Archive for the ‘Green’ Category

Starting off the new year we all need to help keep our beautiful city of Philadelphia clean! The easiest way to start is by recycling your holiday gift materials and party supplies. Starting tomorrow, January 5th – 19th, 2013 many different areas throughout the city will be participating in proper Christmas tree/decorations recycle.  Please take a minute and find a great drop off location for you and yours! For more information on location and time: 2012 Holiday Recycling Program

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I know, I know… it’s about 87 degrees out.  But still, it’s never too early to make some home improvements to prep for the upcoming winter months.  Last winter was rather mild, but you never know what lies ahead for this year.  Here are a few tips via Philly.com to help prep your home:

• Check your furnace.  1 in 4 U.S. homes have an operating furnace that is more than 20 years old.  Many new furnaces on the market are 25-40% more efficient than older models.   The most efficient types of furnaces use “condensing technology” according to Energy Star.  Make sure you check the energy rating sticker.  The higher the rating, the better.  If you do have a newer furnace and you think it needs to be serviced, now is the time to do it as you will find long waits in the winter.
• Weatherwize. Leaky windows and doors are some the the biggest sources of heat loss.  Weather stripping is a great way to fix that and can save up to 10% on energy bills.
• Seal before insulating.  It’s important to make sure you use foams and sealants to close all penetration to outside before you insulate, otherwise you’ve wasted your time.  White/black plastic bags can be put into crakcs to prevent heat from escaping and moisture entering the attic.
• Chimneys and fireplaces. Check your chimney to be sure that the mortar between the bricks isn’t loose or missing anywhere.
• All around troubleshooting.  Trim tree limbs that hang over the house, check and clean the gutters.

Here is the full article from Al Heavens at Philly.com.  Good luck and enjoy the last week of summer!

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By Justin Bresson

The folks from grid – towards sustainability Philadelphia have a nice article about planting a small garden which can provide your family with lots of great ingredients for salads.  Mid to late August or early September is the time of year to begin harvesting, so grab your shovels!  Here is some of the advice from Char at grid:

There are only three keys to greens: fresh seeds, a little dirt and a little water. Leaf lettuce, in particular, has a very short root system, so shallow containers work just as well as larger ones. Birds love those tender leaves, so consider draping a loose netting over the pots to protect them from predators. Don’t worry too much about overcrowding, either. Plant seeds a scant quarter-inch deep, and leave an inch or so between seeds—once things start looking a little too tight, gently pluck out a few young plants, clean them and make a salad. This gives the remaining plants more room to move, and now you can simply harvest the outer leaves as needed. Be sure to plant a bunch of different varieties (Red Sails, Ashley, Arugula, Black Seeded Simpson are some favorites) and a few dozen radishes to ensure a tasty and aesthetically pleasing salad. Plant a new box of lettuce every couple of weeks and you’ll have an almost endless supply of fresh goodness arriving in your kitchen.

Check out the full article: A New Leaf (or Two): The greens that keep on giving

Whether saving money or saving the planet is the motivation, there are thousands of simple “green” choices we can each make in our lives, and our homes, that will provide for a healthier, wealthier, more sustainable future.

Here are some quick tips to help you conserve water, energy (and money) in your home!

1. If you don’t have it in your budget to upgrade to a low-flow or dual–flush toilet, put a brick or full 2-liter bottle in your toilet tank. These will take up volume and help you save water every time you flush!
2. Turn down the temperature on your hot-water heater by at least 2 degrees and wrap your unit in a blanket.
3. Replace your burned-out incandescent light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. Simply swapping out the most commonly used incandescent bulbs in your home can save you $60 to $100 a year.

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The Philadelphia Department of Parks & Recreation’s TreePhilly campaign is enabling residents to beautify their homes and blocks, improve their health, reduce their energy costs, and reduce stormwater runoff all in one shot, at NO COST. The deadline for getting your new yard tree THIS APRIL is March 31st, so be sure to CLICK HERE and fill out a form asap! They’re in 7 different languages, so make copies and pass them around your block - your health and your property values will thank you!

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1351-1355 Frankford Ave Philadelphia, PA 19125

Fishtown

• PRIME DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY!!! Location, location, location!
• Available lot plus warehouses in Fishtown on the explosive block of Frankford Ave
• Backs up to Crease St. warehouses 1332 Crease St. & 1338-1340 Crease St. to be sold with lot as a whole package
• Crease St. addresses are next to newer built green homes as well as a recent project development
• Warehouses could be easily removed to transform entire area into similar green homes
• Close access to entertainment and Frankford/Girard L
• Owner currently utilizes the property for food distribution business
• Can only sell all addresses together

See more information of 1351-1355 Frankford Ave Philadelphia, PA 19125

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Via www.phila.gov

• Program will run for two weeks: Tuesday, January 3, 2012 through Saturday, January 14, 2012
• Citizens who wish to drop off their tree for recycling may take it to the Streets DepartmentSanitation Convenience Centers located at 3033 South 63rd Street, Domino Lane and Umbria Street and State Road and Ashburner Street during these weeks only.  The sites are open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
• The program is designed to provide citizens with an environmentally safe alternative for disposal of used trees.
• Commercial entities are not permitted to use Sanitation Convenience Centers to dispose of their trees.
• Christmas trees brought to the site should be in the following condition:
• – Free of all decorations and ornaments
• – Untied
• – Free of plastic bags or wrappings
• Christmas trees put out at curbside will be collected as trash.
• Citizens who require additional information regarding the Christmas Tree Recycling Program may contact the Customer Affairs Unit at (215) 686-5560.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visitwww.CenterCityRealEstate.com