There's a debate over the true eco-friendly nature of artificial grass. On one hand, fake turf saves water and needs very little maintenance over a 15- to 20-year period. On the other hand, it's made from petroleum, is not biodegradable and absorbs heat instead of cooling like real plants and grass can do. The greenest solution? Think ground-cover plants that involve almost zero mowing, watering or fertilizers. Ground covers like blue star creeper, elfin thyme and fleur de lawn love the sun, are drought resistant and are friendly to foot (or paw) traffic.

Backyard pools can be water wasters, so it's imperative to be aware if your pool is leaking. One way to check is to use a grease pencil to mark your pool's current water level. Wait one day and look at the mark: If the water level is half an inch or lower than the original mark, you likely have a leak. It's important to have a professional inspect the pool and determine where the leak is coming from and repair it. Be sure to cover your pool every night: It reduces the amount of evaporation of water into the atmosphere.

If you're planning to spend hot summer nights in your backyard or will be having a picnic in the park, be sure to be extra careful when the festivities are over. Containers that have small openings -- like salad dressing bottles, mustard jars and ketchup containers -- can be tempting to wild animals. They'll even force their heads into bottles to get out the last bits of tasty treats. Be sure to pick up small debris like plastic sandwich bags, aluminum foil and even toothpicks, all of which can harm animals if ingested.