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.