by Julie Kailus
Gear up! Five great eco-friendly gifts for the guy whose core sports, hobbies and obsessions of the moment fill his wish list with words like amp-hours, nano, photovoltaic and Wi-Fi. From our Green Gift Guide [0].
1. Eco-Thermo Bamboo Sleeping Pad
Camping just got greener. This warm, lightweight and dye-free three-season Thermarest pad is wrapped in sustainable bamboo fabric so he can rest in comfort and good conscience. A Backpacker and Outdoor magazine Gear of the Year award winner. Made in a carbon-neutral facility.
Price: large, $150 medium, $145
Buy this gift. [1]
2. Solio Portable Solar Charger
Charges his cell phone, GPS device or other essential electronics even when he’s nowhere near a car or A/C outlet. Packs into a nano-sized pouch even a dude won’t mind toting, and comes with adapters to work with most small electronics. Retractable solar blades deliver way more charging power than he’ll need. Add a case made of recycled innertubes to go even greener.
Price: $109; case $29
Buy this gift. [2]
(Think that’s cool? Check out this Solar Camera Gear Bag [3] with ingenious flexible solar panel top that charges digital cameras or other gadgets en route. $149.)
3. Eco Flash Drive
Made without lead, mercury or other toxins, the earth-friendly 1GB Firefly USB flash drive decomposes easier than conventional flash drives. This forward-thinking gadget comes in bold colors and includes a lanyard and snap pouch.
Price: $29
Buy this gift. [4]
4. Robomow Lawn Mower
Your gadget guy will flip over this. He can forget air-polluting, petroleum-consuming gas mowers. In fact, he can cross “mow the lawn” off his list altogether. This robotic mower uses perimeter-wire technology to do the job all by itself, saving up to 25 percent in irrigation and fertilizing costs. Also features “grasscycling” mulching—no more Hefty bags of clippings going to a landfill).
Price: $1,400 (prices vary by retailer)
Buy this gift. [5]
5. Gidget Gadget Case
Green housing for his portable music player. This trendy pocket-size holder made of recycled billboards comes in fun color combos, complete with Velcro security flap, to dress his MP3 player and cell phone in environmentally friendly attire.
Price: $28
Buy this gift. [6]
Return to Green Gift Guide [6]