Green Sprouts

November 28, 2012 - 10:49pm
Bird-lovers can keep their feathered friends healthy and happy by regularly cleaning feeders. Here's how.

Many of us avian lovers long for this time of year. We hang up, suction cup or stake in the ground our feeders, fill them to the brim with seed, sneak back into the house and wait.

Before you know it, there are cardinals, chickadees, juncos, sparrows, doves and blue jays. They eat and bicker, waddle around, hop, flit away, come back, nibble, dip and dive until the seed is gone. But before you put out some more, take a closer look at your feeder and the surrounding area.

October 25, 2012 - 3:45pm
Make Mother Nature proud with these fun and simple ideas for costumes. See, it's easy being green!

Halloween is approaching quickly, and the leaves outside are turning from summery greens to lush reds. But just because the trees are becoming less green doesn't mean you should too. Make the environment one of your top priorities this Halloween with these green-themed costume ideas.

October 25, 2012 - 2:53pm
Try these fall dessert recipes that are better for the Earth — and for your health — than conventional candies.

Trick or treat, give me something good and full of artificial sweeteners and trans-fats to eat?

Halloween candy is tempting and only in season once a year. Plus, it comes in “fun” sizes, so you can eat more and without feeling guilty. Well, without feeling guilty until you look at the ingredient list, or until you eat 15 candy bars and your stomach revolts on you — whichever comes first.

October 20, 2012 - 9:20pm
Syracuse and ESF students and faculty are planning a campaign to urge the university to cut ties with companies that contribute to climate change.

After environmentalist Bill McKibben spoke at Syracuse University on Oct. 10, a signup sheet circulated among students and faculty members who were interested in accomplishing McKibben's tasks to take action against climate change. Three student groups hosted a meeting today that marked the first step toward achieving these goals.

October 9, 2012 - 3:30pm
Caring for our planet has been one important thread running through talks during the Dalai Lama's two-day visit to Syracuse.

The Dalai Lama is at Syracuse University, in case you couldn't tell. His Holiness, along with other Nobel Laureates, activists and even a former CIA director have been talking about the current state of conflict and security throughout the world, as well as ways to foster peace.

October 2, 2012 - 7:44pm
The iconic coffee company proves its devotion to the environment with a new experimental shop that is LEED-certified and made with local materials.

Starbucks is the biggest mainstream coffee franchise in the United States, making it less appealing to self-proclaimed "hipsters" all about going against mainstream culture. Hemp-wearing environmental advocates have to scour the nooks and crannies of cities to find a different coffee joint worthy of hipsterdom. Well, in most cities, that is.

September 19, 2012 - 5:55pm
Stop by the "Save the Rain" program Saturday, Sept. 22 to learn about the Onondaga Lake cleanup and other sustainability efforts around Syracuse.

Rain or shine, “Save the Rain,” a program dedicated to reducing pollution in Onondaga Lake, will host the 2012 Clean Water Fair this Saturday, Sept. 22 from 9 a.m.—2 p.m. at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant. The fair will update visitors on “Save the Rain” projects.   

September 16, 2012 - 6:34pm
Hundreds attended the Water Is Life music festival on Saturday Sept. 15, where performers and speakers stressed the importance of unifying as a community to fight hydraulic fracturing.

At the Water Is Life music festival on Saturday, Sept. 15, the event's energy didn’t just come from the musicians’ and speaker’s anti-hydofracking messages; it also came from the feeling of community that the event generated. 

September 10, 2012 - 11:18am
Looking for a way to get your veggie fix? We've compiled a list of top picks for vegetarian restaurants in Syracuse.

With many students and residents looking to buy local and stay environmentally conscious, Syracuse has become a hub for vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Back in July 2010, animal rights organization PETA ranked it No. 5 on their list of veggie-friendly small cities in the United States.

April 16, 2012 - 6:39pm
In honor of Earth Week 2012, Erin Carson compiled a list of college-student-friendly tips that can help you go green this week!

After a rare and gorgeous 80-degree day in Upstate New York, it seems Syracuse has caught on to the fact that it’s Earth Week. Repay Mother Earth for the unseasonably, snow-free weather by adopting a few green practices. Here are some of our favorite ways to do that, courtesy of Green Universal.