Get Closer to Nature with Clotheslines

Want to make your backyard a little more beautiful this spring? Why not start with a clothesline or a water fountain. If you don’t already use a clothesline, this spring is a great time to start!

Many people like to see humming birds in addition to other amazing birds in their yard during the spring and summer. in addition to food sources, convenient perching opportunities will make your yard more hospitable to them. Hummingbirds in particular spend roughly 80% of their time sitting on stems and clotheslines.

Photo courtesy of newviewartglass.com

Solar water fountains are another great Eco addition to your backyard that will welcome in nature. A water fountain is a stunning addition to any garden and will draw in both butterflies and birds alike.

So plant a garden (and stay tuned to the blog later in the spring for garden entries), hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline or rack, and invite natures beauty into your backyard while resting assured you are doing your part to keep it that way!

Green Home Decor

Here at Greenway we love the colour green, even our offices are painted what we call “The Greenway Green”. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day this weekend, we have found some amazing green decor ideas that will take your home interior from St.Patrick’s Day to spring, and even into next winter.

Here are some inspiring options where the rooms have been completely transformed into a green oasis.

Apartment Therapy

http://tohop.com

http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com

Better Homes and Gardens

http://www.shelterness.com

http://theglamlamb.blogspot.ca

Don’t want to paint or tile your walls? That’s understandable and will not get in the way of making your room a little more green. By adding green accessories or furniture, you can get the same look with only a little bit of work.

Better Homes and Gardens

52 Mantels

Martha Stewart

Better Homes and Gardens

Country Living

With the Pantone colour of the year being Emerald, it is easy to see why these spring inspired rooms can be fashionable year round. Happy St.Patrick’s Day and happy decorating!

Creating a Healthy Home

Whether you live alone or have a large family, creating a healthy environment is an important step to well being and living a longer, happier life. Making a healthy home does not mean you need to change your whole lifestyle but starting with a few small steps can lead to bigger ones in the long run.

The Center for Disease Control provides a comprehensive list on their website of things you can do around the house to make it a healthier place for everyone. It gives you tips by each individual room such as things you can do in the kitchen, garage etc. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes/byroom/index.html

Better Homes and Gardens offers over 20 suggestions to create a healthy home including using low VOC paint and replacing carpet with easy to care for wood. They also suggest saving electricity and water through changing not only fixtures but also the way in which you use them. You can read all of their helpful ideas at http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/advice/expert-advice/25-tips-for-a-healthier-home/

Some easy first steps include adding more energy efficient products to your household, using natural cleaners, drying your clothes on the clothesline, and installing a whole home water purification system.

Turn Green This Valentine’s Day

Turn green this Valentines Day, and not with jealousy. Saving money and the environment by choosing homemade and Eco-friendly gifts will leave you feeling and having more green in a holiday dominated by red. The following websites have provided some amazing ideas to make or recycle gifts for anyone in your family.

The Daily Green offers an extensive list of green and Eco Valentines Day ideas such as Fair Trade items (with proceeds going to charities around the globe) and where to find organic flowers.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/fair-trade-valentines-day-gift-ideas#slide-1

Casa Diseno provides DIY Valentines Day gift ideas on a budget. Some of the ideas and tutorials include homemade tea bags, sharpie mugs and themed pillows.

http://www.casa-diseno.com/budget-styles-diy-valentines-day-gift-ideas/

Martha Stewart seems to always come up with current Valentines Day crafts and this year is no different. Browse the 33 suggestions she gives for homemade gifts including felt coffee cup sleeves, heart shaped pot holders, and homemade candy wrappers.

http://www.marthastewart.com/274866/valentines-day-crafts/@center/276967/valentines-day

If you are looking for ideas that help the community and others, why not adopt an animal? Name a tree in an arboretum, or donate to a community cause. Next week at Greenway Home Products we will be having a bake sale with proceeds going to local charity organizations..stay tuned for pictures.

Green Roofs in the Winter

We have all heard of green roofs, but one has to wonder if it would work in the cold winter months. According to a study done by the University of Toronto, the green roof increased conservation of heat by reducing wind speeds and modifying the micro-climate above the roof. It also found that the potential heating energy savings were roughly between 5.63 percent and 5.95 percent, with savings up to 61 percent for upper-level floors. Read the full article about the study at http://greenlivingonline.com/article/green-roofs-winter

Another article written on the subject from Science Daily reinforces information gained from the University study http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051126141309.htm

Green Kitchen Countertops

If you are going to be, or want to renovate your kitchen, green countertops are a great way to add something new and environmentally friendly into the house. Eco kitchen counters can be a bold focal point or a minimalistic accent thanks to the many different options now available for use. The following articles provide more information on the many types and styles of green kitchen countertops,

Green Living offers narrative on 4 of the most used green recycled countertops:

http://www.greenlivingonline.com/article/green-kitchen-countertops

This article from The Kitchen Designer provides over 15 examples of resources that are used as green countertops and is a great read if you are looking for something beyond the normal Eco kitchen materials:

http://www.thekitchendesigner.org/journal/2007/10/15/green-kitchen-countertops.html

The last article from the Reliable Remodeler website outlines materials used for kitchen countertops that make a statement:

http://www.reliableremodeler.com/blog/index.php/2008/07/01/kitchen-countertop-materials/

Green New Year’s resolutions for the whole family

This New Year make resolutions that can be a benefit to both your family and the environment. Green New Year’s resolutions such as hanging your laundry to dry, using a water dispenser over bottled water, and saving energy in the home can also be seen as money saving resolutions. Personal green resolutions such as riding your bike or walking over taking the car, using green cleaning products, and recycling can be extended by teaching children and spouses to do the same.

See more green resolution ideas at http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/green-new-years-resolutions10.htm or http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/green-new-years-resolutions-10109

FRIDAY FUN FACT: Green Gift Guide

FRIDAY FUN FACT: You can find some of the best green gifts of the year on the Green Living Green Gift Guide 2012. The guide is divided into categories including gifts for kids, gifts for fashion lovers, and gifts for pets among many others. Check it out now to find those last minute Eco-conscious gifts for everyone on your list!

http://www.greenlivingonline.com/slideshow/green-livings-2012-holiday-gift-guide

Creative handmade gifts

Creative handmade gifts for everyone on your list from fabric coffee sleeves to candles and pillows. Find these and more great ideas at http://www.bhg.com/christmas/crafts/handmade-gifts-for-friends/

Wrap your gift in green

Eco gift wrapping ideas http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/christmas-holidays-gift-wrap