Angie's List Podcasts | Restore your double-hung windows

Angie's List Podcasts | Restore your double-hung windows

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Kickin' it old school...

Literally! Aspen has a kickball team, and we rock! There is nothing funner than a group of adults acting like they are in 3rd grade again. We registered through http://www.recesstimesports.com/ check it out!

Let's chat...

I had the opportunity to attend a HBA remodelers round table breakfast this morning. It was basically a room full of remodelers discussing issues they deal with owning or working for a remodeling company. In all honesty, I learned more in that hour than listening to a speaker for 3. It was casual conversation, "real" conversation, there was no one there telling you what the answer was, just guys sharing best practices to improve their business. What an amazing concept....get together with a bunch of people that do what you do and share ideas! Hmmmm...doesn't take a rocket scientist, just a few highly motivated remodelers. Can't wait for the next round table!

Headed to the West side...

Here are a few pictures from Aspen's Quail Hollow project. We are in the process of wrapping up Quail Hollow South and moving across the street to the West side. These town homes are amazing, the owners are great and the views in this area are breathtaking! Aspen is replacing the siding, windows, doors and decks, and they look great! Andy and his crew are such a talented team. Nice work guys!

Just checking in...

Coming soon...The latest pictures of our hotel projects at Cascade Station PDX. These are going up fast, stay tuned!

The key is education...

Education is key to motivating mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices. Not everyone is interested in energy efficiency, not everyone cares about our planet (unfortunately), and not everyone can see that in the long run the cost of "going green" pays you back in so many ways. In the remodel business, the trick is to have and provide customers with simple information that will not overwhelm them. Many of them don't even know there are choices out there. I know in this economy low-cost is the biggest seller, but what people don't understand is the future savings. Windows for example: It's going to cost a small amount more to install energy efficient windows in the beginning, but with wonderful programs like Energy Trust of Oregon, and Federal Tax credits, you actually get back more than what you would save by installing a "cheaper" window. Many manufacturers at this point are offering their own rebates too. The important savings really come after the checks are signed, and the rebates come back to you. Its the energy savings in your home. With proper installation you will see a decrease in your monthly bill almost immediately. Who could ask for anything more....green for you AND green for the environment!
Check out http://www.energystrust.org/ for details on their incentive programs.

24 J

I love the NE 23rd area of Portland. The area is amazing and is known for it's trendy feel and amazing homes and structures. Aspen is currently on a project called 24J, a super trendy condo project going up on Johnson and 24th. Here are a few pictures of the project in it's early stages. Can't wait for the final pics!

What do you do?

I wish I had a nickel for every person that asked that question. I guess it's standard...what you do is who you are right? Well, kinda. I believe you add your own "flair" to what ever you do. My official title is: Marketing Coordinator, and honestly probably one of the funnest jobs ever (besides personal shopper). If I had to sum up what my largest responsibility is, it would be- to get our company name out there, talked about and trusted. In order to do that I have to meet people, and to do that I have to attend some really cool events. Aspen has become extremely involved in area Chambers, as well as organizations such as the HBA, NARI, ORA and several more. Each event is different and each have a different purpose. My purpose is the same in each...to meet new people. So, if i could sum it up in a few words...Marketing Coordinator = Social Butterfly. I am definitely fit for the position. :)

PS-Today I attended a lunch about gender differences in the work place. I came back to this office with tons of ammunition! Women are smarter...the speaker/doctor said so! Stay tuned for some posts on that!

You can't wear jelly sandals on a job site anyway...

Just Say No to Jelly Accessories this Summer
The season’s hottest trends aren’t always the most sustainable.


By Jessica RootBrooklyn, NY, USA

One of my most vivid memories of my eighties-era childhood are Jelly sandals. They were fun, colorful and practical in the sense that with a quick rinse or wipe, they could look clean and good as new.
Turns out, they’re making a comeback and a big one at that. Spotted in The New York Times’ Moment blog, jelly style accessories will be making a splash this summer, arriving in a variety of colors from a variety of high end designers—from sandals by Chloe, Givenchy, Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren to a $2000 quilted tote bag from Chanel.
But it’s not just the price tags that are obscene, behind all the colorful fun is a darker side. And that’s the fact that these jubilant looking jellies are made from a whole host of harsh and heinous materials inconducive to a sustainable planet. Plastic by nature isn’t biodegradable and the Chanel bag is touted as having a “layer of pool-friendly PVC.”
PVC is polyvinyl chloride and it's hardly human-friendly or eco-friendly.
If a pair of sandals are on your summer shopping list, hit the thrift shops for a cute vintage find, opt for some green gladiators or sexy, sustainable sandals from supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

More on Eco-Friendly Accessories:How to Go Green: Fashion AccessoriesMake a Pair of Sandals from a TireTop 10 Green Revolutionary Labels You Should Be Wearing!

Tweet Tweet!

I AM MAD ABOUT TWITTER! I'll admit, when I first heard about twitter, I was like...WHAT? But now I'm a believer! I love checking in on some of my favorite people and businesses and seeing what's up. For example, I started following Re-direct guide (a local guide to living green in Washington and Oregon) today and they tweeted this really cool earth friendly tip-

Recipe for green, non-toxic furniture polish: 2 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon juice. Yup, it's that simple folks!

TWEEEET!

The great thing in the world is not so
much where we stand, as in what direc-
tion we are moving.
~Oliver Wendall Holmes

Have a wonderful weekend!

I hope you all have a great weekend. It's been a busy week and I'm ready for a break. Crystal and I will be attending a member meeting for NAWIC (National Association for Women in Construction) meeting in the next few weeks to see if we want to join. I am pretty excited about it. I will leave you with a few pictures I snapped of a project in Tualatin we just wrapped up. This is an amazing home, and our remodel division built this fantastic deck. Looks like they are ready for summer! Enjoy!

Reduce, reuse, recycle...be happy!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at Work
We must bring the philosophy of "reduce, reuse, recycle" with us to work. While businesses in the region are ahead of the nation with high rates of recycling, they do make about half of our trash, so if we are going to reduce our region's waste, businesses must play a critical role. By reducing waste, we can save natural resources and energy, prevent pollution and help extend the life of our landfills.
The first step is to reduce, and the simplest place to look is at your paper use. Strikingly 25% of the garbage that businesses throw away - more than 120,000 tons annually - is common paper that is fully recyclable.
Even in the "digital age" we consume enormous amounts of paper, or mashed bleached tree pulp, most of which is used once or twice and then tossed or recycled. The greenest paper is no paper at all, so keep things digital whenever possible. The more you do online, the less you need paper. Keep files on computers instead of in file cabinets, cutting down on clutter and improves organization of information. Try to review documents onscreen and don't print until you have the final version. When you do print, print double-sided. Use misprints or old documents for scratch paper and put paper recycling bins for paper at every desk and by the printer. Close the loop by buying post-consumer recycled paper, it takes 60-70% less energy to produce than paper from virgin tree pulp.
Coffee cups and one-time use take out containers fill up office trash bins fast. So go buy a coffee mug and start bringing lunch to work in reusable containers. If you cannot stop craving the neighborhood joint's food, ask your co-workers to place a large order (more efficient than many separate ones), or consider walking there and eating at the restaurant instead of trucking waste back to the office.
If your work isn't recycling, encourage them to change. In both the Portland Metro region and SW Washington garbage haulers must provide recycling services when requested. The same common items that are picked up at your curb at home can be recycled in the office. Once you have talked to your hauler and set up bins, spread the word. Most people would much rather recycle items than thrown them away; they just need to know how. Put up posters by the bins, clearly labeling where items should go then send an e-mail and share the news at a staff meeting. If you want hands-on-help evaluating your businesses waste and finding even more solutions, don't hesitate to call Metro in Portland, 503-234-3000, and in SW Washington, Clark-County Public Works, 360-397-6118. They provide free consultation and depending on your business, construction for example, there might be much more you can do.

via: http://www.1thingnw.com/