Goal For The Green

Poor Dad. He’s a green-loving, compost-cultivating, carbon footprint-reducing, tree-hugging kind of guy. But when it comes to Father’s Day, the neckties and coffee mugs keep rolling in year after year.

Time to break the cycle of pointless gifts and give your dad something he will truly enjoy. Need some ideas for the earth-friendly dad who has everything? Read on:

Ikea Solar-Powered Garden Lights

The iconic Swedish home decor store has numerous solar-powered lights in their Solvinden collection, but we particularly like the garden fairy lights, which illuminate without the use of batteries or electricity. Simply stake the lights into the dirt in any formation you like, and the solar collector powers them all through the night. This is a fun and inexpensive gift at only $12.99 for a strand of five.

Bamboo Keyboard and Mouse from iZen

Not only will a keyboard and mouse set made entirely out of bamboo look cool on your dad’s desk, it’s also bio-degradable, unlike its plastic counterparts. Each one looks slightly different, which adds to the uniqueness of the gift. Compatible with either Mac or PC, it costs $89.99, which is a tad higher than a regular keyboard and mouse, but it’s worth it.

Banzai Tree

Blooms aren’t just for Mom, you know. Dads with green thumbs love plants. After all, they do keep the air clean. Not sure what kind of plant to get your pops? FTD’s florists will help you pick a plant that Dad will love. Bring out his inner Mr. Miyagi with a Banzai tree, or provide some shade with a big palm plant. Either way, Dad will love a gift that continues to bring joy long after the holiday is over.

Epoch Sustainable Golf Tees by Evolve Golf

Evolve Golf has taken teeing off to a whole new level with Epoch tees, made from eco-friendly, sustainable materials. If Dad needs to work on his short game, get him a set of 50 tees for around $8, and don’t forget to mention that his new tees are ranked number one in performance on tour. Up the ante by setting up a tee time for him at his favorite course, and then join him, even if you’re not a big golf fan yourself. He’ll remember the thoughtful gesture for years to come.

SodaStream Soda Maker

This is one of our favorite gift ideas to come along in the past few years. The SodaStream lets you make homemade flavored sodas or sparkling water without the weird chemicals and unhealthy fake sugars found in store-bought soda. Furthermore, making soda at home means no more purchasing plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Dad can customize his beverages any way he likes by adding a variety of flavors. The Fountain Jet starter kit starts at $79.95.

Nest Smart Thermostat

Surprise Dad on Father’s Day by installing a Nest learning thermostat. Intuitive and easy to program, the Nest will lower your father’s heating bills by learning his schedule and automatically adjusting the temperature while he’s not home. He can even install the Nest app on his smartphone and control the temperature remotely, which is particularly handy if Dad is called away unexpectedly. Units start at $249.