Skip to main content

7 Eco-Friendly Father’s Day Gifts for Green Dads

eco-friendly father's day gifts
Image used with permission by copyright holder
June 21st is Father’s Day — a day when the world celebrates cheesy jokes, quaint fashion choices, and other fatherly qualities. It’s also an excuse to present Dad with yet another tie, or perhaps a mug that reads “world’s greatest dad.”

But does your dad really need another paisley tie? And of the billions of dads on the planet, are you 100% sure yours is the greatest? Be honest. If you’re looking to change things up this year, consider getting Dad a gift that shows you’re not just thinking of him, but the planet, too. Here are a few great eco-friendly Father’s Day gifts for your consideration.

Sun King PRO – $45Sun King

If your dad’s the outdoorsy type, he’s always looking for cool new gear to add to his collection. The Sun King PRO is a sophisticated solar-powered LED light that can be used as a lamp or a flashlight. The folks at Greenlight Planet claim that the light can provide 45 hours’ worth of illumination on a full charge. It can also charge your dad’s devices via a USB port. We recommend checking out their website, where you’ll find an amusing video of Sasquatch demonstrating the Sun King PRO’s many features.

All Good Sunscreen – $8 to $16 AllGood_Sunstick_Coconut__42032.1406836097.1280.1280_burned

Summer is a tough time for skin. Dads should take extra care to protect their skin and reduce their risk of skin cancer. The All Good line of sunscreen includes the natural, coconut-scented SPF 30 Sunstick for the face and the natural SPF 33 Zinc Sunscreen for everywhere else. These sunscreens come from Elemental Herbs, an eco-friendly company that holds memberships to 1% for the Planet and the Green America Business Network. You can find these natural and environmentally responsible sunscreens online or at a store near you.

Hydro Flask Growler – $55 64oz-Black-Butte

Beer is a wonderful beverage that deserves an equally wonderful vessel. The Hydro Flask growler is made with 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, and has a double wall to maximize insulation while preventing condensation. This handsome growler can keep cold beverages cold for 24 hours, and hot beverages hot for 12 hours. The Hydro Flask isn’t just an excellent gift for your dad, but for the planet, too — thanks to the company’s charitable arm, 5% Back, you can allocate a portion of the flask’s cost to the charity of your choice. There are many other flask styles and sizes to choose from, all the way down to 12 oz bottles.

The New Primal Beef & Turkey Jerky – $16 to $100 the new primal_burned

If your dad prefers edible gifts, consider getting him some delicious jerky. Unlike other jerky companies, The New Primal makes jerky from free-range, grass-fed cattle and happy turkeys. Their products are free of hormones, antibiotics, and GMOs, creating an all-natural snack that’s healthy for your dad. The whole company is dedicated to sustainable and humane agriculture, and we love that.

Pistachio Chewy Bites – $6

pistachios_burned

If your dad is of the vegetarian persuasion, the Pistachio Chewy Bites may be more his speed. With this tasty snack, your dad can skip the shells and instead enjoy this classic green nut in the form of a tasty and nutritious bar. The pistachios are adhered together by cranberries, in case you were wondering. These bars are low in sodium, 100% vegan, gluten free, and all-around healthy. You should be able to find these tasty treats in a store near you.

Mountainsmith Tour TLS – $75lumbar_burned

If there’s one things that dads love, it’s a good lumbar pack (which sounds way cooler than fanny pack). As far as lumbar packs go, the Mountainsmith Tour TLS (Technical Lumbar System) is the top of the line. Much of this beast is made from recycled materials. It comes with a boatload of features, including two pouches for water bottles, sweat-wicking back material, and a comfy shoulder strap that offers a carrying alternative. The whole appeal of the product, of course, is the ergonomic design, making it perfect for outdoorsy dads with back troubles.

Cooler Tube – $22cooler-tube-detail1_3_burned

Beer-loving dads can never have too many ways to facilitate their beer drinking. Instead of getting one of those bulky styrofoam coolers (which are pretty bad for the environment, by the way), you might get Dad a Cooler Tube from Mountainsmith. This tubular cooler can accommodate up to six regular-sized cans and keep them cold during any adventure. The best part is that Pop can just sling this cooler over his back, making it well suited to adventuring.

Editors' Recommendations

TJ Carter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
TJ Carter wears many hats, both figuratively and literally. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2011 with a degree…
The Ghostbusters have a new ride in Frozen Empire, courtesy of Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz Sprinter plays a pivotal role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
The ECTO-Z makes its debut in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Later this month, the Ghostbusters will be back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And while three generations of the team are coming together, there is a big addition to the crew: The ECTO-Z. At an event in New York City, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the Ghostbusters' new ride, which is a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that follows in the footsteps of the iconic ECTO-1 from the first three films.

Given the larger size of the second and third-generation Ghostbusters team, it was only natural that they would need a vehicle that could carry all of them to the scene of a haunting anywhere in NYC. As for the name, it comes from original team member Dr. Winston Zeddemore, as played by Ernie Hudson. Ghostbusters: Afterlife established that Zeddemore is now the financial backer of the Ghostbusters and the de facto leader of the team.

Read more
Everything points to Apple TV+ making a change you’re not going to like
Is an ad-supported tier coming to Apple TV+?
The Apple TV Plus Logo

It turns out that TV worked pretty well under its old model. According to a new report from Business Insider, Apple TV+ may be the latest streaming service that's set to introduce an ad-supported tier and charge those who don't stream with ads a premium fee to access their great shows and movies.

At this point, the report is still speculation, but Apple has made several recent hires in the advertising space that seem to suggest the direction they're planning to take. The company recently hired former NBCUniversal ad executive Joseph Cady to serve as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships, a move that comes following the company's hiring of another former NBCUniversal executive, Jason Frum, who joined Apple's video ad sales team.

Read more
From Gilda Radner to Ali Wong, these are the best female comedians of all time
These women from all generations will make you laugh out loud
Ai Wong comedian 2017 Moontower comedy festival

Hot take: I don’t care for straight male comedians. It’s not that they’re not funny, they’re just … I don’t know, boring? Maybe that’s reductive of me, but I never seem to leave a straight male comedian’s set feeling particularly inspired. And though some may argue that it’s not important for a set to "inspire" its audience, I’d actually argue that the opposite is true. For me, I want to see a comedian use humor to address real issues and say real things about the world, even if they do it in a completely goofy way.

Therefore, I tend to prefer female and female-identified comedians. They’re sharp, tough, and have often seen shit that makes their comedy feel raw and true. Undoubtedly there are male comedians who do this, too, but to a much lesser degree, in my very humble and very personal opinion.

Read more