Author: KAREN ORLICH

Show Dad and the Earth your love with our Top 5 Earth-Friendly Father’s Day Gifts!  From the active to the leisure dad, we’ve got your eco covered

ACTIVE WEAR

BACKPACKS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a lightweight, easy to store option — give a collapsible backpack made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Check out Chicobag’s Travel Pack rePETe Compact Recycled Backpack made with 100% recycled PET rip stop fabric (available in three colors).  This is a full size backpack measuring 10″w x 17″h x 6″d that collapses into the front pocket! ($27.99 chicobag.com & Amazon).

FOOD & HYDRATION

Always ready for an adventure or just a walk around the neighborhood, THE POWCH! – a 12 oz. collapsible, watertight, food and drink pouch-bottle from k.o. ecolife shrinks to just 3.5”w x 2.25”h and gives back with every purchase.

This reusable fabric bottle/container is made in USA with a built-in nozzle cap that has a wide opening for easy filling and cleaning.  Also works well for food and small supplies storage.  Bright colors make it easy to see at the bottom of dark backpacks and bags too.  Available in four colors.  Use COUPON CODE “dadsday” for 20% off–exp. 7/1/20.  ($19.99 koecolife.com)

 

SOLAR CHARGERS

Don’t let him ever be out of battery power again with clean energy to go!

This 10 Watt Rapid Solar Panel Charger from Voltaic Systems includes a battery pack and 2 Year Warranty.

The panel is lightweight and waterproof and provides solar power to smartphones, tablets, and other handheld USB devices.  Built with a waterproof, UV, and scratch-resistant coating to last. ($65 10-Watt kit voltaicsystems.com)

Dad and the planet will be lovin’ these earth-friendly Fathers Day gifts!  Please let us know if you have other earth loving “gift ideas for Dads” by leaving a comment below!  Happy Father’s Day!!

 

You may look at your trash can (or recycling bin) and see only garbage but did you know that you can save hundreds of dollars if you repurpose ‘trash’?!

Everyone knows the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra for a greener planet but how often do we really reuse and repurpose trash?  k.o. ecolife is here to help you with that!  We put together a list of our Top 5 favorite everyday household items that you call trash and we call repurpose TREASURE!

Plastic Milk Jugs

These make THE BEST scoops, pitchers, and watering cans – all in the same design!

Simply cut right above the handle in a circle and take off the top to create your perfect watering can, scoop (we like ours for the dog and cat food), or the ultimate, unbreakable outdoor margarita pitcher (reuse the cut away top to keep the bugs out).

Want to get real crafty?  Paint the outside of the jug with eco-friendly paints like SafePaint by Milk Paint (isn’t that fitting?!) to coordinate with any room or outdoor space décor.  SafePaint is sold only in powder form so just add water for the amount desired.  No more wasted, dried up paint from cans that don’t close with an airtight seal!

Paper Towel and Toilet Paper Tubes

Can you really make something beautiful from toilet paper rolls? Absolutely!!  Collect toilet paper and paper towel tubes (surprising how quickly these accumulate when collecting them), cut to desired size (1” as pictured), and paint or keep natural color.  Once dry, flatten to make an oval shape and glue together to create stars, snowflakes or let your kids get creative!  Makes awesome wall art for their bedroom that everyone from your toddler to teenager will love!

Tin Coffee Cans

Decorate a plain wall or fence with these adorable tin coffee can ‘herb’ planters.  So easy!  Punch a hole in the top of the can at least ½” below the rim to allow enough space to enlarge hole if necessary and hang on hooks or nails.  Oh, and of course, you can paint these any color of the rainbow too!

Glass Pasta Sauce and Jelly Jars

Glass jars of any size offer boatloads (cruise ship size!) of DIY ideas but our simplest and favorite is the good ‘ol pencil, pen, highlighter, ruler, nail file, etc. holder.  Pasta sauce and jelly jars tend to be the right size for these items.  The wider the opening, the better – easier to take items in and out!  And, don’t throw out the lids.  We have many repurpose trash ideas for these too.  We’ll start with the perfect paperclip caddy – on your desk or as an organizer in your drawer.

2-Liter Plastic Bottles

A great way to repurpose all those bottles is to create an easy summer soaker toy or lawn sprinkler.  Poke holes in the bottle and attach to the hose using duct tape.  Waters your lawn and fun for the whole family including the dog!  Too bad we can’t get this to work with our rain barrel!  Oh, the drawbacks of conservation – please use water responsibly.