Eco-Tip of the Week: Father’s Day Activities
When it comes to the holidays, it’s common to see a whole slew of “green” gift guides in every environmentally conscious media source. These guides often consist of so-called “environmentally-friendly” products, brands, and stores. But, as so many instances of less-than-impressive self-proclaimed “green” brands and companies have proved, greenwashing often abounds in new products. Many products that claim to be “green” or “natural” can still contain different types of toxic chemicals—the very ingredients we work to eliminate here at the Center for Environmental Health!
This Father’s Day, we’re going back to the basics. Instead of rolling out the usual giftguide-of-new-products-that’ll-rock-the-socks-off-your-environmentally-conscious-dad, we made an activities guide. Rather than going out and buying some new crap that may or may not be totally-great(!) for the environment, why not just get outside and spend some time outdoors? After all, aren’t the most environmentally friendly activities the ones that don’t involve buying or using much new stuff at all?
Here is our list of simple but fun-for-the-whole-family activities to do with Dad this Sunday:
1. Take a Bike Ride: Go to your local park, seaside, or other nearest wilderness area and feel that June sunshine on you as you breeze past the scenery.
2. Have a picnic: Grab some organic snacks and fresh produce from your local farmer’s market or grocery store, pack it up, and hit the road. Not only will it feel good to get outside; the food will be ten times more enjoyable and tasty when
eaten in the outdoors. You can find local listings of farmer’s markets and stores that offer organic, local foods here.
3. Make a homemade meal: Instead of buying dad a new golf club made from sustainable wood (or whatever those green gift guides suggest) why not make him something by hand from items you already have in the kitchen? Involve the whole family, plan the menu ahead, and watch your hard work evolve into something much more satisfying and personal than buying a gift at the store.
(These suggestions may sound simple, but they may be just the things you need to bring the family together to appreciate Dad, enjoy the outdoors, and not break the bank!)