Tag Archives: green suggestions for your apartment

Blooms for Your Apartment’s Indoor & Outdoor Spaces

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Now that spring is here and the weather is finally starting to warm up, it’s the perfect time to start planning your apartment garden. Whether you like to turn your patio into a full blown garden or you prefer to only step outside in between your door and your car, there are lots of ways to incorporate living plants into your spring decor.

If you live in an apartment with a patio or balcony, you have several planting options available. Bold, bright colors are trending for spring. Choose a colorful pot as your foundation piece. We love these bright planters from Hip Haven.

Florals are also a huge fashion and design trend for 2013, so don’t be afraid to go literal with it. Choose colorful blooms like Hydrangeas for shady spots or Million Bells if you get a lot of sun. You can choose contrasting colors for a funky feel or go monochromatic for a more sophisticated look.

Balcony Garden

Image via Houzz

If you have an apartment with a balcony, window boxes that are made to affix to railings allow you to enjoy plants without taking up valuable floor space. Plus, they make all your hard work  more visible, so you have the added bonus of being a great neighbor.

Outdoor plants

Imag via A+R.

If you’re not a fan of the outdoors or are a bit more limited with space outside of your apartment, there are still ways to flex your green thumb. Most blooming flowers do best outdoors, but there are some colorful plants that do well indoors too. Good options include Kalanchoe and Orchids, but your options aren’t limited to just those if you’re keeping your plants indoors. Plants like Fiddleleaf Figs and Jade Plants create a lush, fresh vibe in any room.

Using wheat grass in simple, white containers is a very modern, non-fussy way to incorporate indoor plants.

wheat grass

Image via Delia Creates

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Using outdoor pots for your indoor plants creates a sense of unexpected drama. Just make sure you place them on a rimmed plate to catch runoff water.

Ok, we’ve said enough. Now it’s time to get out there and make it happen. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about our apartment amenities like private balconies, check out our website.

 

Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day 2013

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The 43rd anniversary of Earth Day is coming up on April 22! Each year on this date, adults, students, civic organizations, and communities come together under the shared goal of “acknowledging the amazing planet we call home and taking action to protect it.”

The thought of taking action to protect the Earth may seem monumental, but truthfully, even small projects you can do on your own make a difference in the long run. If you’re looking for a way to contribute to Earth Day 2013, below are a few simple ways you can participate.

Plant a Container Garden – Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t be a gardener! You can easily set up a container garden on your apartment’s balcony or patio with flowers, tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, or other delicious fruits and vegetables.

planting a container garden for Earth Day

Take Public Transportation, Ride Your Bike, or Walk – It’s always tempting to simply drive yourself, but fewer cars on the road mean fewer pollutants in the air. Use public transportation, ride your bike, or just walk to your destination if you can. You can also check to see which neighbors work in the same area as you and arrange a carpool.

Use Energy-Saving Power Strips or Surge Protectors – We live in a technological world and it seems that there is always something that needs to be charged. Be careful when selecting a power strip or surge protector for your apartment. Look for one that will help “eliminate ‘phantom power’ waste…the little bit of power many devices draw even when they’re switched off.”

Recycle! – We’re all familiar with the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” but often we only think of items like glass and paper when recycling. There are tons of other items that can be recycled, including old electronics like TVs and computers. The Environmental Protection Agency has some helpful information available for those looking to recycle their old electronic devices.

Clean Up a Park – If you’re looking for a way to contribute to Earth Day outside of your apartment, consider helping clean up a nearby park. All you need is a few trash bags, gloves, and some friends to make it happen. In fact, the Atlanta area is invited to volunteer with us on May 18th as we tackle the Dunwoody Nature Center and the Atwood Community Garden. If you’re interested in helping us out, please RSVP here.

earth day activities

Look for a Green Apartment Community – Take going green to a new level by looking for a green apartment community for your next home, like TriBridge’s Atlanta property Enso.

If you’re looking for more ideas or Earth Day events near your community, check out the Earth Day website for more information.

How will you celebrate and participate in Earth Day this year? Leave a comment below or on our Facebook page with your plans.

 

 

Image 1 via Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net; Image 2 via Marcus / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Keeping it Green This Holiday Season

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holiday giftGoing green doesn’t stop with buying locally, using natural cleaners, and reducing energy and water consumption. There are plenty of other small steps you can take every day to contribute to making our environment a healthier one for all, and that includes going green throughout the holiday season.

The holidays are an exciting time what with all of the festive celebrations with family, friends, food, and gifts, but we shouldn’t get so carried away with the fun that we forget about how our actions will affect the environment. Below are a few tips that will help you enjoy the holidays in a more eco-friendly way.

  • Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Take reusable shopping bags when you go shopping. Look for wrapping paper that’s made with recycled paper, or reuse wrapping paper that’s in good condition. You can also get creative and reuse the comics section of your newspaper. Look for holiday greeting cards that are made of recycled content as well, and try to recycle the greeting cards you receive this year; or send electronic greeting cards. If you use a live holiday tree, look for a tree recycling program that can responsibly take care of your tree after the holiday decorations come down.
  • Turn off your holiday lights, or unplug them, during the day. This will help you conserve energy, as well as make your lights last longer.
  • Ship smart. If you’re mailing gifts to family and friends in other cities, crumple up old newspapers and magazine pages to use in lieu of bubble wrap and foam peanuts.
  • Give green gifts. Look for items to give that are certified by a reputable third-party government or non-profit certification program, such as Energy Star, or make your own gifts for the people on your shopping list.

How will you go green for the holidays as you celebrate in your TriBridge apartment? Leave a comment to share with us!

Information compiled from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, The Daily Green, and GreenStrides.

Image courtesy of thephotoholic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Natural Ways to Keep the Bugs Off Your Apartment’s Patio

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Many of our TriBridge Residential apartments feature lovely patios and porches. And with summer right around the corner, now is the perfect time to be out enjoying them!

closeup of a live rosemary plant

Rosemary plants can help keep mosquitoes away!

To help you make the most of your patio, here are a few natural tips to keep it bug free:

  • If there are bugs on your patio, get rid of the things that are attracting them. Making sure that there is no standing water, trash, or uncovered food on your porch should always be the step in fighting off bugs.
  • Plant a bug repelling garden! Rosemary, catnip, and marigolds will all help repel mosquitoes and they will make your porch look and smell great.
  • Keep ants away. If you’re trying to keep ants away, consider a natural and non-toxic repellent. Strangely enough, ants avoid cucumber slices and refuse to cross chalk lines.

For more nature ways to keep the bugs from your apartment’s patio or balcony, check out Keep the Bugs at Bay Without Bug Spray.

Photo via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Apartment Cleaning: Green Cleaning Tips

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With Earth Day right around the corner, we’ve decided to share a few inexpensive and green ways to clean your TriBridge Residential apartment with items that you probably already have laying around your apartment!

  • Salt can make for a great natural cleaner!

    Vinegar – This wonder cleaner is great for breaking up mineral deposits, cleaning soap scum, and as a disinfectant.  When mixed with baking soda, it’s also a great way to unclog drains!

  • Salt – Table salt, sea salt, and kosher salt can all be used as a great scouring powder. Plus, it’s gentle enough to not scratch glassware. For really dirty areas, try mixing some salt with lemon juice to create a really tough scouring paste.
  • Toothpaste – Its antibacterial agents makes it a great stain-fighter and the fact that it’s only mildly abrasive makes it gentle enough to use on multiple surfaces. Toothpaste is great for cleaning chrome fixtures, linoleum, acrylic accessories, and more!

For more, check out Real Simple’s 66 All-Natural Cleaning Solutions. And for even more ways to go green in your TriBridge apartment, check out Celebrate Earth Day by Going Green in Your Apartment!

Photo via Flickr’s Creative Commons