Suburban Wildlife; Canadian Geese, Turkey Vulture and a squirrel …

Real folks,

I live in Markham, Ontario, Canada and there are many flocks of geese that live alongside or nearby Highway 7 that runs through our city. It is quite an amazing thing to see 6 to 8 lanes of rush-hour traffic stop and wait patiently while a mother goose and all her goslings tread carefully across the pavement to get to the other side.

Then the other day I noticed this story about a turkey vulture and a squirrel, so here you go:

article from: http://www.buildrealestateresults.com/blog

Whimsical Wednesday: Suburban Wildlife

By Kathleen Allardyce

Suburban Wildlife - Things are Tough All Over

The other day I was driving through my neighborhood headed toward the main road when I came upon several cars stopped so that they were just about blocking the road. It was an unusual occurence because our little neighborhood streets are not really prone to traffic jams.
As I slowed to a stop, I discovered the reason behind the problem. One of our local squirrels had been unlucky enough to be hit by a car and standing next to it was a turkey vulture. So, this was something of an event.

I’ve seen turkey vultures floating on thermals, but I’d never seen one this close. It wasn’t really a pleasant experience except for the novelty of it.

If you haven’t seen a turkey vulture up close, rest assured that it is an animal only a mother could love. This bird was about 2 feet tall, and probably had close to a 6′ wing span, it had a feather-less red head and the skulking posture that makes it difficult to consider it a cute animal.

Supposedly, turkey vultures stay in open spaces such as fields and less dense wooded areas. Evidently, no one explained that to this particular bird. And, the other odd thing was the bird’s evident disregard for the cars and people around it.

full article continues at: Suburban wildlife includes turket vultures

More on vultures at WebVulture.com, your Vulture Information website

More suggested browsing:

Guide to Alternative Energy Investing

Nature and Ecology Blog

Green Real Estate Mortgage market thriving in UK

article from: http://www.earth.co.uk

Green mortgage market left unscathed by credit crunch

The green mortgage market is enjoying success while other mortgage markets suffer from the credit crunch, according to Ecology building society.

Ecology also said that fixed rate mortgages appear to be losing their appeal as lenders increase rates due to instable financial market and this is making variable rates more attractive to borrowers.

Jenny Irwin, marketing manager for Ecology Building Society, said: "Mortgage lending for the year was the highest on record and we doubled our gross lending compared with 2006.

"We are a mutual building society and use our savers'' investments to fund mortgage lending, so we do not need to borrow funds from external sources. As such we have not been affected by the credit crunch."

She added that the company was expecting 2008 to be a successful year following the business the company has had this year.

Green mortgages are said to be better for the environment as they come from lenders who will make contributions to charities that support the environment.



Suggested browsing:

Best Alternative Energy Investing websites

Real Living Ohio Realty offers "Green Realtors" section on website

What a great idea!!! RealLiving.com is providing online resources for green realtors, homebuyers and those seeking to purchase an environmentally-friendly home.

The green realty information on their website is divided into 4 main sections:

Green Tips for Home Buyers

Greening Your Home before Selling

Green Ideas for Home Renovation

Recycling Tips for a Green Home



This Real Living online green realtor information section also includes links to important sites:


Green Internet Sites:

U.S. EPA

National Geographic

Go Green Initiative

Green Living Online

ENERGY STAR

Sierra Club



Conscious readers, check also:

Guide to Alternative Energy Investing Websites

Geothermal Power Websites and Blogs

Six Ways to "Green" a Home and lower utility bills

According to an article by Susan Thurston published on December 28th in the St. Petersburg Times, Green remodeling may pay off significantly — in lowered utility bills, and in buyer appeal when the property is sold.

Here are a few "green renovation" "find a green home" options to consider:

• Site selection. Prefer infill development instead of a new subdivision in a far-flung new suburb that gobbles wetlands and displaces animals.

• Energy-efficient products. Choose Energy Star appliances, double-paned windows, low-flush toilets, and compact fluorescent light bulbs.

• Spray foam insulation. Seal the home with insulation that doesn’t let the heat or cooled air leak out.

• Sustainable wood flooring. Select flooring certified by Forest Stewardship Council, which protects forests by managing the amount of wood harvested annually.

• Locally made products. Buy products made less than 250 miles away to reduce transportation costs. Granite, for instance, is generally imported from afar.

• Nontoxic paint. Use paint that is low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — chemicals that evaporate into the atmosphere. Look for Green Seal certified brands.

Welcome Green Realtors Everywhere

Please let us know what you would like to see on these pages, for the more connected we all are, the better the opportunity to make it easier for people to improve the quality, sustainability and energy-efficiency of homes, cottages, commercial properties and other buildings.

We look forward to seeing posts from real estate agents, real estate brokers, office managers, including any and all realtors promoting ecology and sustainability in housing.

A Green Realtor,

Realty Joe