Green Life Project: The Water Cycle

This is a fun family project to do to show how water recycles itself!

Things you will need:
- A clean glass jar and lid (mayonnaise jars work well)
- Gravel
- Clean sand (play sand or aquarium sand)
- Potting soil
- A small plant such as moss, or grass seed or small beans
- A bottle cap or small seashell.

Directions:
1) Layer into the jar the gravel, sand, and then the soil on top. Use thinner layers of gravel and sand, and a thick layer of soil.
2) Add a small plant, or seeds.
3) Gently water.
4) Add shell or cap with water in it, and close lid.
5) Place in a sunny spot and watch the water cycle over the next hours and days!

GREEN LIFE PROJECT: Pinecone Bird Feeders

The Green Life was developed as a way for Metro GreenScape to share the fun of outdoor living with families in our area. This month we would like to bring you a quick and easy project to do with the kids.

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

Materials you will need for each pinecone feeder:

• A large, open pinecone
• Vegetable shortening and peanut putter
• Birdseed
• A few feet of string, fishing line or twine
• Mixing bowl
• Butter knife
• Spoon
• Scissors
• Pie tin, paper plate or cookie sheet
• ½ cup measuring cup
• Optional: High-energy bird foods such as dried fruit (cut in small pieces), chopped nuts, sunflower seeds or millet

Directions

1. Tie a three to four foot piece of yarn around the top of the pine cone for the hanger.
2. Mix two tablespoons of peanut butter with two tablespoons of shortening.
3. Spread the peanut butter and shortening mixture onto the pine cone.
4. Pour some bird seed onto a plate or shallow dish and roll the pine cone in it.
5. Optional: add dried fruit (chopped up), chopped nuts, seeds (especially sunflower and millet) which are high-energy bird foods.
6. Place the seed-covered pine cones in the freezer for about an hour or until it is firm.
7. Hang it outside in a tree!

Tips:
1. Hang your pine cone at the end of a smaller branch so squirrels don't get it.
2. Work with the bird seed over newspaper to help make clean up time easier.
3. The feeders are best when it is cooler outside. If it is too warm, the shortening will melt and the mixture fall from the cone.

*** please send us your completed feeder pictures! We would love to include them on our blog! (send to: heather@metrogreenscape.com)

Metro GreenScape Newsletter Archive

Metro GreenScape is please to announce our new newsletter archive for back issues of THE GREEN LIFE. Check that out and learn more about outdoor living, living green and Metro GreenScape.

June 11th Butterfly Garden Installed at McDowell Park in Charlotte

Metro GreenScape's celebrated Summer with McDowell Nature Park and the Charlotte Community!

The Green Life installed a new Butterfly Garden at McDowell Nature Center & Preserve Park on June 11th. Everybody had a good time and the butterflies are flocking to their new home. More photos from the day are on the Metro GreenScape Website!