Do you hear that sound? It’s the sound of summer running out, and if you don’t take advantage now it’ll be all fall leaves and rain drops before you know it. Get yourself to the beach, quick, while you still can…and bring some nibbles, noshes and libations while you’re at it so that you can spend the whole day (or at least stay until sunset).

The only problem with gourmet feasting surf side is finding a way to juggle everything and stay relaxed. Or that was the only problem until now. Enter the Bamboo Wine Table from Uncommon Goods. It’s made from 100% sustainable bamboo and crafted to hold a couple wine glasses and a small snack (perhaps a great cheese from a local, organic dairy farm?) without requiring any effort on your part. Simply push the stake on the bottom of the wine table into the sand and slip your wineglasses into the holders to become the envy of all other beach goers. Of course, if you can’t make it all the way to the beach you can just as easily throw down a blanket on the front lawn and dig the wine table in there (we suggest a little star gazing and sipping for a great eco-friendly evening). Click here to read more

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Mother’s Day can sneak up on you and slip by without so much as a warning, and if that was the case for you this year, it’s time to find a belated Mother’s Day gift and do a little damage control. For a green gift that’s fitting with the occasion, we like the Recycled Tin Bouquet from Uncommon Goods.

Sure, you’ve probably presented your mom with a bouquet before on Mother’s Day (more than once, most likely), but never anything like this. Instead of being made up of airplane-imported flowers that were potentially doused in pesticides before they were picked, this this bouquet is composed of handmade flowers crafted from recycled tin in pastel tones. Mom can display them inside in a vintage vase for a charming, rustic look (sans scent) and graduate them to the garden after, where they can be “planted” among tall grasses for instant floral accents—green thumb not required. The Recycled Tin Bouquet is especially clever if your mom suffers from allergies and can’t have the pollen from traditional bouquets polluting her air.

The fact that this Tin Bouquet is recycled is also important, and for more than just the normal “reduce, reuse, recycle” reasons; tin is not a naturally occurring element and there’s a high likelihood we’ll run out of it—possibly even as soon as 2030—due to high consumption. Click here to read more

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Here on the Greenzer blog we’ve covered neighborhood bird counting as a fun activity, but we’re going to encourage you again to do something that helps the bird population and, in turn, the planet. This time, however, it’s a little easier and also has aesthetic perks. Our recommendation this time is to get a bird feeder. With the flowers about to bloom and outdoor activities just starting to be possible again, there’s no better time of year to hang a habitat for our feathered friends.

It may not seem like feeding the birds has much of an impact, and it’s true, there are other things you can do that have bigger environmental effects, but it’s easy to do and can help the bird population, which has been displaced by our constant urban growth. Our cement towers have taken over many of the trees that served as residences for the birds and setting up a bird feeder will help the existing population survive. On a secondary level, an improved bird population also means fewer bugs (the true bird food) and fewer chemicals required to reduce the insect population.

If you’re looking for a sweet, old-fashioned touch to add to your outdoor setup, try the Recycled Milk Glass Hummingbird Feeder from Uncommon Goods (pictured above). The feeder is made from recycled milk glass by Mexican artists who add pigment to the glass and then add red glass flower feeding tubes for you to fill with sweet sugar water. It’s easy to refill and much more sophisticated than the regular plastic feeders.

If it’s bird seed you’re planning on serving, try the Glass Dome Cardinal Bird Feeder from Turning Life, which blends seamlessly with its surroundings and keeps out large birds and bad weather, while providing an easy eatery for cardinals and similar birds. Recommended favorite food? Black oil sunflower seed.

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In case the bracelets made out of vinyl records and the journals made out of elephant dung didn’t have you convinced about how uncommon the goods really were at Uncommon Goods, this Cardboard Deer Head should erase all your doubts. While we would never endorse an actual mounted deer head for decor purposes (and we hope you don’t hunt for recreational purposes), this recycled cardboard alternative is clever and modern and sure to start a few conversations. Plus, you can use it to promote your own hobby of hunting through the recycling for hidden treasures.

While we’d steer clear of gifting this cardboard creature for baby showers and your refined elderly aunt, it’s a good option for any students you know with bare dorm room walls, bachelors and anyone looking to outfit a game room (as in billiards, not big game). The $28 cost might not seem like a bargain until you try to fashion one out of cardboard yourself, but either way you won’t argue that it’s less of a price to pay than the life of one of Bambi’s kin. And it’ll be way less creepy than a real deer head if you’re home alone during a power outage. Click here to read more

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When you’re trying to save money on your fashion budget–and who’s not these days?–every fashionista will give you the same advice: Accessorize to bring new life to old outfits. It’s often a lot cheaper than investing in even one article of clothing and can completely change a look. Inventive and bold accessories are the best because the focus is diverted from price factor to originality. The Recycled Plastic Messanging Cuff we’ve discovered from Uncommon Goods is exactly that kind of outfit extra.

Made from two types of recycled plastic (making it 100% recycled), the Messaging Cuff starts a basic red or black adjustable plastic cuff with perforations throughout, which we’d like even on its own for a minimalist addition to an outfit, but the real point is to make it your own with 100 attachable elements. There are 75 letters to spell out exactly what you’re trying to say, 10 numbers and 15 icons (we like the little globe). So every morning when you’re mixing and matching different areas of your outfit, you can be switching up your accessory too. Click here to read more

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