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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 shrubbe...

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...

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 th...

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 dra...

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 e...

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.   4) Respect the environment : When enjoying a picnic, remember to respect the loc...

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. 2) Leave the bees alone : During the summer, it c...

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...

Water is a precious resource- and finding new or creative ways to conserve water in your household is the corner stone to living an eco-friendly life!  Learn three water conservation tips here: 1.  Maintain You Dishwasher and Washing Machine Don’t run your washing machine or dishwasher if it is only half-full.  Similarly, try to do less laundry by wearing your clothes more before washing. While this might be different than you are used to, there is no hygienic reason to wash clothes after only one wear.  This process also means less wear and tear on your clothes. 2.  Time Your Showers Long, hot showers are great, but shortening yours by a minute or two can save a ton of water. Get in and out of the shower as quickly as possible and sleep in a bit later instead. Baths are even more of a water-waster; try to limit yours to a once-in-awhile treat (it will be all that more relaxing).  3.  Turn off The Tap Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. This...

This Summer: Experience Other Ways To Get Around In frequent past blog posts, the dangers of cars on the environment are touched upon when discussing greenliving.  Cars utilize gas, emit exhaust, and destroy the ozone layer and air. When the weather is nice this summer, explore some other means of transportation including: 1) Public transportation: Buses and trains are great ways to commute to work or head into a nearby city instead of using a car.  Similarly, utilizing a city Metro rail is a simple, convenient method of traveling long distances without wasting gas.  Several Grady managed communities are located very close to MARC trains or Metro stations, and many communities are located adjacent to bus stops, such as Dulles Center and Yorkshire Apartments . 2) Biking: Not only is biking a green way to get around, it is also a healthy one.  Biking is a fantastic form of exercise and a great replacement for a car to travel both short and long distances.   3350 ...

The Cleanest Beaches And How To Sustain These Resources This summer, many families and individuals enjoy traveling to the beach for vacation.  Do you know some of the top-ranked beaches determined by their beauty and cleanliness?  Below, Grady Management highlights some of the cleanest identified beaches by the U.S. News and World Report and subsequently discuss tips and strategies to protect these beaches: 1) Maui : Located in the Pacific Ocean, Maui is an island of the Hawaiian Island Chain.  The island as a whole is known for beauty and idyllic scenery, with lush valleys and waterfalls.  The many beaches on Maui even feature, in some cases, different toned sand. 2) Outer Banks : The Outer Banks, located off the coast of North Carolina and a small portion of Virginia, separate the Atlantic Ocean from the mainland of North Carolina.  In addition to the beautiful beaches that line the islands and peninsulas, The Outer Bank has a vibrant history as well: for exa...

Remember This During Your Beach Vacation Visiting the beach this summer?  The ocean is a precious resource and all natural resources deserve to be treated with respect. Below are several green tips for beach etiquette to remember this summer season: 1) Pack light for beach excursions : When going to the beach, some families or groups bring a huge meal, toys, games, and more.  Try to pack as light as possible when spending time at the beach so nothing is forgotten and subsequently left behind.  Food wrappers, napkins, and other small items can often be left behind and/ or blow away in the wind. 2) Collect garbage and deposit accordingly : At the beach, food waste, recyclables, and general garbage are literally steps away from the ocean.  Collecting all waste to dispose of properly later is a huge help for the local ecosystem. 3) Never dump trash or litter : Garbage dumped or left in the sand will undoubtedly wind up in the ocean in a short time.  Everyone at the ...