These recently released smart phones are made from environmentally friendly materials (a high percentage of which are post-consumer recycled plastics), and they can be almost fully recycled after use. The Replenish, an Android phone, is made from 34.6 percent post-consumer recycled plastics and is 82 percent recyclable after use. The design avoids the use of environmentally harmful materials such as PVC. The Restore also uses recycled, environmentally safe materials, and is energy-efficient in its power usage. The Restore is offered to Virgin Mobile customers with an inexpensive $25 per month unlimited data plan. Both phones are packaged with recyclable materials printed with soy ink, and digital user manuals can be accessed in lieu of printed booklets. If your dad’s been good this year, a battery cover with solar cells can be purchased as an extra gift. Perfect for the eco-conscious professional father, Replenish and Restore contain most of the features found in other Samsung smart phones, but leave a much smaller footprint on the world once they are phased out by newer devices.
2. POWERFILM USB+AA FOLDABLE SOLAR PANEL CHARGER
This versatile solar device and battery charger can be used in any setting as long as the sun shines, making it a great gifts for outdoorsy dads. While most solar charging devices provide minimal photovoltaic surfaces, this wallet-sized series of solar film cells can charge USB devices or AA batteries faster than almost any other portable product in the market. The USB+AA Foldable Solar Charger charges 2 AA batteries from completely spent to full in 4 hours of direct sunlight. A universal USB port allows for direct charging of most micro USB devices, like cell phones, smart phones, and iPods. The charger can even power up a USB device in 100% darkness with the help of two rechargeable batteries that act as storage devices for the energy absorbed by the solar panels during the day, discharging the energy as necessary after the sun has set. The Foldable Solar Panel Charger is available on Amazon for $100 – a small price to pay for a durable, eco-conscious, reliable source of energy. If your father is an avid camper and likes to keep in touch with your from remote locations, or just needs that extra boost for an outdoors conference call during a beautiful summer day, keep him charged up and ready to go!
Father’s Day is right around the corner, but there is still time to get dad something totally cool and totally green. Let’s face it, men love their gadgets and, as high-tech gifts go, green gadgets sport some of the coolest technology available. Our list of Father’s Day gift ideas is full of useful, money-saving, high tech and just plain fun stuff that will tickle your dad pink and might just make his friends green with envy, too. Eton Raptor Adventure Tool
image via Eton
The Eton Raptor really is a must have for any level of outdoor enthusiast. Its mono-crystalline solar panel charges a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery that can charge a cell phone (via USB) and power the Raptor’s digital AM/FM/WB tuner, altimeter, barometer, digital compass, LED flashlight and alarm clock. It’s weatherproof, so it can withstand the elements, including rain. Speaking of which, should the sun not be so plentiful, the Raptor can also be charged via DC adapter. And we’re just getting started; the Raptor packs in several other nifty features that dad is sure to dig, too. (Did we mention it can be used as an iPod speaker?)
Available in three different colors at Amazon for about $122.00. Green Genius Smart Surge Protectors
image via Accell
Every entertainment center, home theater and computer station should be equipped with a high-quality surge suppressor anyway, but these advanced power strips from Accell won’t just protect Dad’s expensive equipment from power surges, outages or brown-outs, they will also put an end to the constant, unnecessary leaching of power that electronics are known to do while in “stand-by mode.” The Green Genius line provides clean, quiet power to devices when they need it, and cuts them off when they don’t. Its smart sensors detect when your TV or computer has been turned off and shuts down associated electronics such as DVD players, receivers and printers so they don’t sip power for hours while sitting unused. “Always on” outlets will provide constant power to devices like DVRs and wireless Internet routers that actually do need power all the time
