Five Do's and Don'ts When Recycling, or Regifting, Gifts

Get Ready for White Elephant Parties This Season

During the holiday season, it is commonplace to receive some excess and some, frankly, unique gifts.  Trying to decide what to do with some gifts that are not necessarily useful?  Try regifting these presents, a way to recycle presents and give them to someone else.

What is regifting?

Essentially, regifting is the process of giving a received gift to someone else.  This is also occasionally called "recycling a gift."

In America, an unofficial holiday "National Regifting Day," takes place the week prior to the Christmas holiday.

What about etiquette?  Is it polite or appropriate to regift?

Ultimately, this is up to personal preferences.  Some individuals may feel uncomfortable regifting or recycling gifts received during the holiday season.  Others may feel this is a great way to give more gifts during the holiday season.

What are some regifting do's and don'ts?

Below, the Grady's GreenLiving Tips team compiled a few tips to help with gift recycling and regifting:

1. The gift should always remain in the original packaging.  No one wants to receive a pre-used gift, even if it is an appliance or kitchen item only used once.  If regifting this season, ensure that the original packaging is intact and in good condition.

Three Green Truths About Balloons

Think Before Letting Balloons Go

After holiday celebrations, birthdays, or other special events, hosts and attendees may be left with a multitude of balloons.  While some may take the balloons home, others may think it is a good idea to let balloons "go" to float upwards into the sky.

While this may seem like a nostalgic and harmless pastime, letting balloons float upwards can have devastating consequences for the environment.  Below, Grady's GreenLiving Tips details three of these negative environmental impacts:

Animals Can Get Sick or Hurt From Balloons 

After balloons float upwards, the balloons eventually sink downwards and land in a different place.  Once this happens, birds, fish, and other animals can mistake the deflated balloons as food.  This can, obviously, cause serious detriments for the impacted animal.  Animals can choke on the balloon.  In addition, balloon strings can entangle birds, turtles, and other animals which can limit or totally hinder their movement and ability to survive. 

Balloons Will Become Litter

Balloons that sink back to Earth will land on the ground: in plants, on top of shrubbery, in trees, or in waterways.  This is essentially litter, as a discarded and foreign piece of trash is now in an open space.  Not only can this kill the plants and shrubs, but it can also impact power lines and damage other man made structures.

Resources Will Be Wasted

Letting go balloons only for the whim of watching them float into the sky will waste helium, the gas that makes balloons float.  Again, this may seem harmless, but helium is a precious resource.  When blowing up balloons before parties and events, ensure you are not filling more balloons that needed in order to reduce waste.

Even when not letting balloons float into the sky, remember to remove the string from balloons before disposing of them in the garbage to try to curb potential negative impacts on birds, fish, and other animals.

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.

Celebrate America Recycles Day This Thursday (November 15)

#BeRecycled for a Green End to the 2018 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.  

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

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.

Fall Craft: Simple Steps to Create an Apple Stamp

Farm Spotlight: Summers Farm in Frederick, Maryland

Five Fun Activities at Summers Farm

One way to live a green life is to appreciate local, natural beauty.  What better way to accomplish that goal this season than to visit a farm?  Perfect destinations for the fall, many farms feature animals, produce, foliage, and more.

For this farm spotlight, the Grady's GreenLiving Tips team features Summers Farm in Frederick, Maryland.  Only 15 minutes from Downtown Frederick, several of the great features of Summers Farm include:

1) Pumpkin Patch: The Summers Farm team operates a wagon ride to their pumpkin patch when the farm is open to the public.  The pumpkin patch contains pumpkins of all shapes and sizes along with gourds and squash.  Those who pick pumpkins pay by the pound to take the produce home. 

2) Corn Maze: A staple of Summers farm is the 12 acre corn maze.  The theme of the maze this year is the Washington Nationals baseball team.  The maze contains two trails: one designed to be a leisurely walk and the other with many dead ends and roadblocks throughout. 

3) Farm Animals and Goat Walk: When the farm is open to the public, the Summers Farm team showcases the many animals that live there.  One feature is the "Goat Walk", an interactive exhibit in which visitors can pay for goat food and use a pulley system to deliver the food to the goats on the above ground platforms they walk during the day.  Cows, pigs, and chickens also live on the farm. 

Three Steps to Make a Recycled Fall Ghost

Five Green Ideas for Old Books

Transform Books Into Decor, Art, Projects, and More

With the fall season beginning in just a few days, it is time to plan for seasonal activities and events!  Trips to pumpkin patches and haunted houses are always fun, but some days, it is just as enticing to curl up at home with a good book.  

For voracious readers, with stacks of novels at home, it may be a good time to comb through bookshelves and decide if any books are no longer needed.  Instead of throwing unused and unwanted books away, books can be "upcycled" and/ or re-purposed in creative, and green, ways.  Learn some methods for "recycling" books here:

1. Donate books to a new home: A great way to "recycle" old books is to donate them!  Many organizations, like non profit organizations/ charities, accept gently used books.  In addition, local libraries often accept book donations.  In the Montgomery County Public Library system, many branches accept book donations.  Learn more about MCPL here. 

2. Identify academic texts and old school books: Academic books like old course books can also be donated or even sold.  Sometimes, universities will buy back old academic texts.  In addition, local school systems will sometimes accept donations of gently used textbooks and academic texts.

3. Start a book swap with friends: While this method will not help in an effort to get rid of excess books, this is a great way to connect with friends both near and far and experience new novels and texts.  Contact friends, coworkers, and acquaintances to form a book swap, and send books to each member on a monthly (or routine) basis.  

Car Free Day 2018: Reminders About This Green Holiday

Car Free Day is September 21 and September 22 This Year

Celebrating green holidays is a great way to promote a green and eco-friendly life.  One upcoming green holiday is Car Free Day that will be celebrated on Friday, September 21 and Saturday, September 22 this year.  Car Free Day, sponsored by Commuter Connections, encourages participants to find alternatives for the car in order to commute to work.

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

1) Bike: 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.

Five Green Truths About Pet Adoption

What to Know Before Adopting a Cat or Dog

Thinking about pet adoption?  Adopting a dog, cat, or other pet is a great way to live a green life.  Many pets need a new home with loving owners, and adopting an animal is a fantastic, and green, alternative to buying a pet from a pet store.

Pet adoption is a big undertaking, and it is important to understand all involved before beginning the adoption process.  It would be a sad day for both owner and pet if the adopted dog or cat is returned to the shelter.  That being said, before pet adoption, be sure to consider the following GreenLiving truths:

1) What type of pet is best for you?  Before adopting a pet, it is necessary to first determine what pet to adopt.  Cats and dogs can have different personalities and can fit into different lifestyles.  Dogs need to be walked and groomed more frequently than cats.  Cats can be more self sufficient, as they groom themselves and can use a litter box. 

2) Are there already other pets at home?  Another element to think about before pet adoption is if the pet will be brought into a home with other animals.  Some pets get along great with other animals.  Others prefer to be the only animal in the home.  It is necessary to determine the personality of all animals involved before pet adoption.

Three Environmentally Friendly Ways to Reduce Insect Bites

During the remaining weeks of summer, many people are planning trips and excursions while the weather is still warm.  After spending time outdoors, remember to check for lingering insects and insect bites.  It is important to be precautions of bites because while some insects, such as ticks, can spread disease. 

Insect repellent is a proven method to reduce the amount of bug and insect bites.  In addition to repellent, the following three methods are eco-friendly ways to limit painful and harmful insect bites:

1) Remember clothing options: When spending time outside in the woods for a camping trip, it is important to pack and wear long pants and shirts.  Though it is summertime, it is hard to receive ticks and other insect bites when wearing layers of clothes that protect the skin.  After these trips, it is important to wash any clothes worn because insects may be hiding on the fabric.

2) Consider the path: Walking through tall grass and overgrown shrubbery is an easy way to receive insect bites.  Stick to established trails and pathways when hiking or walking outside.

3) Inspect four-legged friends: Pets also can receive insect bites when outside with their human parents!  It is necessary to check dogs after camping trips to ensure animals are not bringing ticks and other insects inside the home.

After camping trips, remember to check the skin for any insect bites because not all bites may hurt.  Bites that are severe require medical attention and should be inspected by a medical professional.

These tips were found on the page "Stop Ticks to Avoid Lyme and Other Tickborne Diseases" on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov.  Read the original page here.

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 Recipe to Reduce Food Waste: Summer 2018 Edition

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 include 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 perfect recipe to try during a warm, summer day:

Share a favorite smoothie recipe below!

This post was originally published on Grady's GreenLiving Tips on March 28, 2017.  Read the original post, "A Recipe to Reduce Food Waste," here.

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.

Three Tips Regarding Disposable and One Use Plastics

How to Limit Plastic Waste and Pollution

Think about the amount of plastic used every day.  Grabbing a coffee in the morning and using a straw to stir in cream and sugar.  Enjoying an ice cold water after a work out by using a disposable plastic cup.  Grocery shopping and using the plastic grocery bags to carry purchases home.  Many people use at least one plastic item every day.  But, even though many plastics can be recycled, oftentimes plastic products are disposed of improperly and can create devastating repercussions in the environment.  Plastic bags and straws can harm fish and other animals and destroy marine ecosystems.

It is easy to limit, and even eliminate, the need to use so many one use plastic products.  Learn how in the latest GreenLiving tips blog:

It is first important to identify the type of plastics that can be easily limited during daily routines.  One use plastics are plastic products that are designed to be disposed of after only one use.  A common example is a drinking straw, that are at times automatically placed in drinks and often are found in garbage cans after.  Limiting the amount of one use plastics can help preserve the environment.

Easily limit the amount of straws used by simply drinking beverages without straws.  If in a restaurant or cafe, return the straw unused in its unopened packaging.  Starbucks recently announced that by 2020, the coffee chain will no longer provide straws to customers in their stores.  Other chains have invested in metal straws that can be washed and reused again.

Five DIY Home Remedies for Summer Insect Bites

Summer 2018 is here!  Spending a lot of time swimming in the community pool, attending barbecues, and enjoying the outdoors?  If so, it is easy to experience an unpleasant aspect of the summer season: bugs.  There is often an uptick in the amount of bug bites people receive in the summer.  

Trying to avoid excess chemicals this summer in an attempt to live a greener life?  If so, instead of purchasing ointment or medicine from a store, try to use these eco friendly bug bite remedies.  These supplies are natural and are commonly found in pantries and cabinets at home:

1) Oatmeal: Oatmeal is often used to soothe the skin.  Oatmeal is an anti irritant and is very healthy for the skin.  For relief with one or two bug bites, mix oatmeal with some cold water until the mixture has the consistency of paste and apply the mixture to the bite with a washcloth.  For numerous bites, try mixing oatmeal in with a bath.  It is important to note that it is better to use cold water because cold temperatures reduce inflammation.  

2) Ice: As stated above, cold temperatures help to reduce inflammation.  For itch relief from mosquito bites, use an ice pack and apply on the skin for several minutes.  For a longer application, wrap ice cubes in a cloth or paper towel.

3) Aloe: Not just for sunburns, aloe is great for the skin.  Apply directly to bug bites for itch relief.  Aloe also can help small cuts and abrasions heal.

Three Important Facts About National Pollinators Week

National Pollinators Week is Coming June 18 - June 24

What is National Pollinators Week?

National Pollinators Week celebrates the insects and animals that help pollinate plants that, in turn, allow fruits, seeds, and flowers to grow.  This week long celebration will take place from June 18 - June 24, 2018.

What is pollination and why is this process important?

Pollination is the process in which pollen moves from one flower to another.  The pollen fertilizes the flower which is a necessary component in the creation of fruits and seeds.  Occasionally, this pollen is transferred from plant to plant due to wind and other environmental factors.  According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website, "over 75% of all flowering plants are pollinated by animals."  Butterflies, bats, birds, and other creatures transfer pollen from flower to flower unintentionally because the pollen sticks to their bodies. Bees, however, intentionally gather and deposit pollen.

What are ways to celebrate National Pollinators Week?

Access resources such as Podcasts and Webcasts, activity guides, and more, on the "Pollinators" page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.

This information was found on the "Pollinators" page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.  Visit the page here: https://www.fws.gov/pollinators/.

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.

Plastic and the Ocean: A Summertime GreenLiving Blog

This Type of Debris is Typically Found in the Ocean

Summer 2018 begins in only a few weeks!  Trying to visit the beach this summer?  Remember, the beach is an ecosystem that is home to numerous plants and animals.  Unfortunately, the beach and ocean can become littered with rubbish and debris that people leave behind on vacation.  

What type of debris is often most often recovered from the ocean?

Plastic materials are most often recovered from the ocean.  The plastic materials found in the ocean most often include: plastic cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic bottles, and straws.  

Three Ways Bicycling Reduces Pollution

Green Reasons to Participate in Upcoming Bike to Work Day #BTWD

Bike to Work Day is taking place this Friday, May 18.  This annual event promotes biking as an efficient and reliable way to get around.  People are encouraged to forego the car, train, or bus for one day and ride a bike to and from work.

Biking is an easy way to practice greenliving.  In fact, riding the bike does not produce any pollution or harmful emissions cars produce that can damage the environment.  Consider these green benefits to biking:

1) Biking does not utilize gas or fuel: This may seem like common sense, but one benefit of bicycling is that it is a method of transportation that does not require fuel.  Gas can leak and contaminate waterways and foliage which can harm the flowers, plants, and wildlife living in their natural habitat.  Cutting out a need to re-fuel can help save local eco-systems.

2) Driving cars and trucks can cause air pollution: Cars, trucks, and similar automobiles cause "transportation emissions."  These emissions can contribute to Greenhouse Gasses and the Green House effect, which warms the planet over a period of time.  Biking, however, does not contribute to transportation emissions.

3) Riding bicycles also reduces noise pollution: Traffic noise is a big contributor to noise pollution: loud noises that impacts cities and surrounding areas.  While it may not seem like it, noise pollution can negatively impact animal life by disrupting animal habitats.  Bike riding is much quieter than driving and, therefore, reduces harmful noise pollution.

Learn how you can participate in Bike to Work Day online.

Many of these facts are presented on the website Bay Area Bike to Work Day on the "Environmental Benefits" page.  Read the article here: https://youcanbikethere.com/.

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 Guide to GreenFest 2018

This Eco-Friendly Event Returns for the Fourth, Consecutive, Year

The annual Montgomery County GreenFest will be held this Saturday, May 5, at Jesup Blair Local Park in Silver Spring, Maryland.  The festival is family friendly and will include live music, interactive displays, food trucks, performances, and more!

Several of the events that will be featured during the 2018 GreenFest include:

The Repair Cafe: An event that will take place during the duration of GreenFest will allow attendees to bring items that need to be repaired.  The volunteers at the Repair cafe will attempt to fix items such as clocks, watches, jewelry, bikes, small appliances, and more.  This event is hosted by the Silver Spring Timebank.

Uprooted Dance Performances: Three Uprooted performances will take place during GreenFest.  The performers will combine rehearsed choreography, music, art, and research in the premiere of the original show "The Legacy Project."  Learn more about Uprooted Dance online. 

Kids Tree Climbing and Stream Maze: A fun obstacle course that will allow attendees a chance to climb trees and experience nature first hand.

How to Care for Plants With Leaf Scorch

Three Easy Steps to Care for Damaged Plants

With the weather getting warmer and the sun out for longer each day, it is now more important to make sure indoor and outdoor plants are getting the correct amount of sunlight.  Light exposure is a key component to plant health.  While sunlight helps plants grow, too much sun can be harmful for flowers and plants.  In particular, an over exposure to sunlight can cause leaf scorch.  Learn more about leaf scorch here:

What is leaf scorch?

Leaf scorch, also called sun scorch, is when plants and flowers receive too much sunlight or exposure to dry, rough temperatures and/ or climates.  In these situations, water evaporates more rapidly from plant leafs than usual, which causes the plant to become extremely dry.  Leaf scorch can happen during any time of the year, but occurs most often in the summer time.

How is it possible to diagnose leaf scorch in plants?

If plants are displaying leafs that are yellowing or browning, that is a common sign of leaf scorch.  If leaf scorch is severe, leafs can curl or even break and detach from the plant.  

What are strategies to treat leaf scorch?

There are several ways to treat leaf scorch:

1) Preventative measures: Leaf scorch occurs when the plant the leafs are attached to is extremely dry.  Make sure to water plants regularly during prolonged periods of warm and dry weather to take a preemptive strike against leaf scorch.  

2) Soak plants: If leaf scorch occurs, it is important to hydrate the plant roots, so the water will eventually be absorbed by the plant leafs.  An easy way to do this is to submerge the plant for a few seconds in a container of water and then to replant with fresh mulch or soil in a new pot.  This will ensure the plant receives as much moisture as it needs.

3) Trim the damaged leafs: It can help plants affected by leaf scorch heal when the damaged leafs are trimmed.  Start by trimming a few of the especially damaged leafs and wait a few days to see if the plant has healed before trimming more.

Many of these facts and strategies were found in the following articles:

"Scorch, Sunburn, and Heat Stress" posted on the Missouri Botanical Gardens website: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/.  Read the original article online.

"Leaf Scorch" posted on The Morton Arboretum website: http://www.mortonarb.org/.  Read the original article online.

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.

Admire the Butterflies: Local Green Events

Learn about Butterflies and Their Importance in the Environment 

One important aspect of living a green life is attending and appreciating local eco-friendly and greenliving events.  

Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland is hosting their annual "Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly and Caterpillar Exhibit", beginning this month, on April 18, in the Gardens' South Conservatory Building.  Wings of Fancy is an exhibit that focuses on butterflies and describes the impact these insects have on the environment.  The exhibit ends in September.

A center-piece of the exhibit is that attendees can watch hundreds of butterflies flying around the Conservatory.  In addition to the exhibit, people of all ages can enjoy several related butterfly events during Wings of Fancy:

Wings of Fancy Butterfly Birthday Party: Host a birthday party at Brookside Gardens during the Wings of Fancy exhibit.

Garden after Dark: Wings and Wine: Enjoy an evening of refreshments with an opportunity to learn about butterflies.  This event will take place on Wednesday, May 9.

Pollinator Party and Garden Camp: Learn more about pollinators and plants during this event.  This event will take place from Monday, June 18 through Friday, June 22.

Focus on Butterflies: Perfect for photographers, register in advance for "Focus on Butterflies" for a chance to take pictures of the exhibit before it officially opens to the public on Saturdays and Sundays.  Register online for this program.

Register for these events and learn more about Wings of Fancy on the Montgomery Parks website.

This information was found on the page "Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly & Caterpillar Exhibit" on the Montgomery Parks website: www.montgomeryparks.org.  Learn more by visiting the page online.

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 GreenLiving Ideas for The Office

Easy Eco-Friendly Tips for an Office Space

Grady's GreenLiving Tips often focuses on ways people and their family members and friends can practice eco-friendly tips and advice inside the home.  For example, green ways to clean kitchen counters or ways to reduce food waste at birthday parties or large family gatherings.  This week, learn five greenliving tips that can benefit an office space:

1) Recycle when possible: Recycling is an easy way to live a green life.  Remember to practice recycling even in an office setting.  Instead of throwing away old papers and folders, these materials can easily be recycled.

2) Reduce the use of plastic cups:  Visiting the office water cooler several times a day?  Using multiple plastic or paper cups, or other one-use products like plastic cutlery, is wasteful and can eventually damage the environment.  Try to reuse the same cup throughout the day.  An even better option is to bring a water bottle or mug from home that can be washed and re-used every day.  

A Guide to Indoor Plants and Pets

Not All Plants and Flowers are Safe for Our Four-Legged Friends

It's almost springtime: plants, flowers, and foliage will begin to bloom.  Hoping to decorate and/ or purchase seasonal flowers and plants for the home this season?  While flowers can make a great decoration or centerpiece, pet owners should always remain vigilant before bringing foliage into the home.  Not all plants and flowers are safe for pets.  In fact, dogs and cats can become sick if they accidentally ingest or are even exposed to some foliage.

Below are just three of several plant and flower types pet owners should avoid.

1. Azaleas: Azaleas are pink flowers that bloom in the springtime.  These flowers are toxic for both dogs and cats and cause symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.  Learn more here.

2. Tulips: Tulips are brightly colored flowers that bloom in the springtime.  They are often yellow, red, and white.  Tulips are toxic to both dogs and cats.  The majority of the toxins dangerous to animals is located in the tulip bulb.  Learn more here.

3. Lilies: Lilies are a type of flower that can be found in many colors.  They are not toxic to dogs but can be toxic to cats, causing kidney failure.  Learn more here.

This information was found in the article "Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List" on the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website.  Learn more by reading the article on aspca.org.

Remember to contact the vet if plants and/ or flowers are accidentally consumed by pets.

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.

Olive Oil in the Winter: 2018 Edition

Olive Oil as a Natural Moisturizer

Last year, Grady's GreenLiving Tips posted about creative, DIY, ways to use olive oil.  This post was so popular, the Grady's GreenLiving Tips team wanted to share it again! 

Olive oil is 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.

How Meal Prep Can Become a Cornerstone of a Green Lifestyle

Meal Prep Reduces Food Waste

An easy way to live and promote a green lifestyle is by reducing food waste.  Food waste can occur due to several circumstances.  First, food waste can result from food not being stored correctly and, as a result, spoiling.  In addition, food waste can result from people over-buying food and/ or over-preparing food for events and having an excess that is thrown in the garbage.  Food waste is very easy avoid, however.

One solution to food waste is to meal prep in order to plan and schedule out meals for an entire week.  This will save resources and ensure all food is consumed and stored properly.  Three green tips for meal prep are:

1) Plan out recipes in advance: The first step of meal prep is to plan out recipes for the week (or any set amount of time).  This is a great way to reduce food waste because grocery shopping will become more organized and streamlined: no excess ingredients are needed for set recipes.  Try to set up recipes for all meals.  Create a grocery list, or try an app, to even further plan out grocery shopping.

2) Organize and pack all meals at one time: Once the food is bought, the next step is to prepare all recipes.  It is best to cook all food at the same time.  That way, the meals will all be ready at the beginning of the week and food will not spoil before being prepared.  Once the meals are cooked and completed, pack them into containers and store in the refrigerator or freezer to ensure the food remains fresh.  Remember, a big contributing factor to food waste is food going bad and being thrown away.  Storing all meals properly will reduce this kind of waste.  In addition, label all containers with the meal type and date packed to ensure all meals are eaten timely.

3) Remember to incorporate leftovers: Have a birthday dinner, holiday celebration or family gathering to attend?  Occasionally meal prep will not fit into the schedule.  Remember to always incorporate any leftovers from special events and gatherings, if applicable, into future meal prep options.

Have advice for meal prep?  Comment below to let us know.

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.

Seven Symbols Everyone Who Recycles Should Know

These Symbols Are Used to Organize Plastic Materials

Plastic containers often feature a recycling symbol on the back or bottom of the product with a number in the middle.  But what do these symbols mean?  Read this numeric guide to learn more.

If the container has the following number, it means:

#1- This plastic is the most common plastic found in recycling bins.  Typically, this plastic product is found in soda and water bottle and food containers.

#2- Known for not being transparent, this plastic is typically found in products such as household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, and detergent bottles.

#3- This plastic makes up pipes, food wrap and containers, and more.  This plastic is not recyclable.

#4- Found in shopping bags, food wrap and packaging, and fabric materials.  Oftentimes, these plastic materials are not accepted into recycling bins but these products can be recycled if taken to an appropriate recycling plant.

Three Ways to Be "Greener" in #Winter2018

Picture a typical morning routine in the wintertime: waking up and setting the thermostat to combat the cold, taking an extra-long hot shower, and, finally, stepping outside and cleaning the car to commute to work.  Sound familiar?  Remember, the winter is a great time to practice some GreenLiving tips and add eco-friendly practices into the regular routine.

Grady's GreenLiving Tips compiled a list of three, easy, strategies to be eco-friendly this winter season:

1. Beat the cold: In the cold weather, it can be very tempting to blast the heat once indoors.  It can also be tempting to take long shows or baths after walking outside or spending time outdoors.  While these are all options to "beat the cold," remember that these are not, necessarily, very eco-friendly.  Having the heat running constantly can be a waste of electricity or gas.  And taking baths or overtly long showers can waste water.  Save these resources and remember to take a greener approach this season.  Remember to set the thermostat a few degrees colder when leaving the home and/ or sleeping.  This is a practical, and easy, way to save electricity.  And try to keep showers the same length as usual.

New Blog: Apartment Resident #LifeHacks

Read Grady Management's New Blog

For the past several weeks, Grady Management, Inc. has been promoting our new blog project.  This new blog, Apartment Resident #LifeHacks, debuted this afternoon!  

This blog will be posted during the weeks when there is not a new post published on the Grady's GreenLiving Tips blog.  Read the new blog here: https://apartmentlifehacks.blogspot.com/

One easy way to continue to enjoy Grady's GreenLiving Tips blog is to subscribe to the blog via email on the blog homepage.  Beginning next week, this blog will be posted on an every-other week schedule.

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.