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Creating a Zero-Waste Home | Chappaqua NY Real Estate
Our friends at LearnVest offer sound financial tips and advice for every aspect of life. Check out these zero-waste strategies everyone should know about.
Five years ago, Bea Johnson and her husband and two sons were looking for a home closer to the restaurants, shops and school in their coastal California town.
During the year they spent house hunting, the family of four moved into a small apartment, took only the possessions that were absolutely necessary, and left the rest in storage.
“After living with just the necessities, we realized that we had much more time to spend with our family when we weren’t spending it caring for a large house and lots of belongings,” says Johnson.
Then, when they did decide on a house, they chose one half the size of their previous home, and simplified by selling most of their old stuff.
Around that time, Johnson and her husband began investigating environmental issues. “We read books, watched documentaries, and what we learned worried us and made us sad for our kids’ futures,” she says. “So, we decided to do something about it. My husband quit his job to start a sustainability consulting company, and I tackled greening our house.”
It was then that Johnson devised a system to reduce the family’s garbage — what she calls the “Zero-Waste Home.” She started by swapping everything disposable in their home (paper towels, water bottles, grocery bags) for reusable items.
Today, she says, her family’s yearly waste can fit in a quart-size jar.
She spoke with us about how to get started, her zero-waste strategies and the one sustainable habit she’s just not down with.
LearnVest: Was there something you read or saw that you modeled your Zero-Waste Home after?
Johnson: No. Actually, there were no blogs or really anything about being zero-waste, so I had to test everything for myself — I did a lot of Googling. Today, the zero-waste lifestyle is easy for us — we don’t even think about it. But [when we were getting started], we had to experiment to find what our limitations were.
LearnVest: What are the basic tenets of the zero-waste lifestyle?
Johnson: What we do is based on what we call “The Five R’s,” which should be applied in order.
No. 1: Refuse whatever we do not need. For example: junk mail and freebies.
No. 2: Reduce what we do need by donating or selling anything that isn’t absolutely necessary for us to live comfortably.
No. 3: Reuse by buying secondhand, swapping disposable items for reusable items, and shopping with reusable packaging.
No. 4: Recycle. By this point, if you’ve applied the first three R’s, you should be left with very little recycling. For example, what’s left in our recycling bin are bottles of wine that friends bring over and papers sent home from our sons’ school.
No.5 : Rot. Compost anything that can be composted.
LearnVest: How did your sons react to the change in your lifestyle?
Johnson: Our sons [ages 13 and 11] didn’t even know we were doing zero waste until we pointed it out to them. To them, what we do is totally normal. And, the kids have really enjoyed the simplicity aspect of the lifestyle. It clears their heads, keeps them focused, and they say it’s much easier to clean their rooms.
LearnVest: What is your process for grocery shopping?
Johnson: For my weekly grocery run, I bring what I call my shopping kit: three totes, five glass jars (one each for meat, fish, solid cheese, grated cheese and deli meat for the kids’ lunches), two different sizes of cloth bags for dried bulk goods and mesh bags for produce.
I buy olive oil, honey, peanut butter, cereal, snacks — almost everything — from the bulk section in our grocery store where the items are unpackaged. I buy grated cheese from the salad bar and, every week, I ask for 10 baguettes unpackaged from the bakery. I put them in a pillowcase and then cut them in half, freeze them and thaw them out as needed. The produce section is also great for unpackaged foods. The only food that my family eats with disposable packaging is butter — that’s it. We tried making our own butter, but we found that it was not a sustainable option for us.
Continue reading Johnson’s take on zero-waste living on LearnVest.
More from LearnVest:
- 6 Ways to Save Money — by Going Green
- How an Energy Audit Saved Us $2,400 a Year
- 7 Ways You’re Wasting Money … Every Day
This post originally appeared on LearnVest.com on April 22 and was written by Lisa M. Gerry. It is republished here with permission from LearnVest.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.
via zillowblog.com
All the houses gettin’ sold | Chappaqua Real Estate
Screenshot from Brian Block’s “Houses gettin’ sold” video.
Brian Block, managing broker and branch vice president with Re/Max Allegiance in McLean Va., is stoking the interest of prospects with a rap video about the hot real estate market in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
“Inventory of homes for sale is extremely tight in Northern Virginia — at last look there’s just over 1-month supply of homes on the market,” Block says in an Active Rain blog post explaining the motivation for the video. “Same goes for D.C. In fact, right now, much of the country is having a similar phenomenon in the local real estate markets.”
via inman.com
140 Characters is a Joke | Chappaqua Realtor
THERE IS ALWAYS more to the story than what we are told. I am not omniscient. It is better to light a single candle than to join a lynch mob. Other people’s behavior is not my business. Truth is hard, epigrams are easy. Anything worth saying takes more than 140 characters. Blogging’s not dead. F____ the 140 character morality police.
Filed under: Best practices, Blogs and Blogging, Community, Design, engagement, Responsibility, State of the Web, twitter, writing
38 Responses to “140 Characters is a Joke”
Jesse said on 27 March 2013 at 10:46 am:
Wait, we aren’t supposed to look (solely) to the Facetweet feeds of our industry leaders for solid moral guidance?
Power to the 140+ character enabled humans.
Nishant said on 27 March 2013 at 10:51 am:
Thank you, Jeffrey.
Chris Ferdinandi said on 27 March 2013 at 10:53 am:
Yes!
Iain said on 27 March 2013 at 10:55 am:
This, THIS, THIS!!
claudia snell said on 27 March 2013 at 10:55 am:
Love it! You are amazing, again.
Julia Gregory said on 27 March 2013 at 10:56 am:
Word.
Anton Peck said on 27 March 2013 at 10:56 am:
Sir, I completely agree. I wrote about a similar thing quite recently: http://antonpeck.com/journal/article/write_now
I’m totally being selfish when I say: “I want to see people get back to writing great content again.” I miss the great authors of the internet.
Brian Hassett said on 27 March 2013 at 10:59 am:
I completely agree! 140 characters is your basic introduction. Doesn’t get you much further than that.
Matt Steele said on 27 March 2013 at 11:00 am:
This is exactly what keeps me from being a heavy twitter user. Too many knee jerk reactions from armchair pundits.
“It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.”
-Mark TwainMichel Vuijlsteke said on 27 March 2013 at 11:01 am:
tl;dr: “Anything worth saying takes more than 140 characters. Blogging’s not dead.” (66 characters to go) 🙂
Shawn said on 27 March 2013 at 11:14 am:
What is this in reference to?
Emil Lunnergård said on 27 March 2013 at 11:18 am:
I do not read so much of your posts, but this one got me. I can’t say how much I appreciate a good, well-written article about anything. 140 characters is just for people with no depth in their lives (if I am allowed to generalize).
Good statement! Keep it up
Kodiak said on 27 March 2013 at 11:43 am:
A local ambulance-chaser law firm just recently got a snazzy new phone number to which they can receive texts. Their new marketing campaign is “sometimes it’s not convenient to call.” I’m not sure, but if I ever need to hire a lawyer, I think I’m going to have a lot more to say 140 characters will allow.
Status messages are for statuses. In status meetings I report that projects are “green” because the parties involved only care that things are on track. That doesn’t absolve me from keeping detailed documentation of the project. Likewise, hearing “things are great” might be enough for particular situations and audiences, but when I run into an old friend that I haven’t seen in years, I’m going to want to hear a little more of the story. It’s no different in the Intertubes.
Scott Phelps said on 27 March 2013 at 12:22 pm:
It’s Ok to swear. You’re an adult.
John Slegers said on 27 March 2013 at 12:32 pm:
The early 21st century has become a world of tweets and sound bites, where getting anyone’s attention for longer than 3 minutes has become a major accomplishment.
Saying too much usually leads to people ignoring you and saying too little usually leads to people wanting to know more.
So from a marketing perspective, going with 140 characters or less is best. Just don’t expect to learn all you need to know by never looking at what lies underneath.
Tanner Christensen said on 27 March 2013 at 12:32 pm:
Maybe that’s the point? Captivate readers and point them in a direction where they can learn more of the story.
Besides, you CAN tell a great story in 140 characters. It’s not going to cover everything under the sun, but you don’t always need to.
Chris Cullmann said on 27 March 2013 at 1:00 pm:
The brevity of this article underscores how impactful concise writing can be, but an artificial contraint can be a hindrance to a strong message. Nice post.
Emily said on 27 March 2013 at 1:02 pm:
Funny how such a simple realization is so easy to forget when we get caught in the moment. It’s like having the epiphany that we didn’t need to wear the latest pair of Abercrombie jeans or rock that trendy hairstyle back in High School in order to be cool, yet we struggle to drop the concern of what our peers think of us.
I have been trying to teach our nine year old the importance of standing up for herself and for others and avoiding the lynch mob mentality that pervades the playground. Thanks for reminding us adults of this lesson as well.
Jameos said on 27 March 2013 at 1:21 pm:
Ya know, it’s ok to disagree with Mr. Z now and again. I’ve read as many lame tweets as I have long and rambling blog posts. Someone who has true command of writing can get their point across with or without limitations…in the end, it’s all a matter of taste in how well they pull it off. Short = elegance, long = substance. Anyone who says short- or long-form writing is right or wrong…is wrong. Tweet or blog that as you please.
Daniel said on 27 March 2013 at 1:29 pm:
Hi Jeffrey, I edited this “article” to fit within 140 characters while still delivering the message:
“THERE IS ALWAYS more to the story. Truth = hard / epigrams = easy. Anything worth saying takes > 140 char. Bloggings not dead. Click here to cancel reply.
Agents Demand Faster Closing Times | Chappaqua Real Estate
Most real estate agents want mortgage originators to close their home buyers’ mortgages in 30 days or less-50 percent faster than the national average closing time-according to a new national survey released today.
Real estate agents control or influence 45 percent of homebuyer decisions on lender choice, according to the “Home Purchase Mortgage Success Factors” survey, conducted in January and February 2013 by Campbell Surveys and Inside Mortgage Finance, and time of closings, lend reliability and costs are some of the most significant factors that lead real estate agents to recommend a lender for a home purchase transaction.
Two-thirds of the nearly 2,000 real estate agents that responded to the study mortgage closings in 30 days or less. Yet the survey found that the average closing takes longer than that. Ellie Mae reports average closing time for purchase mortgages in February was 47 days and the average for 2012 was 46 days.
“Real estate agents consistently tell us that the unpredictability of mortgage closing dates is a major problem, in addition to timelines longer than 30 days,” commented Thomas Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys. “Lenders like to blame appraisers for delays, but our survey results tell us that underwriters often cause delays, particularly when underwriters do piecemeal and last-minute requests for borrower documentation.”
According to agents, the three most common reasons that mortgage closings are missed or delayed are mortgage underwriting, appraisal issues and changes in underwriting policies. Real estate agents noted that uncertain closing dates are disruptive and costly for borrowers, regardless of time required to close
[UPDATE] Explosions at Boston Marathon: Westchester Takes Local Security Precautions | Chappaqua Real Estate
Westchester County is reacting to the deadly explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon today by increasing security throughout the county.
A county police spokesman said Westchester has deployed its aviation unit helicopter and its marine unit on the Hudson River. The county’s bomb squad is on standby and security has been increased at Westchester County Airport.
The helicopter is conducting aerial surveillance of critical infrastructure around the county.
“My heart goes out to the victims and their families of the horrific tragedy at the Boston Marathon. As a result of the events in Boston, Westchester County is on a heightened level of readiness,” said Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “I have ordered Westchester County Police to immediately take a number of precautionary actions including the deployment of the Aviation Unit helicopter to conduct aerial surveillance of critical infrastructure around the county and the Marine Unit to do the same along the Hudson River
COLUMBIA, SC: Home prices spike 7 percent in March in Columbia | Chappaqua NY Homes
Long-suffering home sellers got a reprieve in March, when home prices jumped 7 percent in the Columbia area.
But real estate experts say sellers need to stay realistic as the Midlands real estate market emerges from a steep downturn.
While rising home prices are a healthy sign, said Andy Walker, partner in the Bollin Ligon Walker real estate firm in Columbia, price should not be an isolated factor.
“If you’re thinking about selling your house, I wouldn’t be out there thumping my chest saying, ‘Prices are up 7 percent, I’m going to start asking more,’ because I think that could be a huge mistake,” Walker said.
The median price – the point at which half the homes sold for more and half for less – for homes that sold in Midlands in March was $144,325, according to a report Monday from the S.C. Realtors trade group. That’s up from $135,000 in March a year ago.
It was the first increase in median price this year, according to S.C. Realtors’ monthly reports.
In South Carolina, the median price of homes sold statewide bumped up 5 percent in March to $151,600, with 11 out of 16 regions showing gains.
Homeowners anxious to sell have been under price pressure for four to five years now, as first the housing bust, then a busted economy, played out. It is still a buyer’s market, however, Walker said, and if sellers start optimistically pricing homes higher, the likely effect is homes will be on the market for longer periods of time, he said.
“The 7 percent (does not mean) the same house that sold last year is now selling for 7 percent more,” said Nick Kremydas, S.C. Realtors’ chief executive officer. “What it’s indicating in general is that the houses that are selling now, their prices are up by 7 percent, so it’s not apples to apples.”
Still, a rise in housing prices is a positive sign, indicating shrinking inventory and increased buyer demand, Kremydas said. “We started the year at a 50-year-low (of new housing construction starts),” Kremydas noted. “And foreclosures … have shrunk considerably.”
Even lending, while still difficult, has improved and consumer confidence also is up, Kremydas said.
Statewide, housing inventory levels are down 40 percent from two years ago, and there are reports across the state of multiple buyers bidding for one house – typical during the overheated housing market of 2005-2007 but unheard of in recent years – he said.
The Columbia area had about a 10-month supply of homes for sale in March – down from a more than 16-month peak less than two years ago. It continues to move toward balance. The $100,000-and-under category had about an eight-month supply of homes available. A normal market has about a six-month supply, experts say, and supply affects price.
“When a market favors buyers, prices are not going to go up very much, if at all,” Walker said. As supply reduces, prices will firm up more, he said.
The Columbia-area multiple listing service, on which the monthly real estate reports are based, includes a seven-county area: Richland, Lexington, Saluda, Fairfield, Kershaw, Calhoun and Newberry counties.
“What’s happening with mobile homes in Kershaw County or Lexington County, or anywhere, and what’s happening with properties on Lake Murray, versus what’s happening to properties in Spring Valley can be a wide variety of trends, in my opinion,” said Walker, president of SC Realtors in 2008 and Central Carolina Realtors Association president in 2002 and 2012.
“If you want to know what properties are doing in your neighborhood or in your part of town, you need to consult somebody,” Walker said.
via thestate.com
Chappaqua NY Weekly Real Estate Report | RobReportBlog
Chappaqua NY Weekly Real Estate Report Homes for sale 105 Median Ask Price $1,259,444.00 Low Price $475,000.00 High Price $24,750,000.00 Average Size 4103 Average Price/foot $350.00 Average DOM 107 Average Ask Price $1,466,416.00
via trulia.com
7 Strategies for Growing Community on Your Blog | Chappaqua NY Realtor
via problogger.net
