Eco-Deck and Gardens

"...I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden..."  
Ruth Stout


Spring is almost here and it is the time of year that we start upgrading the exterior of our houses in anticipation of great holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Many other special days are around the corner, including Family Reunions or those special gatherings that you have outdoors. 


"...You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt..." 
Author Unknown


How about having your gathering on your new or upgraded deck leading to an elegant garden? Planting a garden is an eco-friendly move, adding oxygen to the air and helping to decrease the amount of storm water runoff. Your garden can be an ongoing spring and summer project, decreasing your time spent indoors, eventually saving you energy and money. 
Sustainable choices for your garden:

• Plant herbs to use as spices for your favorite dishes.
• Plant vegetables and save money on food.
• Use eco-friendly choices for fertilizers 

"...Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy..."  
Astrid Alauda


Make another green choice for your garden and deck by using environmentally friendly materials. Your best option can be to reuse wood from construction debris, preferably from a previous deck. Additional options include using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood and deck tiles, ensuring that the use of the wood is not leading to deforestation. An alternative to using wood for decks is composite decking. Composite decking eliminates the need to use natural resources because it includes alternative materials to wood. The decking also decreases the amount of maintenance needed.

• FSC Deck Tiles: http://www.decktiles.org/
• Composite Deck Materials: http://www.trex.com/

"...I think the true gardener is a lover of his flowers, not a critic of them.  I think the true gardener is the reverent servant of Nature, not her truculent, wife-beating master..."  
Reginald Farrer, In a Yorkshire Garden, 1909

Urban Aesthetics will design a deck to your specifications and we will do it the right way. Many decks in the area have been built done wrong, with us do your deck will be done right.

Call: 215-776-8795
Email: info@urbanaestheticsdesigns.com

"Every April communities, organizations, and individuals nationwide celebrate gardening during National Garden Month." National Gardening Association

You A Greenie?

You a greenie? This is not a judgment, just a question I am asking of people I talk with on occasion. If your answer is yes, that's great! I enjoy associating myself with socially conscious, like minded individuals. Some people have even asked me to help them become greener. I welcome this challenge also because it reveals the individual’s desire to make a change. Being a “greenie” starts with a conscience, then an act.

I believe that it is every Entrepreneur’s responsibility to be socially responsible.
So, as my business plans became more focused, I decided to step up my own efforts to be even greener. I took stock of my efforts to help the environment and looked for additional changes that I could make. The simple ideas that materialized are this week’s green tips:

• I changed all the light bulbs in my home to energy saving bulbs. The initial investments were a little more but some bulbs have lasted more than a year.
• I utilize Mass Transit and car sharing - Philly Car Share (Hybrid Vehicles Only) for business travel.
• I gave my support to groups and businesses that truly support green and sustainable causes.
• When visiting cafes, I request mugs, plates and non-disposable utensils.
• I signed up to have my name removed from ‘junk mail’ lists. Check out:
  www.thegreenmailbox.com.

Urban Aesthetics is a “Greenie”. The title of this blog is “U A Greenie” which stands for Urban Aesthetics [is a] Greenie. I took the same efforts that I utilized on a personal level and added them to my business practices. During this year's planning process, I created a “Green Initiative” for my business. In addition, we have added additional green services including Green Product Specifications and Green Client Initiatives with plans to add Home Energy Audits in the near future. We employ LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) AP personnel including Designers, Engineers and Architects.
Urban Aesthetics is a proud supporter of the following green groups:

• Sustainable Business Network
• Delaware Valley Green Building Council
• The Greater Philadelphia Green Business Program
• C.A.M.P. Sustain.Ability

So, I ask one last time, you a greenie? If not now, I hope you are on your way!