Father's Day Gift Guide
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 06. 3.08
Dad: We love him, but this guy sure is hard to shop for.
He's a good sport no matter what we deliver -- gamely wearing that outlandish tie for years to come. Yet -- wouldn't it be nice to gift something easy on the earth that actually makes his eyes light up? With Father's Day around the corner (June 15!), we compiled a little green inspiration for those eco dads out there.
Folding Strida Bike
What's only 22 lbs, folds in a snap without greasy fingers, tackles traffic in cities like New York, and hangs from a meat hook?
The Strida 5.0 Folding bike ($800), and TreeHuggers are addicted to this two-wheeled wonder like tap water. Dad will be too. The triangular aluminum frame pushes down to a compact shape in five seconds flat and some smart technology makes it grease-free -- so no black smears on your organic threads. Available in silver, red, black, dark blue, pink, white, yellow, and a cream special edition. ::Strida available through ::Areaware
The Magno Wooden Radio
The Magno Wooden Radio by Singgih Kartono is so eco-posh. And not just because of the two-toned mod design made of sustainably-grown wood: This radio also helps provide jobs for workers in Indonesia.
Although simple in design, Magno is compatible with the most current mp3 player electronics. The price starts at $200 and it's available in three sizes. Available through ::Areaware
TreeHugger the Book
Maybe you're just a chip off the sustainably-harvested bamboo block, or perhaps dad (like us), needs a little prodding or some good tips on how to do his part reversing climate change. Say TreeHugger rolled up in one eco friendly bite. Ready, Set, Green: Eight Weeks to Modern Eco-Living by TreeHugger founder Graham Hill and TreeHugger editor-in-chief Meaghan O'Neill is that and more.
The handy pocket-sized TreeHugger offers simple adjustments which are easy to take in and easy to incorporate in daily life. For example, ditch the chemicals and choose healthier cleaning products. Or embrace the dishwasher -- and save 5,000 gallons of water annually. Small changes with big results can help dad restore balance to his daily life -- and positively impact the future of the planet. Available through ::Amazon
The World's First Suit Made From Recycled PET Bottles
Take out the trash in Japan and voilà , you have the world's first suit made from recycled PET bottles. Produced by U.K. Fashion house Bagir, EcoGir is now available in the U.S. at Sears.
Fabricated from 100 percent post consumer waste, EcoGir is only about $200 and helps you take a pass on harmful dry cleaning chemicals, thanks to its machine-washable construction.
Is dad a business traveler on the go? He can even wash EcoGir in the sink for a fresh take on tomorrow's meeting. To find it at Sears (only in the U.S.) search for the label Covington. ::Sears ::Bagir
Electric Lawn Mower
Imagine the smell of freshly mowed grass -- without the roaring engine and the lingering whiff of hazardous air pollutants, particle pollution, and volatile organic compounds. The grass is greener on the other side of this fence. Dad will be the envy of the neighborhood with his new Black & Decker Lawn Hog 12 Amp 19-Inch Electric Mulching Mower ($229 on Amazon). Fast facts: Lawn mowers are big backyard polluters. According to the EPA, trading in 1,000 gasoline-powered lawn mowers for electric mowers can slash volatile organic compound VOC emissions by 9.8 tons per year. That's equivalent to taking 230 cars off the road.
The Electric Mulching Mower is quiet, self-propelled, and leaves the trimmings behind to nurture new shoots. Not green enough for you? Check out the bicycle lawnmower. ::Black & Decker
Multi-gadget Solar Charger
Keep Dad's gadgets juiced up with the Solio Hybrid 1000, the solar charger that TreeHugger staffers are touting as the best on the market.
Why? The solar panel-battery combo is portable, charges just as fast as if you had plugged into the wall, and conveniently runs from a USB port and a power outlet, in addition to our green friend the sun. The cable and carabiner are built-in, and everything tucks into one slim case. At $80, the price isn't bad either.
Most importantly, it's universal so you don't need to carry 10 chargers for 10 gadgets. Cell phones, iPods, digital cameras, game players, and GPS systems -- bring 'em on. ::Solio
High-efficiency Solar-powered Laptop Case 
Sunbathing laptop cases are the wave of the future. We can't get enough of the Voltaic Generator, the new Voltaic laptop bag and the first solar bag packing a power punch hefty enough to charge Dad's laptop.
While some manufacturers cheaped-out on low-grade solar cells, Voltaic went high-efficiency with its solar panel. It generates up to 17 watts, fully-charging a laptop after a day of direct sunlight. Another plus, it comes with a battery pack and common adapters. The sturdy case is available in silver, orange, green or charcoal and made up of recycled soda bottles (PET). We think all these perks make it worth the $599. ::Voltaic Systems
Recycled and Recyclable Wine Rack
Help Dad keep his collection of organic wine in order with the Six-Pack Wine Rack ($40) by Kelly Smith and Chris Grimley and available through online store Branch. This earthy-friendly storage item is made from 100 percent industrial renewable and recyclable wool felt and held together with nylon stitching. About 85 percent of the felt is factory scraps and 15 percent is mixed fibers. Since the scraps collected are never quite the same, each piece is unique. The best part? When the wine's all gone, there's no empty rack reminding you: It folds up flat and easily slips into a drawer. ::Branch
Muji Collapsible Cardboard Speakers
Dad's music is not necessarily your music, but he can blast away Puccini and Abba on repeat from remote locations (please!) with these Cardboard Speakers from Muji ($42), the Japanese brandnow in the middle of an international rollout. As the name implies, they are made of naturally light-weight cardboard, and can be folded down flat-pack style to fit cozily into the included pouch. They also don't break if they fall off a table, nice! ::Muji Available through ::MoMA Store
Benromach Organic Whiskey 
Slip a little Benromach Organic Whiskey (about $57) in dad's toddy, and know that he's drinking only the finest distillation of Scottish organic barley, organic yeast and pure spring water, matured to the highest standard (according to the firm).
After dad tells you how much he appreciates the "rich and fruity with sweet, resinous flavors," you can reveal that the maturing process takes place in virgin American oak casks made from sustainable wood. Handmade by two men, Benromach Organic Whiskey is also the first bottled Single Malt Whiskey fully-certified by the Soil Association. Available through Bibacity More Organic Whiskey ::Organic Grain Whiskey by Highland Harvest
More Gift Guides
::Mother's Day Guide 2008
::2007 Green Gift Guide
::2006 Green Gift Guide
::Holiday Gift Guide 2005
Better (and cheaper) than an electric mower would be a reel style mower. I love mine and I can safely mow while the kids are playing in the yard.
I came here to say what oldgin said: Our reel mower is more fun and takes up less space than an electric.
But the organic whiskey and solar charger would make good gifts for my first official Father's Day.
Reel mowers are an excellent alternative to gasoline powered lawn mowers. If the 60 million people who tend to their lawns knew they were a viable option for maintaing their lawn, we could all enjoy a peaceful Saturday afternoon in the hammock!
Carl M.
1. I had one of those solar phone chargers, it wasn't really practical.
2. It didn't really charge my phone.
3.I can't find that suit at sears. But $200 would be a great price if someone could find it and leave the URL.
Excuse my igronarnce but what is a reel mower? Perhaps we dont have them here in Oz.
M
The suits at Sears are only going to be available in the US and starting on Fathers Day (I am told). Maybe take Dad shopping or buy him a gift certificate. Anyway it's hard to buy someone a suit without them going for a fitting first...
Karin
Mena:
A reel power is also known as a push mower. It's powered by you; no batteries, no electricity, no gas. Just muscle :)
Brill do a good one,
http://www.greenwarehouse.co.uk/index.php?p0=detail&id=334
Not sure if I found out about this particular site on TH previously, so apologies if it's already out there. I have the mower and the Oxygenics showerhead on my shopping list.
You just can't compare the sound of a push mower with a noisy electric mower on a Sunny weekend, the first is much more relaxing.
In defense of electric mowers, reel mowers are not suitable for certain types of grass found in the U.S. (for example, St. Augustine grass); are plain unattractive for tackling some of the larger lawns found in suburbia; and require greater frequency of use because they aren't good at cutting very tall grass.
I've used a reel mower (including the Brill linked above) on my city lot for five years and would not *think* about returning to a gasoline-powered mower. But, this spring, I've ended up with another lot to mow and time has been at a real premium, so I bought a (used) electric mower (a B&D Lawn Hog) for when I can't use my reel mower. I dare say that most people would be satisfied with an electric mower like this one.
In trying to buy the Solio charger, I noticed that you have pictured the Solio classic charger, but name the Solio Hybrid 1000 in the post.
Thanks.
This is a statement outlining what I would like to do with my future career. After reading Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century by Alex Steffan, I decided that implementing these ideas, philosophies, and theories into everyday life is very important to me. I did some further thinking, my job permits plenty of muse time, and I decided that putting these ideas to work in my own life just wasn't enough. I knew I needed to expand my knowledge of the current situation, technologies available, and practices already used. I have decided to return to school to get my bachelors degree. I had an issue deciding what I wanted to focus on and finally realized that the environment was the important issue. I know I need to continue my education, so a master's degree is the obvious choice. The school I will be attending is the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. My first choice was a M.S. in Environmental Ethics but I've chosen instead to try interdisciplinary studies. I want to focus on Environmental Science and Environmental Ethics with a few classes in environmental issues, ecology, hydrology, environmental geography, biology, plant ecology, biogeography, environmental geology, proposal writing, community resources, economic and community development, public policy, environmental plan and hazards, environmental sociology, and a research methods class.
I've chosen these classes and study areas based on what I feel is important. I've picked classes ranging from economics to sociology, public administration to geography. I want to cover a wide range of classes dealing with the environment and communities because I feel that is where the greatest change can be accomplished. I would like to help cities and communities become sustainable. Engage citizens in sustainable living, encouraging green energy use, developing incentive projects for both cities and their citizens to produce their own food and energy. I want to encourage people to become more eco friendly, start recycling programs in cities and communities that don't have them already. I've got so many ideas of how to make cities green, save money, and help protect and conserve what natural resources we have left while still experiencing the quality of life they are already living or increase it if possible.
I guess I just wrote this to see if anyone thinks I am heading in the right direction or if anyone wants to give me tips or advice.
I had the problem with the reel mower and tall grass. I had to return the mower. I went with a good old scythe. Granted, that is a little work, but what a work it is! Gets you back to your roots, great tool, great feeling.
The grass lawn is one of the most eco-hostile customs in the world. Where possible, moss should be substituted. This eliminates the overuse of water, chemicals and lawn mowers of all kinds. See this New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/garden/01moss.html?em&ex=1210132800&en=25539f8036b0efdc&ei=5087%0A
I've been buying all my green gifts at this great shop called Fresh Heirlooms--they make creative reuse products out of 100% recycled materials. eco-friendly gifts include clocks, candels, fruit bowls, furniture and all kinds of creative stuff.
i love that place!