Building Green

Summer Begins at Habitat ReStore

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:30:00 -0400

Summer has officially begun and that means home projects, remodeling, and fun in the sun. For us at the Lancaster Habitat ReStore it is no different. We are finishing up our remodeling with the help of our generous volunteers, slashing prices on sale items, and trying to have a little fun in the process. This is the part we need your help with.

We want to see what you have done with materials from the ReStore. We know that many times customers are very creative with what they do with the materials bought at the ReStore. Please submit stories and pictures through any of our social media sites and we will collect them all for everyone to see. Submit your name if you would like and we will be sure to show your creation. Our sites can be found at
https://www.facebook.com/lancrestore
https://www.twitter.com/lancrestore
or email at restore@lancasterhabitat.org.

Earth Day Update

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:48:00 -0400

Earth Day is only 2 days away and we are excited to share it with everyone!
We received a great resource on Earth Day and "Going Green" through the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry LinkedIn Group (http://bit.ly/bjr78T) today and would like to share some more ideas with you.

5 TRUTHS ABOUT GREEN LIVING
1) Buying "green" does cost less - sometimes, a lot less
Reducing packaging anywhere you buy saves you money
2) Green products work just as good, sometimes, better.
If you tried one green product and it did not work then try something else, try a product that has been around long enough to have learned what works and what doesn't.
3) Green is about than saving energy, saving our planet, and saving lives
Living in harmony with nature includes every aspect of business and personal life - when we clean up our act and our space our health improves and we suffer less from illness.
4) Green choices are popular
Make friends with those who are making the choices you admire and then be the change-influence for the other friends in your life.
5) Green choices are convenient & easier
Doing something, anything is better than nothing at all. All of us have habits - good ones, bad ones - it is our habits that make life move along with ease and convenience. So if your new habit is to use green products, the only inconvenience is deciding to change your habits. When you do it becomes easy.

These tips and others can also be found through http://melissaotto.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html. This is an environmentally minded company with great products and tips. If you have other ideas or links for Earth Day and how to live an environmentally sustainable life please leave comments below.

Earth Day 2010

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:14:00 -0400

With Earth Day quickly approaching Habitat ReStores all around the country are talking about what they are doing to help spread a little green in your pockets and on the Earth. This Earth Day (April 22), they want to remind to "go green" by shopping and donating at your local Habitat ReStore. ReStores are not only great for Habitat; they are good for the planet.

At the Lancaster Habitat ReStore "Going Green," is more than a slogan, it's the way we operate. Our slogan, "Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose," is our way to communicate what we are trying to do with our store.

The ReStore serves two main purposes. One, to make money for Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity and two to give a place for people in the community to donate new and gently used materials that they have no need for anymore. Instead of throwing things into the dump we can take them and "repurpose" them for someone else. In the end this saves time, money, resources, and ultimately our Earth.

Below are some ideas of how you can help by participating and what else the ReStore is doing.

Diggerslist

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:58:00 -0400

dig•gers•list n. a free online home improvement and construction classifieds that helps homeowners, contractors and do-it-yourselfers save money, find jobs and complete projects.

Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity is in the process of remodeling and updating! One of the items that needed a lot of attention was our website. While working on the website I came across a fantastic website called Diggerslist. I found it through Los Angeles' Habitat ReStore YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/bjDt2Y).

After contacting Matt at Diggerslist, he was able to set up a widget for us to post on our website. This widget is the only thing we or anyone would need to advertise services or products that they are selling or would like to purchase. We use it to organize our inventory and show items we have for sale. The greatest thing about the Diggerslist site and widget is they work together to provide a complete product description. By clicking on an item or name in the widget the customer is connected to the Diggerslist site to see a more extensive description and pictures. Finally the customer can then send an email or call the store to get more information. All this for FREE!!!

This is where we need your help! If you are in the greater Philadelphia area please sign up on Diggerslist (http://philadelphia.diggerslist.com/auth/unlock/PA5/) and help us activate Pennsylvania and our region so anyone can view and search for products and services. When we have 100 individuals signed up our city and region will be activated. For more information please visit our site in Lancaster; http://www.lancasterhabitatrestore.org/index.php?pID=29 and/or Diggerslist at http://www.diggerslist.com.

Thank you for your help! Please write or call if you have any other questions or need help!

Lancaster Historic Home Show

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:45:00 -0500

The ReStore was at this year's first annual Lancaster Historic Home Show and had a great experience. We set up our booth on Thursday and got ready to meet with people from the community. A picture of our booth is to the right. The first night, Friday, Feb. 26 was a gala which highlighted each booth along with a buffet of snacks and drinks.

Lancaster Habitat ReStore welcomes Drew Tyson as our new Assistant Manager!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:54:00 -0500

Drew Tyson

The ReStore offered Drew an opportunity as the new Assistant Manger to help out on many levels. He is applying his organization and display experience while supporting management's needs for increased donations and customer service. The most exciting aspect for him is being part of the Habitat for Humanity team which is dedicated to helping people in need and improving our larger community.

Drew is an outdoorsman, craftsman and father of three adult children. Drew resides on the east side of Lancaster with his wife Diane of 34 years. His early creativity sparked a graphic design business which he enjoyed for 22 years and later spawned a (short-lived) stained glass studio. After selling for local and national graphics firms, he decided to stay a little closer to home.

We are very happy to welcome Drew to our team and look forward to all he has to bring to Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity!

ReFreshen Your Home in 5 Easy Steps

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:19:00 -0500

Wouldn't it be great if we could take the corners of our house, pick them up, and snap them clean like a freshly washed bed sheet? It would be nice, but then we'd be living in an unreal "Tim Burton-esque" world. Good news, though...refreshening your home, with good planning, can be done easily in a weekend.
This past Tuesday, designer Taniya Nayak of Designed to Sell discussed ideas for sprucing up your home without having to do any major renovations.

Check out these tips:
#1. Paint is the #1 easy fix to create a fresh and new feel to your home. Refer to design magazines for updated colors. *Budget tip: Check out this Habitat ReStore listing on DiggersList for inexpensive colorant, or go to your local DIY store for "oops! paint". If the color isn't exactly what you want, purchase a quart of paint to mix and create one on your own, or ask a color consultant @ a DIY store for help.

Continue on DiggerList.com -->``

Home Dedication

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:46:00 -0500

In the current economic climate, few Americans take for granted the dream of buying a home, and making a better life for their children.

The dream remains elusive for so many. But it was realized for two families when they received the keys to their new homes in an emotional dedication ceremony early Saturday afternoon.

Their modern, modest homes were built by Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity.

New homebuyers Santa Gonzalez and Habtamu Kenea and Sara Buli will be the first residents of the Fairview Build, a neighborhood of 19 townhouses that Habitat is building on 1.3 acres at Fairview and Seymour streets.

Their homes were built with a $204,000 grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Local Lutheran congregations also sponsored the homes, and local businesses made in-kind donations. Proceeds from sales at Habitat ReStore, a building supply store operated by Lancaster Habitat, also went toward construction.

Read the rest of the article here.
View the video spot by Fox 43 here.

Habitat International's Response to Haiti

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:34:00 -0500

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti-just 10 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Thousands of buildings and homes were destroyed. Millions of people were affected and more than 1 million people were left displaced or homeles.

Habitat's response in Haiti
Habitat is implementing immediate relief efforts and addressing long-term shelter solutions for low-income families.

Based on current information and past experience with international disasters, Habitat is planning a multi-phrase strategy of response:

Donate online today!

5 ways Apple's iPad can help you as a contractor

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:47:00 -0500

Steve Jobs

This is some great advice from our friends over at DiggersList! Check this out for some helpful tips!

5 Ways Apple's new iPad can help you as a contractor!