What do you do with your leftovers? We have the faithful dog who wants to act as the pre-rinse cycle- but he doesn’t work for veggie scraps and the like! Just kidding. Well, sort of. After moving into the Shirlington community, and finally getting settled in, we’ve decided to get started on our “blank slate” that is our back yard. We set aside the far back corner of our yard for a spot for a compost bin.
For the compost bin we are going to build in our back yard, we decided on the easy corral style- but there are many other options aside from this simple compost bin.

What you will need:

• 5 wooden pallets
• 12 “L” brackets
• Screws
• Newspaper or purchased weed barrier

You can start a compost bin by finding some recycled wooden pallets, and clearing the ground and laying some weed barrier. Sometimes old newspaper will work as a good base. Next, set the pallets along their sides and use some “L” brackets to screw them together. Pre-drill the screw holes at the top and bottom of the pallets and then align the “L” brackets and screw them in. Repeat this for both sides. Position the newly constructed bins over the cleared and prepped ground. Congratulations, you have constructed a double bin compost pile in a corral style. Now you will make compost out of the organic scraps from your unused rinds, soggy lettuce, egg shells and more. Definitely look up items that you should not put into the compost such as animal products and seeds. You don’t want your compost to start sprouting when you mix it into the soil as an amendment. What do you do with the two sides of the compost bin? Use one to keep new soil to mix into the organic materials you collect and use the other to toss those scraps from inside. Remember not to put any sticks or wood into the pile, unless you have ground it, otherwise, it will be hard to mix up. Every couple of weeks, take a pitchfork or shovel and turn your organic scraps with some of the soil from the other side. When you have enough compost, and are ready to use it in your next planting, dig a hole, pour scoop some of your compost up, mix it in with fresh soil, and then plant your happy new green thing!

There are a number of options for creating a compost bin. Research which one is going to be the best for your needs. Remember that you can also compost on your own kitchen counter! Some people even opt to save their scraps and use a service such as Arlington’s own Compost Cab.

Happy planting! Remember that if you don’t have your own space for a garden, look into getting a plot at a community garden. There are plenty of community gardens around Northern Virginia. It is a great way to relieve stress, grow some veggies and meet your neighbors.

Back to the summer real estate slump… the following chart shows the volume of housing inventory absorbed by the market compared to the previous year (aka: year-over-year or YoY).  When at zero percent, an equal amount of inventory is being absorbed as the year previous.  As you can see below, Arlington and Fairfax VA are both climbing out of an ugly summer to outperform 2009.  Alexandria is still under-performing 2009, but is steadily moving in a positive direction.

It has been an ideal summer to be in the market for real estate in Arlington, Fairfax and Alexandria.  Interest rates are jaw-dropping low and competition for homes cooled down after the tax credit expired.  Yet, there were not as many people taking advantage of the summer real estate slump as in 2009.  It seems that many would be buyers, already bought in the spring.  As we head into September the market is starting to normalize again.  Is it still a good time to be in the market for homes in Northern Virginia?  Yes (for some people).  If you are a current home owner, should you be worried that the sky is falling?  Probably not.  Of course we are happy to provide you with a custom report that will help you understand how the market is affecting your neighborhood.

The first questions is from a home owner that wants to soundproof her basement ceiling. Below are the tips provided by the Green Gobbler:

1. Have the joist cavities filled with sound-attenuation batts.  Note:  If you plan to install pot lights in an insulated ceiling, make sure they the housings are rated for insulation contact [IC] and air tight [AT] to avoid risk of fire from overheating.
2. If you are having drywall installed on the ceiling, ask your contractor to mount the drywall on furring channels, also known as resilient channels which are metal bars that run perpendicular to the joist.  The drywall is attached to the resilient channel so it’s not connected to the joist.  This helps reduce sound transmission.  Keep in mind that this will take away half an inch to an inch of ceiling height.
3. Install double layers of drywall.  The one extra layer can take it from ‘I can hear what people are talking about to a dull roar’.  If you only want to use one layer than consider a sound reducing drywall such as QuietRock; its design is equivalent to 8 layers of drywall.
4. Apply viscoelastic compound between sheets of drywall to reduce transmission, for about 50 cents a square foot.
5. If you’re putting in a suspended ceiling, consider using acoustical ceiling tiles, which absorb 50 to 60 percent of sound.  Acoustical tiles come in a broad range of soundproofing capabilities, but they will set you back more than your standard tile.  Note:  Painting them will reduce their soundproofing ability.

If you have a question for the Green Gobbler, simply add it to the comments section below.

Lecture Series Details

After reading a rather uplifting article from The Director of Arlington Economic Development, Dr. Terry Holzheimer, I have discovered that Arlington County has been announced by the Associated Press as one of the top ten “Least Stressed Counties.” Dr. Holzheimer puts an interesting point out there in this month’s issue of The Arlingtonian; why is Arlington County on a this list with counties that seem so very different than our community?

Who was on the Associated Press list of the top 10 “Least Economically Stressed” Counties in the US:

1. Ward County, ND
2. Brookings County, SD
3. Ellis County, KS
4. Burleigh County, ND
5. Ford County, KS
6. Brown County, SD
7. Grand Forks County, SD
8. Buffalo County, ND
9. Arlington County, VA
10. Sioux County, IA

Take a look at these other counties.  As Dr. Holzheimer points out, “with the exception of Arlington” it seems that they are all in fairly rural areas. We can chalk this status up to a number of things- we live near the capital, we have a huge federal contractor and government worker base, we have a strongly educated demographic, and a community that seems to continually grow, even in these tougher economic times.  To those of us who live in Arlington County, this is a great thing. It means that our unemployment rate is low, as are our rate of foreclosure and bankruptcy. Mr. Holzheimer states that “Arlington has fared well….our unemployment rate is the lowest in Virginia at 4.0 percent.” Thanks to Mr. Holzheimer for bringing this to our attention! Arlington County shouldn’t be stressed… in fact, the associated press is telling us that we aren’t.

What does this mean for people who own real estate or are looking to buy real estate in Arlington County? If you follow the market reports put out by Arbour Realty on a monthly basis, you will know that our market has been a seller’s market for a few  months now, with such great interest rates for those who can qualify for loans, people who are able to take advantage of these low rates are able to put in competitive offers on the properties of their choice. Since our area is still experiencing growth, i.e. federal consultants gaining contracts, huge BRAC realignments bringing more hardworking folks to the area, it seems we are going to continue to see the growth. We can never predict the market, we can just be thankful we are in an area where we earn titles such as these, even if we are on a list with locations which seem to be the opposite of our urban oasis. If you are interested in more information about the market in your area, email us and we’ll be happy to send you a report.

If you have been thinking about building a home that is sustainably built, EarthCraft Virginia’s certification process is definitely something to look into. Recently we were fortunate enough to sit in on an EarthCraft house initial training seminar to get the bearings on how to become involved as an EarthCraft Virginia professional. This training seminar was filled with local Northern Virginia builders, Arlington based Architects, Arlington County green building program members and more. These people all have to start at this level to become a part of the EarthCraft Virginia Program.

What most people may not understand that the key here isn’t just becoming a part of the program. That is just the jumping off point. When the builder decides to begin the process of constructing a green built home, EarthCraft will assign a technical adviser who will effectively be the liaison between the builder, the subcontractor and the inspectors. Understand that the most important part of constructing a sustainably built home is  formulating a team who is all on the same page from the get-go. Having this technical adviser, who is highly educated in construction science and the green building process will enable the builder to hopefully have a solid communication with the subcontractors who are putting the green puzzle pieces together. These professionals will keep the green building process on track, helping to make sure that all parties involved in the construction understand what their duties are to keep the building sustainable.

Northern Virginia is lucky enough to be able to claim the EarthCraft Virginia Technical Adviser of the Year, Chris Conway! Chris keeps his builders (and ultimately their subcontractors) on track with no-nonsense straight talk. He manages each of his assigned projects to stay on target and is so dedicated to his trade that it shines through in his work enough to earn him the title of Tech Adviser of the year.  Each of the 25 Virginia technical advisers are very passionate about what they do, and they each take their position very seriously.

Having people who are passionate about green building and creating a community of environmentally focused builders and residents is what EarthCraft Virginia is all about. This is a very interesting program that is a state wide. If you are interested in having a EarthCraft certified home built, contact Arbour Realty.

The kick off of the Arlington County Fair was yesterday… but never fear, the fair goes on through August 22nd at the Arlington County Fairgrounds. Located at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 S. 2nd Street, Arlington, VA 22204, this FREE event is fun for the whole family.

Rides, games, exhibits and more are available to one and all at this years event featuring a Rainforest Rescue exhibit! It is just like the good old days, with care free hand holding in the Farris Wheel, and cotton candy! You may have seen the gorgeous red and blue macaw post cards that went out announcing the event. Arlington County is committed to making this event about sustainability and is offering shuttles to the event as well as a spot to fill up your own water bottles!

Do you need a new reusable water bottle? The first 5 people to email Arbour will receive an awesome 18oz. stainless steel reusable water bottle from Arbour Realty!

“Those were the days”

You remember the song that Edith and Archy Bunker sang “Those were the days”? I had heard my parents use the phrase along with ” The good old days”. I never understood as a child what that meant. I guess every generation has there ” Good old days”

I grew up in the Falls Church, Fairfax , Merrifield area. I had a wonderful childhood. My brothers and I would walk up to Peter Pan 5 & 10 cent store in Falls Church , where we could find all kinds of treasures for believe it or not a nickel or a dime. Penny Candy was the greatest.

We went to St. James school in Falls Church and when we had money to burn ( which we earned and was not just given to us), we would stop at the Tastee Freeze. Yummy, Those ice cream cones with the hard chocolate shell were a favorite. Then we would race each other home to get the best seat to watch the Mickey Mouse Club.

When the weekends came we would watch our favorite shows, Sky King, Rin Tin Tin, My friend Flicka, Roy Rogers, Fury (thus my love of Horses). Once the shows were over it was outside to play. You could take off and go anywhere back then , never had to worry about your kids being safe. The one place we were told not to go was the railroad tracks. We of course would head there to try to get a train to flatten a penny. We would walk down to King David Memorial Cemetery to feed the ducks at the pond. ( Later on this would be where I learned to drive, which was probably good since most potential victims were already planted). The only rule was you had to be back in time for dinner. It was so much fun to take off and explore the woods, or go crawfish and salamander hunting in the local creeks. A game of Cowboys and Indians with your best friends, dodge ball, back yard wiffel ball, and swing the statue. Sometimes we would lay in the yard and watch the chicken hawks circle above us in hopes that one might get close. When evening came we would throw pebbles at the street lights and watch the bats chase them. We were very careful not to get one near our hair, we were told if they got in your hair you could never get them out.

Summers never seemed that hot or winters that cold, we could stay outside for hours. If we had saved enough we would go to The State Theater or the Jefferson Theater for a movie.  I always enjoyed shopping with my mom. Seven Corners was the place to go. Tyson’s Corner consisted of a meat market. We would go to Lerner’s for clothes  and stop in Woolworths for lunch, You would hop on the swivel stool at the counter( where you would go in circles, till your mom said enough and would give you “ The look“). I still remember their banana splits, hot dogs and fries were the best. Just for a change we might go to Jellef’s and S & W Cafeteria. Then off to Kinney’s shoes.  When the holidays came it was most fun going to Clarendon to see all the mechanical window Christmas displays. Hecht’s always had the best and the theme was different every year. Getting our perfect Christmas tree from the Boy Scouts who had an area roped off with trees in the school parking lot.

Moved from Falls Church when I was about 10 or 11. My parents bought a house in Fairfax County. Time moved on as it always does. When I started High School at George Marshall, there were new places to explore and new things to do. Boys soon entered the picture. There was movie nights at the Lee Highway Drive In. We were always trying to sneak someone in , in the trunk of the car. Dances at school and I remember attending dances somewhere in Vienna but can’t recall the name. Going to Tops Drive in Falls Church  or Hot Shops became a regular thing.

I discovered the Bar J Ranch in Merrifield about this time. Went for my first horse back ride there and that was it. My love of horses began. They had a beautiful Palomino horse there named Irish. We became best friends. When I had spare time that is where you would find me. I remember the lay out of the fields as if it were yesterday. Irish and I would slowly leave the barn, trot down the first field to the creek. Once across the creek we would take off and race through the second field. I loved the wind blowing through my hair and the feeling of being one with the horse. When we where finished with our run we would casually ride through the remaining two fields. Sometimes we would stop by the woods and I would dismount and we would just rest and think. Can you imagine time to just relax and rest, with no pressures. Yes, the Good Old days for sure.

I live in Dallas, Texas now but I am so thankful for the wonderful memories I have of growing up there. A simpler time, a simpler way of life.

Those were the days.

With the gung-hoe folks at Revolution Cycles pioneering bike sharing programs in DC and Northern Virginia, alternate commuter options are abound! Originally founded in DC, Revolution Cycles has brought cycling to a whole new level throughout Northern Virginia and Maryland! Revolution Cycles did a great thing by bringing biking advocate and event coordinator Angela Koch to their team. You’d never have guessed that this bike-riding powerhouse of a woman was a car-free mother of three! Their whole family is able to survive the hustle and bustle without a car. Impressed? You should be.

Angela and her hardworking team at Revolution Cycles is doing what their name implies, revolutionizing the way people think about riding bikes. It doesn’t have to be a “granola thing to do” people from all walks of life can join in on the cycling option for their health, and for the health of the planet. One of the main goals of Revolution Cycles is to “get more butts on bikes.” As funny as that may sound, they are doing it through events such as social night rides, ladies-who-cycle happy hours and even setting up the Department of State with a bike sharing program. Now are you impressed? Good.

Those who bike, know… living the Car Free diet, doesn’t mean that people are going to be wagging their finger at you when you have to use a car, it just means that you have made a commitment to your self and your community to lessen your impact on the environment. At the Trekk cycling convention two weeks ago, DC’s Revolution Cycles was presented with an advocacy award for being unlike any other bike retailer; they have created a bike sharing program that is completely non-profit. This flagship program is based out of their Crystal City shop and supplies willing, ready and able cycling enthusiasts with hybrid (street/mountain) bikes, helmets, chains and the encouragement to get their butt on a bike and hit the streets. Paired with this bike sharing program, Revolution Cycles is working on a number of bike friendly events ranging from organizing bike to work day or sweet social rides where you can see the DC monuments at night, a cocktail attire progressive dinner ride, and even a guided ride out to see at Nat’s game!

Would you usually drive or Metro to these sorts of events? Well, Revolution Cycles is aiming to prove that you can think outside the box when choosing your commuter options. You can ride your bike to a nice dinner on the District, or even 30 miles out side of town for a picnic. These programs are just the beginning, and we’ll be interested to see who else will become a part of the cycling community and make cycling a part of their commuter options here in Northern Virginia.