GREEN GIFTS FOR FATHER'S DAY, PART II

Gadgets & Gizmos

If Dad is always look for new gadgets and gizmos, especially ways to jazz up the backyard, you should check out these Solar Light Spheres ($21.99). Floating pond solar lights add a touch of elegance to any water feature; they recharge in just six hours for a nighttime of vibrant color illumination and the price is great for those of you on a budget. For the Outdoorsy Dad, get him the compact Universal Solar Charger; it’s the lightest, fastest solar charger on the market because it delivers a straight charge to your iPod; BlackBerry; or Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Ericsson, Siemens or Motorola cell phone. It eliminates the need for internal battery storage. Fold it open, connect the mini-USB cord with the proper adapter tip (included), and you'll have a full charge in two or
three hours of direct sun. If your Dad lives in the big-city but is still environmentally conscious, get him the Mercedes Benz of composters; the NatureMill Plus Automatic Composter is a 

fully automatic and odor free composter and is the perfect solution for those who desire to compost but don't have the space outside for a pile.  Check out some of these amazing features: continuous air flow and a powerful carbon filter remove odors; the unit is completely sealed,; indoor or outdoor use, even in cold weather, rain, or snow; add food waste any time, any day, up to 120 lbs per month; waste items are processed continuously, mixing every 4 hours, until they are completely ground down to small particles; compost is ready every 2 weeks. And the best part of all?  A red light will tell you when to empty the machine. Just open the door and remove the compost. How simple is that?

Relaxation

If Dad is a big fan of kicking up his feet with a good book or newspaper, then you should think about getting him the Recycled Enviro-Fiber Hammocks ($144.99). The enviro-fiber recycled hammock is the perfect backyard lounger for those lazy summer days. It’s made from 100% recycled fiber derived from soda bottles and is UV, mildew  and mold resistant.  If Dad is big on conservation (and saving pennies), he can now save the water that’s usually wasted while waiting for the shower to warm up by getting him the Panda Maximum Flow Eco-Friendly Showerhead with Rain Spray Pattern. This showerhead conserves up to 2,700 gallons of water per year and  Dad will feel those therapeutic effects when he’s saving big $$ on the energy bills.  If Dad’s a fishing buff or just likes to hang out in the garden and listen to NPR, he’s sure to love the Hand Cranked Radio ($44.95); this eco-gadget is a great place to introduce the idea of alternative energy on a much larger scale.

Food & Drink

If Dad is a connoisseur good Beer to wash down that delicious burger, you can order him some St. Peter's English Ale or Old Style Porter ($54/case), Butte Creek Organic IPA ($36/case), or Samuel Smith Organic Lager ($47.40/case) from Portland, Oregon's Belmont Station.  Or, if

he’s more of a do-it-yourself kind of guy, satisfy your dad's hunger for craftsmanship and thirst for a cold one with a unique organic beer brewing kit from Seven Bridges Cooperative ($129.50). The California-based Coop has been offering organically grown brewing ingredients since 1997. For something simpler, why not treat him to the award-winning, organic 2004 Sangiovese red from California's Frey Vineyards ($13) Frey is the oldest and largest purely organic winery in the United States, and is the country's first producer of eco-sensitive Biodynamic wines. None have added sulfites, which are among the compounds many people are allergic to, and all are vegan

friendly. Other notable selections include the vineyard's Biodynamic Zinfandel ($16-$18) and
Biodynamic Chardonnay ($12.25). If Dad isn’t much of a drinker, you can always get him two pounds of The Groovy Mind organic, Fair Trade, shade grown coffee from Buzz Eco Java and two of Graham Hill's ceramic replicas of Greek New York paper take-out cups.

For the Dad who loves to cook, get him the John Willingham’s World Champian Bar-B-Q cookbook (but make sure you help Dad substitute as many organic and grass fed ingredients as possible). Authentic Bar-B-Q is as American as the Fourth of July, but often it takes a search party to find the real thing.  At the heart of this book are Willingham's acclaimed recipes for mouthwatering beef, pork, fish, and chicken Bar-B-Q that will make any BBQ-lovin’ Dad sure to go “hog-wild” over this recipe book.

Clothes & Accessories

Send dad off to work in style in a pair of organic cotton, twill pants from Cottonfield USA ($72) and a fair-trade, organic cotton polo shirt from Indigenous Designs ($24.65). If dad's dressing up, how about one of Rawganique's classy, organic hemp neckties ($16) Patagonia's popular organic cotton shirts include long-sleeved Puckerware shirts ($64), long-sleeved Sol Patrol shirts with sun protection ($80) and the more relaxed, lightweight No-Bother short-sleeve shirt for hot weather ($68). So whether Dad is sweating at the office, out paddling around or trekking through the Amazon, he'll be comfortable, sunburn-free and helping keep pesticides from conventional cotton production out of our waterways.

Other

For the minimalist, or the dad with already over-stuffed closets and an over-flowing garage, consider a gift membership to a worthy conservation organization. To find a local preserve he could support, contact the Trust for Public Land. Adopt an acre of threatened tropical forest in his name for $50 from The Nature Conservancy. A $50 TNC gift membership will also include a subscription to the beautiful Nature Conservancy magazine. For the animal lover, gift memberships are available to the National Wildlife Federation (prices begin at $15), which includes that group’s award-winning magazine.

Did you miss Green Gifts for Father's Day, Part I??  You can check it out here, for even more fabulous gift ideas!