendly information is often at the cornerstone of a green lifestyle.

Grady's GreenLiving Tips compiled several pertinent links to guides and online articles that highlight some practical and helpful green advice for apartment renters:

1) "Top 10 Tips for Renters" by Energy Star: this comprehensive guide covers ways to save energy, and money, during all seasons.  Read the online article here.

2) "5 Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bill" by ApartmentGuide Blog: this post details methods and examples of how an apartment renter can decrease the monthly electric bill.  Read the original blog post here.

Five, Common, GreenLiving Misconceptions

Don't be Fooled By Some Eco-Friendly Myths

Trying to live a green life?  It is often easy to find green and eco-friendly advice online and on social media apps and websites.  But is all the green advice correct?

Below are five common greenliving tips that can become misconceptions or are simply incorrect:

1) Pet adoption helps the local animal population: The reality is that pet adoption is a GREAT way to help the local animal population if the new pet owner has time to care for a four-legged friend.  Oftentimes, people adopt new pets without realizing how much time and energy it takes to care for an animal (especially a puppy and/ or a kitten that requires training).  Unwanted or older animals are sometimes returned to shelters or, even worse, abandoned outdoors.  Only adopt a pet if absolutely sure the pet will be cared for for years to come.

2) Plastic water bottles are a great option if the bottles are recycled afterwards:  Plastic water bottles are recyclable, which is a great way to reduce waste.  However, plastic water bottles are not the best option to drink water.  Reusable, durable, water bottles are the best as they can be re-filled and washed numerous times.

Three, Easy, Steps for Green Back to School Prep

Heading Back to School?  Remember The Following Eco-Friendly Tips:

Wow, summer really flew by!  It will soon be September.  For some students, it may be sad to admit that summer is ending and, soon, it will be time to begin heading back to the classroom.  

When preparing for the new school year, it is easy to practice some green and eco-friendly tips found in this blog.  Back to school shopping can be fun, but remember the three "Rs": a commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle.  Instead of wasting resources, and money, on new school supplies, take time this year to follow these three tips:

Reduce: Remember, green materials and supplies are out there!  This year, try to buy some school supplies made out of recyclable products.  Common supplies like pencils and pens, even notebooks, can have a recyclable counterpart.  To find these products, look out for a label that indicates the supplies are made from recycled materials. This is a great way to support recycling and greenliving.

Five Steps to Packing a Green Lunch

Sustainable Ways to Prepare for the 2017 - 2018 School Year

It is almost time to head back to school for the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.  This year, try to pack lunch in a  sustainable way to produce less waste and protect the environment.  

Five steps to packing a green lunch include:

1) Forgo brown bags: The classic brown bag may seem like a school lunch staple, but this year, instead try a durable, reusable lunch bag.  Purchasing a reusable lunch bag will not only save money, but also will reduce waste, as brown bags cannot be recycled or typically reused.  

2) Remove plastic bags: Plastic sandwich bags are often used to pack lunch.  However, plastic bags cannot be recycled and, once thrown away, take years to decompose.  This year, try to use reusable plastic containers to pack sandwiches, snacks, and more.  Plastic containers can be washed after each use and reused again.

Five Garbage Samples Found in Parks (And How Long They Take to Decompose)

Litter Can Lead to Severe Repercussions 

As discussed in a previous GreenLiving blog post, littering is an opponent of a green lifestyle.  Litter can harm or injure plants and animals and destroy animal habitats.  But how long does litter last when improperly disposed at the beach or in the local park?  

Below are five examples of common pieces litter found outdoors and the amount of time it takes these items to fully decompose:

1) Aluminum cans: Aluminum cans take up to 200 years to fully decompose when left outside.  Cans, and other aluminum products, are often recyclable materials and can be re-purposed and reused.  

2) Batteries: Batteries take up to 100 years to decompose if improperly disposed.  Though some batteries cannot be recycled, others can- remember to always do research to learn how to best dispose of batteries.

Five, Simple, Ways To Reuse Plastic Bags

This Resource Can Be Used for Many Different Projects

Grocery shopping?  Going on a lunch break?  Packing for a vacation?  It may be a habit to reach for and/ or use a plastic bag.

Unfortunately, if thrown away or disposed of improperly, plastic bags can easily become tangles in plants, trees, and other forms of vegetation, waterways, and animal habitats.  Typically, sturdy, re-usable bags are the best for the environment.

Instead of simply throwing away plastic bags after a shopping trip, which can cause lasting and severely damaging effects on the environment, below are five ways to re-use plastic bags in everyday life.  Even though plastic bags cannot be traditionally recycled, these are great methods to reuse a resource and promote a green life:

1. Suitcase or box buffer: For those packing boxes or storing items in closets or storage bins, always use and layer plastic bags to act as a buffer for delicate items.
2. Plant protector: Cover outdoor potted plants during the evening or storms with old grocery store bags to protect from rain, wind, and other elements.  

Three Ways to Recycle Crayons

Crafts and Projects the Whole Family Will Enjoy

Love living a green life but struggling to encourage friends and/ or family members to do the same?  Try to find greenliving crafts, events, and activities that everyone will enjoy!

Many items that cannot be traditionally recycled can be "upcycled", a term that means reused, through fun, creative, DIY crafts and projects.  Family members of any age can find DIY projects that reuse household items and, simultaneously, promote a green lifestyle.

Have a bunch of old crayons lying around the house?  Learn about three craft ideas that can turn old crayons into creative, new ideas:

Three Steps for Summer Plant Care

Simple Plant Care Tips for This Season

Indoor and outdoor plants can be a staple in many homes.  Plants can serve as creative decor and also promote a green lifestyle.  

What are some tips to best caring for plants during the summertime?  Some plants need extra care during warmer months to flourish under humid temperatures and hot, direct sunlight.  Plant leaves or plant stem turning brown?  This is known as "leaf scorch" and can easily happen during warmer months.   If indoor or outdoor plants begin to display dried out, brown leaves, the plant may have had too much exposure to direct sunlight this summer.  Learn three tips and remedies here:

Submerge in water: Plants that are drying up and displaying brown leaves need to be soaked in water.  Fill a basin or bucket with cool water and totally submerge the plant's soil in water.  Leave the plant in the water for about thirty minutes, and then remove and place somewhere to drain.

Five Ways to Reuse Tea Bags

A Green Way to Make the Most of All Resources

Few things can be more refreshing than a large glass of iced tea on a hot summer day.  But what can be done with the tea bags after?  Instead of throwing away tea bags, they can actually be re-purposed for a variety of DIY personal and household crafts, projects, and uses.

What are some ways to re-purpose used tea bags?  Learn a few methods here:

1) Plants: Keep indoor plants?  Tea improves soil quality that will help plant growth.  Break open a few used tea bags and sprinkle the tea into the soil of the plant and/ or plants.  

2) Sunburns: Outside a lot this summer?  Ease the pain of small sun burns by applying cooled tea bags to the burned skin.  Tea bags will help take away the sting and irritation of the burn.

3) Hair and skin: Tea has many natural, positive advantages for the body.  Sprinkle some tea into baths for smooth skin.  Tea added to shampoo and conditioner will improve hair growth.  Green tea is particularly helpful to temporarily relieve skin irritants like bug bites.  

4) DIY odor eliminator: Tea is a natural odor eliminator.  Dry out old tea bags and leave them around the house to neutralize any odors.  Sprinkle tea into rugs or carpets to help remove any dirt or grime.  Tea sprinkled into litter boxes eliminate odors as well.

5) Around the house: Tea bags can help remove caked on grease on pots and pans.  In addition, tea bags can help polish wood.  Tea can also be sprinkled into compost bins.

Do you have other uses for tea bags?  Comment below to let us know!

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 about Grady Management on our website or Facebook page.

Three Eco-Friendly Tips for the Fourth of July

Fireworks, Food, Fun, and a Green Lifestyle

Today is the Fourth of July!  While some may be enjoying time with friends and family indoors, others are planning to spend some time outside: grilling, watching fireworks, and/ or enjoying local celebrations.

Even though it is a holiday, it doesn't mean it is okay to take a day off from a green lifestyle.  Remember these following tips during the day's festivities:  

1. "Pack out and pack in" supplies: Grilling or having a cookout for Independence Day?  Remember the "pack in and pack out" strategy for all outdoor meals.  Anything taken outside for meals- utensils, Tupperware containers, plates and/ or plastic cups, etc. - need to packed up and taken back inside after the meal.  Remember that forgotten supplies, such as napkins, can accidentally be left behind and damage animal habitats or pollute waterways.  Try to remember everything brought outside so it can be packed up and removed from outdoors at the end of the day.

DIY: Three Ways to Create Green Bug Spray

Instructions for Homemade Insect Repellent

It's summertime and it's easy to spend a lot of time outside: by the grill, park, or pool.  With all of this time outside, it is common to attract attention from some unwanted visitors: bugs.  Mosquitoes and bees are also out, and numerous, during the summer.  In order to avoid bug bites, try making some homemade bug spray.  Unlike traditional insect repellent, homemade bug spray can be made with few or no harmful chemicals.  Making homemade bug spray can help protect the environment.

Five Eco-Friendly Ideas for a Great Summer Picnic

Remember These Green Tips When Planning a Summer Picnic

For many, the summer is a season to spend time outside: at the pool, beach, and/ or local park.  Read the following five tips to learn more about how to enjoy a picnic this summer while practicing a green lifestyle:

1) Prepare food from the farmer's market: Shop at local farmer's markets to get supplies for the picnic.  This will ensure that the produce and food items brought on the picnic are organic and/ or prepared in a local, chemical-free, environment.  

2) Pack reusable materials: Instead of packing paper plates and plastic cutlery, pack reusable plates, silverware, and cups.  This will reduce waste.  After the picnic, just pack up all the reusable materials to wash once home.

3) Enjoy the picnic locally: Save gas, and protect the environment, by choosing a local park or nearby location to enjoy a summer picnic.  

Five Everyday Green Reminders

Easy Way to Make Green Lifestyle Changes

Recycling?  Check!  Composting?  Check?  Reducing waste?  Check!  

There are many ways to live a green lifestyle and practice GreenLiving methods.  Struggling to think of how to begin living a greener life?  Below are five, everyday, green reminders that everyone can practice:

1) Turn off the tap: An easy way to live a green life is to turn off taps to prevent running or dripping water.  When brushing teeth, washing up, or preparing food, always remember to turn off the tap to conserve water.

2) Sort and separate: Recycling and waste can sometimes co-mingle and cause recycling contamination. Easily prevent this during the day by throwing away trash in appropriately marked containers.  If applicable, place food waste in a compost bin.

3) Reduce litter: Litter often damages local plant and animal life.  Throughout the day, aim to throw away and/ or dispose of one piece of litter.  

Three Ways To Protect Bees and Other Pollinators

Take Several Green Steps to Help the Honeybees

The amount of honeybees is steadily declining.  Though honeybees can often be unpleasant during spring and summer outdoor activities, especially for those who are allergic to bee stings, bees are very important to the environment.

Bees are a type of pollinator; they are needed to fertilize plants that, because of this process, will eventually grow and produce food.

What are easy ways to help honeybees?  Learn three tips here:

1) Forego pesticides in the garden: For gardeners or people who keep a few plants and/ or flowers outside, one way to protect the honeybee population is to stop using pesticides and chemicals when caring for plant-life.  Pesticides harm and kill honeybees.  Instead, try a natural pesticide, such as a mixture of water and salt or a garlic-onion mixture.  Spraying these natural mixtures on plants will help to repel insects but will not harm them.

Respecting the Beach: Five Green, Summertime, Tips

Going to the beach this summer?  Remember to practice several GreenLiving habits:

Planning a beach vacation this summer?  The beach is a natural resource and also an ecosystem- plant and animal life live at the beach all year and can experience negative repercussions when people visit for the summer and litter, improperly dispose of waste, or disrespect the vegetation.

Follow the following, five, GreenLiving tips to help protect this natural resource:  

1) Pack appropriately: Spending the day on the beach?  Remember to pack light: bring sunscreen, towels, water, etc. but try to avoid bringing too many surplus items, toys, or unnecessary clutter.  This is an easy way to reduce the amount of potential or accidental litter (such as food wrappers, empty bottles, etc).

2) Don't bring unnecessary items: Leave bulk items at home when traveling to the beach.  Aim to fit everything into a small bag, so items can be secured.  This will help limit the amount of trash and waste that can, accidentally, blow away and land in the ocean or become entangled in plant-life. 

Three, Simple, Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Struggle With Food Waste?  There are Easy Ways to Manage Excess Waste.

Food waste, also known as food loss, is a form of waste that stems from people throwing away food that is spoiled or simply leftover from meals or from excess produce purchases.  Food waste is easily preventable, below are three tips that can help reduce food waste:

1) Get organized and make a list.  Before shopping for food and/ or produce, always try to plan out weekly meals to determine exactly what ingredients are needed.  In addition, it is a good idea to try to make frequent shopping trips to avoid buying excess food.

Five Do's and Don'ts about Recycling Contamination

Recycling a Smarter Way to Live a Greener Life

What is recycling contamination?

Recycling contamination occurs when objects and/ or materials that should not be recycled intermingle with recyclable goods during the recycling process.  Often, this can cause bins of recyclable products to be thrown away as garbage to avoid more contamination.

Why is recycling contamination a problem?

Not every plastic, paper, or glass product can be recycled.  Mixing recyclable and non-recyclable materials can impede and even stop the recycling process and cause even more waste.  

What are ways to avoid recycling contamination?

Five "do's and don'ts" for recycling contamination are:

1) Break down and separate all recyclables: Break-down and fold all boxes and separate paper, cardboard, glass, and plastic materials to make sure that all products are recyclable. 

2) Empty out glasses and containers: Leftover food residue is a major cause of recycling contamination.  Before recycling, make sure that any leftover food or debris is removed and disposed of properly.

Want to Bike To Work? Four Reasons to Participate in Bike To Work Day #BTWD

Numerous Environmental and Health Benefits Result from Biking 

What is Bike To Work Day?

Sponsored by Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, this annual event encourages commuters to bike to and from work to celebrate the many benefits of bicycling.  Participants register for the event online to receive an event route and map.  During the event, participants are encouraged to stop by several community pit stops for refreshments and raffles to win prizes such as a new bike.  This year, the event will take place on May 19.

Local, Green Event: Five Reasons to Attend the Montgomery County GreenFest

Bike Repairs, Green DIY, and Home Compost are all Topics of This Local Event

The Montgomery County GreenFest will be held this Saturday, May 6, at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  The event will include live music, interactive displays, food trucks, local art, and more!

Five reasons to attend the Montgomery County GreenFest include:

1) Compost demonstration: A great way to go "green" is to compost food scraps in order to reduce food waste.  The GreenFest will have an interactive compost demonstration that will detail how to create and fill a compost bin.

2) Green films: The GreenFest event will feature several short films on the topics of GreenLiving and local sustainability.

3) News from a "Green Team": A local "Green Team" will discuss how to begin greenliving community engagement to encourage neighbors, or even an entire neighborhood, to get involved in green tasks and initiatives.

Three Ways to Collect Strawberry Seeds

Using and Re-using Every Resource

Want to reduce food waste? Easily plant the seeds from ripe, fresh, fruits and vegetables to make the most of produce.  Follow these three methods to collect and plant the seeds from strawberries:  

1) Scrape the seeds:  Use a knife, fork, or spoon to, carefully, scrape the seeds from the outside of the strawberry and place the seeds aside.

Five Easy Ways To Create Crafts from Recycled Materials

Reuse and "Upcycle" These Common, Household Materials

Using tape, glue, scissors, and a few other craft supplies, you can easily turn the following materials into decor, art projects, and other items, such as... 

1) Books and Magazines:  Turn book and/ or magazine pages into wall decor, gift tags, magnets, and/ or even jewelry.  Use the bindings of books and magazines, or stack the books on top of one another, to create shelves, jewelry boxes, shadow boxes, and other small containers.

GreenLiving Battery Report: Six Types of Batteries

Examine If These Six Categories of Batteries Can be Recycled

1) 9 Volt Batteries: These common, household, batteries can be thrown in the trash, (in most states) but always cover the posts with non-conductive tape before disposal.  This practice will reduce the chance of a fire.

Suprise! You Can Recycle These Three Resources

The Next Step of Recycling...

Recycling is not just about placing plastic, paper, and glass in a green bin once a week. Many household products can be "recycled" and re-purposed, including:

1) Tech equipment: Certain organizations will accept donations of computers, printers, mice, and other, similar, pieces of equipment.  These donations will be cleaned and refurbished, and then given to people or families in need.  Companies that make the computers, such as Dell or Apple, will often take back computers as well if the equipment is simply old and needs to be disposed of properly.

2) Eyeglasses: Have any old pairs of eye glasses that are still in good condition?  Donating eye glasses is a great way to recycle something that normally would just sit in a dresser drawer.  Donation boxes can be found in eye glass stores and other locations, such as public libraries.  Lions Club International encourages people to mail in eye glass donations.

3) Cellphones: Purchasing a new cell phone?  Recycle older cell phones- they will go to people and/ or families in need.  Many cell phone providers will accept donations.

This post was featured in Grady's GreenLiving Tips in April 2016.  Read the original, "Everything You Can Recycle," here.

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 about Grady Management on our website or Facebook page.

A Recipe that Reduces Food Waste

A Smoothie Recipe for A GreenLiving Lifestyle

Want to reduce food waste?  Combating food waste is a great way to promote GreenLiving.  Ways to reduce food waste includes re-organizing the refrigerator and/ or creating lists when shopping at the grocery store.  Another is finding creative ways to utilize leftover food so very little to no food needs to be thrown away and wasted.

This season, try to utilize some leftover fruit to make a delicious smoothies.  Fruits that are a few days past their prime ripeness are still the perfect ingredients for smoothies.  Below is a springtime recipe to try:

Share a favorite smoothie recipe below!

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

Five Facts About Litter

Want to Prevent Littering?  Learn These Facts...

Five Simple, Green, Household Changes

Easily Make These Changes to Live a Green(er) Life

Three Maryland Hiking Destinations for the Spring Season

A Green Activity for Next Season

Source: National Park Service at https://www.nps.gov/.  Visit the official website to learn more about hiking these trails, rules/ restrictions, safety guidelines, and more.

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

Olive Oil in the Winter: Three DIY Tips

Olive Oil as a Natural Moisturizer

Last year, Grady's GreenLiving Tips focused on the cleaning power of three common, natural household products: baking soda, lemon, and vinegar.  This week, learn about some natural, DIY ways to take care of the mind, body, and home using only one product: olive oil.  Olive oil is also commonly found in the home and has numerous moisturizing and cleaning qualities.  Several ways to use olive oil include:

1) Applying to hair and skin: Olive oil can be very useful in cold or windy weather because it restores a lot of natural moisture.  Try using olive oil as a pre-shampoo treatment for hair, in the bathtub, or even on cuticles to make the skin softer.

Five Useful GreenLiving Apps

Phone Apps Perfect for an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

Read the original article, "5 Apps to Help You Live a More Sustainable Life," posted on www.huffingtonpost.com.

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

Five Green Ways to Participate in Random Acts of Kindness Week

GreenLiving Aspects to #RAKWeek2017

 Random Acts of Kindness Week, a holiday dedicated to people giving back in their local community, began this past Sunday and continues until Sunday, February 19.  The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation encourages people to participate in Random Acts of Kindness Week, known as RAK Week, at home, in the workplace, and through hobbies and activities.  What are some ways to participate in RAK Week that simultaneously promotes a green and eco-friendly lifestyle?  Some tips are included below:

Take out a neighbor's recycling: Want to promote GreenLiving while being kind?  Volunteer to recycle for a neighbor or even a nearby friend.  Share green tips: help sort through the recycling to determine if everything can be recycled (remember, products like Styrofoam and contaminated paper products cannot be recycled).

Eat green this week: Help the environment and also help a local business.  "Eat green" by buying food from a local farmers market or a small, local business.  Not only is this often better for the environment, but it helps the local community.