RePurposing Our Van As A Bird Feeder

We haven't driven our van for months. It's been great - we don't miss it. Is it possible that this tired hunk of ancient metal, glass and rubber can still be useful?

Certainly not as a mobility device. It can not be driven as it is not registered or insured, and at the moment it won't even start. Currently it is as useful as having a large anchor in the driveway.

Until I repurposed it. 

As a bird feeder. 

A big, big bird feeder.

"Peanuts in mirror are closer than they appear."

A while back I thought that I might be insulting the crows intelligence by being boring and throwing peanuts on to the lawn for them. I thought for such an smart bird that was not challenging enough, so I looked for situations that might be more cognitively appropriate. 

I started hiding peanuts around the yard, but without any close trees or shrubs or much of anything, the options were limited. So I looked to the van.

I found places on our inert internal combustion conveyance to stash a few peanuts. Door handles, top of window, mirrors - anywhere they would stick on.

Then I watched and waited.

A customer waits patiently.

It didn't take long till I was watching crows flying up and deftly picking peanuts from all the spots. It appeared that this was more... fun?... for them than strolling across the lawn and eating peanuts carelessly tossed there by the peanut dispenser (me).

Now the crows have an opportunity to exercise their intelligence and problem solving skills plucking peanuts from the nooks and crannies of the van bird feeder, and I get to watch their amazing antics. 

Also, I have the satisfaction of making our van useful once again - this time without spewing toxic tailpipe gases. It is also infinitely safer at 0 km per hour than any speed faster than that. Let's not forget that driving remains a very dangerous activity that kills and injures hundreds of thousands or people every year.

Save the world (and possibly yourself) - park your motor vehicle and turn it into a bird feeder. It's an all around winning idea.

1) Escape the tyranny of the complicated and expensive personal mobility device, 

2) the birds will love it, and 

3) the atmosphere won't complain either. 

We cal that there a win-win-win situation. We need more of those in the world right now.