While the previous winter's chill has many of us dreaming of hot, steamy days, the summer months are near and quite possibly might have us dreaming of cold, wintery days. To keep your home cool during the summer without turning on the air conditioner, open the right windows in your home. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, open low windows just a little bit on the windy side of the house, and open the window wide on the opposite side. This will draw cool air through the home with a tunnel effect, creating a cooling breeze. But during the hottest times of the day, close windows to trap the cool air inside.

Do you have old, lightly used furniture you would like to donate instead of sending to a landfill? The Furniture Bank Association is a nonprofit that helps families who are in need of furniture get it at little or zero cost. The families work with a number of organizations across the country where Furniture Bank connects people who have pieces to give with people who need them. All you have to do is visit furniturebanks.org and find what organizations within a 15- to 20-mile radius of you accept furniture. Many of them will come to you to pick up everything from lightly used beds to tables, sofas and more.

When it comes to feeding wildlife in your backyard, it's perfectly fine to set up a birdfeeder for our feathered friends. Just be sure to choose a feed mixture appropriate for the nutritional needs of the types of birds in your region. And also be sure to keep your birdfeeder in a place that is dry and protected from the natural elements. But when it comes to other wildlife, like deer, squirrels and raccoons, avoid the temptation to feed them. When these animals become dependent on food from humans, they lose their sense of fear, which can lead to a deterioration of their natural instinct to forage and continue to be wild.