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.