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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Pictures From Earth Day @ Loudoun

Animals took center stage at the First Annual Earth Day @ Loudoun 2009 Family Festival, with displays of birds and reptiles, and a petting zoo.
Visitors and exhibitors enjoyed a perfect - if a bit hot - day, with music, food, information, and fun for the whole family.
Thanks to everyone who helped to make the day such a success!


Monday, April 27, 2009

Earth Day @ Loudoun

Loudoun's First Annual Earth Day
Clydes Willow Creek Farm in the Broadlands provided the perfect backdrop to Sunday’s Loudoun’s Earth Day celebration, complete with the National Aquarium Show sponsored by the National Aquarium in Washington, DC, a live reptile show from the Leesburg Animal Park Petting Zoo, and a live raptor display and show put on by The Raptor Conservancy of Virginia.

NOVA Green Team was one of the official sponsors of the event. It was a beautiful day with a great turnout. Check back soon for pictures from the celebration!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Going “Green” Home Buyers Seminar

Thinking of buying a home? Interested in learning “eco-friendly” home buying ideas? Do you qualify for “green” tax credits? Come to this first of its kind FREE seminar and learn about:

· First time home buyer secrets, strategies and tax credits
· Federal tax credits for energy efficiency
· Government FHA energy efficient mortgages
· How to make your home more energy efficient
· The top 5 health hazards in your home
· What to look for in your next home

This seminar is brought to you by NOVA Green Team, Loudoun County’s Eco-Friendly Real Estate Experts, West Star Mortgage and Ardently Green Energy Auditors.

The seminar will be conducted by David Harbour, Founder of NOVA Green Team, (RE/MAX Premier Realtors) who draws on more than a decade of success serving Northern Virginia clients in fast and slow markets. He has been inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame and often appears as a real estate expert on HGTV’s national show, “Get It Sold,” sharing tactics for sellers in a softening market. He is also a Certified EcoBroker®.

When: Saturday May 2, 2009 (9:30am—11:00am)
Location: Lansdowne Town Center (Offices above “Froots”)
19301 Winmeade Drive (Suite220)
Lansdowne VA. 20176

Going Green: The Big Game
A former Washington Redskins player (NFL 1988-90), Harbour applies strategies learned on the turf to achieve fast, powerful results. “One of the main lessons is – move faster than the next guy,” he says. Whether you hot buttons are energy efficiency, health hazards or saving the planet, this seminar has something for everyone.

“Green is more than a movement; it’s becoming a lifestyle" says Harbour. "This seminar can help home buyers take small steps towards understanding this movement, keeping perspective on the big game and accomplishing their goals in all of life: financial, environmental, and philanthropic.”

To learn more about what does it mean to go green, check out Northern Virginia’s premier Green Blog - www.novagreenliving.com . This is a weekly blog that contains helpful eco-friendly and often local links, videos and pertinent family information that will help families take the necessary small steps to living a greener lifestyle.

Come by Saturday morning and get FREE Starbucks Coffee and Bagels while listening to this informative Going Green Buyers Seminar.

To Register or More Details Call:
1-888-852-5405 and Press Ext- #5000
or visit www.novagreenliving.com

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Green Giving

Green Giving: Associates Embrace Earth Day
From San Antonio, Texas - where Kristin Moran and her team will bike or walk door-to-door distributing reusable tote bags filled with green tips - to northern Virginia where David Harbour and team will host a green homebuyers seminar - RE/MAX Associates across the country are doing their part to celebrate Earth Day.
The first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970, to bring environmental issues to the political forefront - and it worked. The inaugural event led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and, subsequently, many environmental laws. Today, hundreds of millions of people worldwide participate in Earth Day.
"As real estate agents, environmental sustainability is pivotal in our business," says Harbour, a Sales Associate with RE/MAX Premier in Dulles, Va. "Agents who aren't looking at the green movement and incorporating it in their businesses in some way are missing the boat. There's a growing demand from homeowners for professionals with green expertise."

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day to one and all!
And remember that the NOVA Green Team is an official sponsor of http://www.earthdayatloudoun.org/index.html this Sunday, April 26, from 11 AM to 3 PM at:

Willow Creek Farm by Clyde's
42920 Broadlands Boulevard
Broadlands, VA 20148

Hope to see you there!

Monday, April 20, 2009

David Harbour On HGTV

David Harbour of the NOVA Green Team appears on HGTV's Get It Sold tonight, April 20, at 5:30 PM.

Get It Sold: Cooking Up a Quick Home Sale
Realtor David Harbour is ready to help Cooper get this house priced to attract potential buyers. Host and staging expert Sabrina Soto sets out to turn this forgettable home into the hottest property on the block.

Energy Smackdown

My Year As A Green-Living Beta Tester
Almost a year ago, I signed my household up for the Energy Smackdown, a combination of a community-outreach program, contest, and cable TV show.
Teams from three neighboring Boston-area cities were formed and competed to lower their energy use. About 60 households measured their energy use every month, along with how many miles they drove, flew, and how much trash they generated.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Earth Day Video Project

Join The Earth Day Video Project
What do you do to reduce your carbon footprint? Can you swim or play in the water near your home? What have you done to improve the environment in your home, school or workplace? Americans are getting involved in protecting our environment – please share your experience with the world!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Going Green Helping Homeowners Achieve Energy Sustainability & Health

Living in the 21st century, many cities are adapting to the new green paradigm, updating old homes and buildings to suit the needs of a healthier environment and home. A catalyst for homes, industries, schools, universities and business, the incredible diversity of enterprises is driven by a common bound to move to a green lifestyle.

While we all use energy to power us through our daily lives, many people take renewable and sustainable methods for granted. In the world of home ownership and real estate, there are many things that should be taken into consideration. The implementation of Eco-construction and sustainable energy solutions will play an important role in the transformation to a healthier and sustainable world.

Recently, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Included in this act were extensions to the tax incentives placed for energy efficiency in 2005, as well as new credits for homeowners who remodel or build using Eco-sustainable methods. Existing homes are eligible for a series of efficiency measures that pertain to the home shell (Insulation, Windows, Sealing) worth 30% of the installed cost (materials only, labor is not included in the credit basis).

Some of the measures that are eligible for tax credits include added insulation to walls, ceilings, or other part of the building envelope that meets the 2009 IECC specifications, sealing cracks in the building shell and ducts to reduce heat loss. Storm doors paired with U-factored rated wood doors are also eligible. These “green” home modifications will help save on energy costs and provide tax credits, but some of them may even be better for your health.

Asbestos that is well maintained causes no risk. Most experts suggest leaving it un-disturbed, as this can allow its fibers to become airborne. Sometimes the best action is no action at all in regards to asbestos.

Long term exposure to airborne asbestos fibers can potentially lead to the development of mesothelioma, a lung ailment caused only through asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma treatment has varied effects on victims. The age of diagnosis and latency period typically have a direct impact on patients. Due to the fact many mesothelioma symptoms are similar to less serious ailments, Diagnosis of mesothelioma is one of the more difficult tasks physicians encounter.

Everyone strives for clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. Unfortunately, many modern conveniences increase pollution and health problems. Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of lcynene foam, cotton fiber and cellulose. The United Nations Environmental Program states that the use of recycled building materials such as cotton fiber insulation can reduce energy use by 25 percent.

In 2001, Israeli researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology began production of a thermal ceramic insulator becomes a safe and economical substitute for asbestos and other harmful substances. The foam is made of aluminum oxide, a high temperature ceramic noted for great insulating powers from its tiny air bubbles.

There is no need for any products used in construction to be made from asbestos, yet over 3,000 work and home-based materials still contain this toxin. Many locations throughout the United States are swiftly changing their construction practices to suit the environment and the health of human beings.

(Source: Mesothelioma Cancer Center)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Green Power

Green Power For Virginia Customers
Dominion Power offers customers in Virginia the option of ensuring that their electricity comes from renewable sources.
For more information about signing up and the cost of the program, visit their FAQ.

Green-e
Green-e is the nation's leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market. Green-e offers certification and verification of renewable energy and greenhouse gas mitigation products.

The Green Power Network
The Green Power Network (GPN) provides news and information on green power markets and related activities. The site provides up-to-date information on green power providers, product offerings, consumer protection issues, and policies affecting green power markets. It also includes a reference library of relevant papers, articles and reports. The Green Power Network is operated and maintained by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Friday, April 10, 2009

"Green" Babies

How To Go Green: Babies
While having a baby is consumer heaven, the key is to not be gulled into an unnecessary buying frenzy. In truth, a baby has very minimal needs. On the flip side, there is more to a sustainable life with your baby than cloth diapers, organic baby food, and fair-trade clothing…read on for more.

Create a Green Baby Nursery
With just a few simple choices you can turn a typical baby nursery into a green oasis.

Great Green Baby
GreatGreenBaby is a shopping blog devoted to green, eco-friendly, babies and their parents.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Get Ready For Earth Day

Preparing For Earth Day
April 22, 1970, was not only Earth Day, but it also signaled the start of what is considered today to be the modern environmental movement. An estimated 20 million Americans took part in the day’s activities that were aimed at creating a healthier and more sustainable environment for everyone on the planet.

Earth Day Network
The Official Earth Day Site

earthday.gov
US Government Earth Day Site

How To Go Green: Earth Day
Earth Day has come a long way from the first events in 1970, which were based around demonstrations that called for responsible sustainability—and which resulted in the creation of the EPA and legislation protecting water, air, and endangered species.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Sustainable Materials

Green Materials Proving To Be Economically Sustainable
This is but one example of the outright growth in the marketplace for sustainable materials. While difficult to quantify, anecdotally it appears that the recession has not stopped professionals working in design and construction from specifying green materials, which as a group are still perceived to cost more than their conventional counterparts.

Ecollect - Discover Sustainable Materials
An online database of eco-friendly and sustainable materials.

Sustainable Materials & Construction
The creation and use of sustainable building materials and construction help conserve natural resources and protect the environment for present and future generations. There is no shortage of creativity in this area as companies and private firms are constantly striving to develop and market alternatives to conventional building; such as, I-joists, 24-inch on-center framing, alternative decking materials made from recycled plastics, sustainably harvested wood, insulation made from recycled newspaper, and countless more.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Green Home Buying

How To Go Green: Home Buying
The location, size and style of your house, along with what you chose to do with it, can have a huge impact on your ecological footprint.

The NOVA Green Team
Maybe we here at NOVA Green Living are a little biased, but we happen to think that if you're looking to go green in the real estate market in Northern Virginia and Maryland, you can't go wrong with the NOVA Green Team, Your Eco-Friendly Real Estate Experts!

Green Home Myths:

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Green Cleaning

How to Go Green: Cleaning
Cleaning products are everywhere in our homes and offices: on dishes, countertops, furniture, clothes, floors, windows, and floating through the air. In our war on dirt and germs we may often actually be making things worse.

Non-Toxic Home Cleaning
There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products. Here is a list of common, environmentally safe products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household applications.

Green Products Coupons and Discounts:

Green Coupon Codes

Pristine Planet

Ecobunga