A pretty potted plant can add life to any windowsill and spruce up the color scene on your back porch or stairs. In honor of Earth Day, look into finding pots that can be recycled year after year (like clay pots) or pots that are made out of recycled plastics. These pots can be found at any garden shop or home improvement store. Even better? Look for an old pot around your house!

You will need a bag of soil and, of course, the flower or veggie-bush of your choice! Make sure the roots are completely covered by the soil and that the pot is big enough for the roots to grow. If you aren’t in a rush to get this plant growin’, try finding seeds that will sprout easily in your climate and watch as it grows from seed to flowery plant!

When the plant is all set, bring out the paints and fancy up the pot! You can do some pretty cool designs with stencils, or let your creativity flow with something all your own.

And as an added benefit to you, you can plant tomatoes or other small veggies and herbs in the pots. This way, you can have an excuse to eat healthier. Using fresh produce from your own backyard actually helps protect our Momma Earth: think about all those trucks and trains shipping tomatoes from who-knows-where when you could just step outside and pluck one yourself.

Birds get hungry too, you know, and plastic products are taking years to decompose in those overflowing trash heaps. But even you girlies can help both those probs by turning your trash into treasure! You will need an empty plastic milk container, scissors, bird seed, and string.

Carefully cut off the top of the milk container (maybe get a parent to help), but make sure the handle is still unbroken. Tie the string tightly onto the handle. Fill the container up with bird seed, and hang it from a nearby tree.

Into birds? Start a notebook about all the interesting birds you see coming to the bird feeder. Then hop online or find a birding book to see what kind of birds you get!

Roll up your sleeves and get fancy! You can find a wooden bird feeder in craft stores and other home appliance or home improvement shops. Grab your 5 fave colors of acrylic paint, some stencils if ya want, and get painting! Birds will love the pretty colors you pick… but they’ll still love the seed you put inside the most!

Have a green craft of your own? What are some of your fave tips to help the environment? Blog it out!