Goal For The Green

Poor Dad. He’s a green-loving, compost-cultivating, carbon footprint-reducing, tree-hugging kind of guy. But when it comes to Father’s Day, the neckties and coffee mugs keep rolling in year after year.

Time to break the cycle of pointless gifts and give your dad something he will truly enjoy. Need some ideas for the earth-friendly dad who has everything? Read on:

Ikea Solar-Powered Garden Lights

The iconic Swedish home decor store has numerous solar-powered lights in their Solvinden collection, but we particularly like the garden fairy lights, which illuminate without the use of batteries or electricity. Simply stake the lights into the dirt in any formation you like, and the solar collector powers them all through the night. This is a fun and inexpensive gift at only $12.99 for a strand of five.

Bamboo Keyboard and Mouse from iZen

Not only will a keyboard and mouse set made entirely out of bamboo look cool on your dad’s desk, it’s also bio-degradable, unlike its plastic counterparts. Each one looks slightly different, which adds to the uniqueness of the gift. Compatible with either Mac or PC, it costs $89.99, which is a tad higher than a regular keyboard and mouse, but it’s worth it.

Banzai Tree

Blooms aren’t just for Mom, you know. Dads with green thumbs love plants. After all, they do keep the air clean. Not sure what kind of plant to get your pops? FTD’s florists will help you pick a plant that Dad will love. Bring out his inner Mr. Miyagi with a Banzai tree, or provide some shade with a big palm plant. Either way, Dad will love a gift that continues to bring joy long after the holiday is over.

Epoch Sustainable Golf Tees by Evolve Golf

Evolve Golf has taken teeing off to a whole new level with Epoch tees, made from eco-friendly, sustainable materials. If Dad needs to work on his short game, get him a set of 50 tees for around $8, and don’t forget to mention that his new tees are ranked number one in performance on tour. Up the ante by setting up a tee time for him at his favorite course, and then join him, even if you’re not a big golf fan yourself. He’ll remember the thoughtful gesture for years to come.

SodaStream Soda Maker

This is one of our favorite gift ideas to come along in the past few years. The SodaStream lets you make homemade flavored sodas or sparkling water without the weird chemicals and unhealthy fake sugars found in store-bought soda. Furthermore, making soda at home means no more purchasing plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Dad can customize his beverages any way he likes by adding a variety of flavors. The Fountain Jet starter kit starts at $79.95.

Nest Smart Thermostat

Surprise Dad on Father’s Day by installing a Nest learning thermostat. Intuitive and easy to program, the Nest will lower your father’s heating bills by learning his schedule and automatically adjusting the temperature while he’s not home. He can even install the Nest app on his smartphone and control the temperature remotely, which is particularly handy if Dad is called away unexpectedly. Units start at $249.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of QuadraFire for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Built on a strong legacy QuadraFire Pellet Stoves creates products with proven performance, durability and control in mind. Rugged construction and proven technologies highlight why “Nothing Burns Like a Quad.” With Quadra-Fire® pellet stoves and inserts, performance is standard, along with hig quality and performance. Their stoves and inserts are the quietest, easiest to operate and most durable products on the market, today.  It’s a commitment, a tradition and a guiding principle of this rugged brand.

The Benefits of adding a Quadra-Fire Pellet Stove to your home are stated here
Did you know that using a pellet stove to heat your home costs 44% less than oil, 47% less than electric, and 53% less than propane heat? This is true because biomass fuels are composed of renewable, carbon-neutral products and they are also an extremely eco-friendly and popular heating alternative.

Here also is some additional great news for you! The federal tax credit on 75 percent efficient biomass heating appliances, which expired on Dec. 31, 2011, was recently reinstated on Jan. 2, 2013. The bill includes a “tax extender” for Internal Revenue Service Section 25C, which provides a tax credit for, among many other things, qualifying biomass-burning stoves! The extender provides a 10 percent tax credit of up to $300 on a qualifying biomass heating appliance purchased between Jan. 1, 2012 and De. 31, 2013! Something you may want to consider for your home heating efficiency.

Here is a little background on the Quadra Burn System. After nearly two years of research and development, Alan Trusler and Dan Henry revealed their patented Quadra-Burn system in 1985, as an eco-conscious replacement for traditional wood-burning stoves. By burning and re-burning gases and smoke in four different zones of the stove, Trusler and Henry created the cleanest burning non-catalytic wood stoves on the market and revolutionized alternative-energy for home heating and consumption. More than 25 years later, you can rest assured that each and every Quadra-Fire stove or insert, whether it runs on wood, corn, gas, or pellets, is designed with a mind toward efficiency and an eye toward beauty.

Lastly, I have partnered with IZEA, to offer a contest where I will mail out a Quadra-Fire notebook to one lucky  winner!  The notebook is a journal sized book made from recycled materials that has a pen with it.

For entry check out the Quadra-Fire site, specifically the Quadra-Fire Pellet Stoves. Then  please leave comments here that include why you like Quadra-Fire! Follow Quadra-Fire on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest and refer to http://goalforthegreen.com where you heard about this contest, and retweet this entire post. I will choose a winner by midnight on February 27th, 2013 .  Therefore, you must leave a reachable twitter address, working email address or both where you can be reached.  You will only have 48 hours to respond if you are the winner, so I must be able to contact you promptly. Best of Luck!
 

UPDATE: Yesterday, was our launch day on Amazon.com for this book, and here are the results in a 24 hour period.
“Co-author in THE GRATITUDE BOOK PROJECT:CELEBRATING 365 DAYS OF GRATITUDE, a #1 “Hot New Release” on Amazon.com.”

Blessings of an Attitude of Gratitude

Spread an attitude of gratitude this Holiday Season. THE GRATITUDE BOOK PROJECT 2013 Edition, is here in time for holiday gift-giving! (And, guess what… I’m in it!)

When I was first invited to participate in The Gratitude Book Project: Celebrating 365 Days of Gratitude 2013 Edition, I knew it was something I had to do. 

It’s so easy to get caught up in everyday life.  Sometimes, even just the little things are easily taken for granted. This book project, was the perfect way to let those I love and care about, know what they mean to me. It was a special way for me to show my appreciation. What we say, can often be forgotten in an instant, but the words we write down on paper can live on forever!

You can also help us make this book an Amazon.com best seller

If there is someone on your list who is hard to buy for, or you just don’t know what to get for them, this book is your answer.  The Gratitude Book Project 2013 Edition, is the perfect gift.  Each entry is like a “thought of the day” about gratitude. It is a collaborative book sold on Amazon.com and featuring over 300 authors answering the question “What are you grateful for?” in 200 words or less.

The Gratitude Book Project: Celebrating 365 Days of Gratitude 2013 Edition,is a perfect gift.  You can still get it in time for the Holiday at Amazon.com.  You will find it to be an inspirational and “timely” book.  Given the tragedy in Newtown, CT. last Friday, this book will have just the right passage to help lift spirits. It is that inspirational pick-me-up to help us all to be grateful for the here and NOW, while helping us to remember to live in the moment!

In keeping with the spirit of the project, proceeds from national book sales at Amazon.com will be split among these three charitable and deserving organizations:
• ASPCA for the prevention of animal abuse
• Feed America
• Women for Women International
Remember the more Amazon.com buyers we have, the more these organizations will benefit! Get your copy today!