TheGoGreenBlog.com

Father’s day is right around the corner, and the big question is what to give the big guy that is impossible to shop for?

Don’t worry…The Go Green Blog has your back.

Here are the top 10 green gifts to give your papa this year and lessen your carbon footprint on the environment.

1- A Hammock made from recycled plastics
2- Organic beer or whiskey
3- Organic cotton tee shirts
4- A hemp backpack
5- A bamboo robe
6- Solar powered charger for all his gadgets
7- Fair Trade treats like nuts or chocolates
8- Tickets to a sports event
9- Donation to a charity or an organization in your Father’s name
10- Fleece jacket made from recycled plastics

Check out Cameron Diaz in the below video urging participation in Pangea Day — a four-hour film festival of “user-generated films and TED-style short talks from scientists, filmmakers, and global visionaries.” The event will air internationally May 10th, 2008 on television and online. For more information on how to take part, check out Pangea Day’s official website.

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day, April 22, marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement in 1970. It is an annual celebration of the environment and intended to inspire awareness of & appreciation for the Earth’s environment.

Earth Day was initiated in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who started a “teach-in” to protest the government’s environmental ignorance. This eventually led to legislation including the Environmental Policy Act (1969), the Clean Air Act (1970), the Clean Water Act (1977) and fuel efficiency standards for automobiles.

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a global climate change initiative, calling individuals and businesses around the world, to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday, March 29, 2008 from 8 to 9 p.m local time.

The campaign ran by WWF (World Wildlife Fund), is designed to express that individual action on a mass scale can help change our planet. It’s not just about cutting back for one hour. It’s about taking a stand and thinking ahead about what you can do to slow climate change.

“One person can make a difference. Cities, working together, can change the world.” - WWF & Earth Hour

Parade day in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day means dyeing the Chicago river Green! That’s right, every year a small boat goes out on the Chicago river dumping in 40 pounds of green dye turning the river a bright green for four to five hours.

This maybe fun and festive, but is this eco-friendly?

Story has it that in 1966, the environmentalists accused the parade committee of polluting the river, complaining that the dye was oil-based and was detrimental to all living things. Since then, the committee uses a vegetable dye.

But what is really in the dye?

The formula for the dye is a closely guarded secret, so the public will never know for sure, however the committee does insure us that the dye has been thoroughly tested by independent chemists and has been proven safe for the environment.

The Chicago parade will be on Saturday, March 15th 2008 staring at noon and the dyeing of the river starts before that at 10:45.

Easter is right around the corner and fast approaching. Before you know it, it will be Sunday morning, March 23rd, and the kiddies will be racing around the back yard looking for eggs. Instead of using fake plastic eggs, or dying real eggs with those nasty chemically filled pellets that come with traditional decorating kits…Greenify your Easter egg hunt by using free farmed organic eggs & natural dyes.

Natural dyes are awesome. In fact, they give you more color possibilities then the toxic pellets, including every shade of the rainbow from reds to yellows to blues and greens and everything in between.

All you need to do is boil your eggs in water with a bit of vinegar and one of the natural dye ingredients below, then let simmer for at least 15 minutes. And presto! You have beautiful colored organic eggs that are super eco-friendly!

Pink - Use beets, cranberries, or raspberries
Red - Use red onion skins, or pomegranate juice
Orange - Use yellow onion skins, or paprika
Dark Orange - Use chili powder
Yellow - Use carrot tops, ground cumin or turmeric, orange or lemon peels
Green - Use spinach
Blue - Use red cabbage
Lavender - Use purple grape juice
Brown - Use coffee, tea, or black walnut shells

Having trouble trying to find that special someone the best Valentine’s Day gift ever? How about going green. Here are the top 10 eco-friendly gifts to give your sweetie this year and lessen your carbon footprint on the environment.

1- Organic flowers or live plants that can be planted in the spring
2- Fair Trade chocolates
3- Sustainable sexy under garments made from bamboo
4- Candles made from soy or beeswax
5- Organic soaps & bath oils
6- Conflict free diamond jewelry
7- Gift certificate to an eco-friendly spa
8- Homemade organic goodies like pies, cookies, cupcakes etc.
9- Tickets to a concert, sports event, or a play at the theater
10- Donation to a charity or an organization in your sweetheart’s name

As the holidays come to an end, and the clean up begins, the big question is how to dispose of your Christmas tree. Natural Christmas trees have a few eco-friendly afterlife options…

1- Compost
Real trees are 100 percent biodegradable, and can be added to your compost pile. There is a tad bit of work included here as you can’t just throw a whole Christmas tree onto a compost heap. You will need to reduce the tree into compost-friendly shavings, either by hand or with a shredder.

2- Mulch
You can recycle your tree into mulch for hiking trails in gardens or parks. Most communities offer a program where you either drop off your tree to a designated drop-off site or some cities offer curbside pick up. Check with local resources for more information.

3- Shelter
Real tress can also be converted into shelters for birds, chipmunks and other small wildlife by placing it in your backyard and adding a few snacks like breadcrumbs or birdseed.

4- Erosion Prevention
In some cities they have recycled Christmas trees into barriers for shoreline stabilization and beach front erosion prevention. Check with local resources for more information.

5- Fuel
If you have fireplace or a wood burning stove consider chopping up your tree to use as firewood to heat your home.

For more information:
To find out more information on your community Christmas tree recycling program, you can contact either the local parks and recreation department, public works department, the mayor’s office, National Christmas Tree Association, or Earth 911.

An aquarium in Japan has come up with a novel way of generating free electricity to light up a Christmas tree. An electric eel!

Two aluminum panels inside the eel’s tank work as electrodes to catch its power. Cables attached to the panels supply the lights on the nearby tree with electricity. The eel is able to generate up to 800 watts of energy every time it moves. Way cool!