Easy Upcycling: Turn A Log into A Versatile And Natural Bird Feeder - Sustainablog

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Easy Upcycling

In our Southern summer garden, we are blessed by an abundance of the most beautiful of birds: the cardinal. My children love spotting the red and tawny birds foraging in our yard, and I’ve been wondering for some time how best to help them feed. They don’t seem that keen on my hanging bird feeders—the perches are too small, the birds too big.

Being natural ground feeders, cardinals prefer flat surfaces, but put a flat surface full of bird seed in our garden and the squirrels will consume it in moments. Because these brilliant birds are actually quite large, we decided to go for something a bit sturdier than the swaying soda bottle bird feeder I made last year. We came up with an ingenious way to transform an old log into a natural looking bird feeder that should be perfect for our cardinals all year round.

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How to Choose the Greenest Outdoor Grill - for MotherEarthNews.com

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Green Grills

Summer is here, which means it’s time to get outside and enjoy your backyard, deck or patio area. What better way to do that than with a cookout? Plus, cooking your food outdoors is the more environmentally-friendly way to do it, right? Well, it can be.

As with many eco-friendly choices, it depends on a confluence of factors, including the careful selection of the right equipment. Whether you prefer cooking inside or out, the tools you use can affect the carbon footprint of your cooking.

So before you fire up the grill, think about what you can do to make your barbecue greener and cleaner. Here’s a look at the relative environmentally friendly attributes of the different grill options—gas, electric, charcoal, pellet—so you can decide which is the best fit for your green lifestyle.

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Harness the Power of the Internet to Conserve Water in Your 'Smart' Garden - for MOTHER EARTH NEWS

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Garden Image 1

How many times have you seen someone’s sprinklers on during a rain storm? Or even worse, arrived home to find yours going while it’s pouring? I think you’ll agree that it’s a truly painful-to-watch waste of Mother Earth’s most precious natural resource. With today’s climate issues, where some parts of the country are living through significant droughts, it’s even more imperative that we be mindful of our water use.

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'Green' Patio Options for Lighting, Furniture, and More - Green Homes - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

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Solar Lighting

The simple act of being outside just feels eco-friendly, doesn't it? Using nature's heating and air conditioning, soaking up Mother Earth's natural light and enjoying the serenity of a starlight night is not only good for the soul, but it's excellent for your energy bill. And the more comfortable and appealing your patio, garden or deck area is, the more time you'll spend out there. Make spending time outdoors even more eco-friendly by following some of these suggestions...

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