June 7, 2024

Think about this — holidays and events can be some of the worst times for the planet. 

Folks often don’t realize the amount of trash that a holiday can generate such as wrapping paper, balloons, packaging, plastic wrap and more. 

So choose to honor Mother Earth as you celebrate your dad with less plastic, less disposable excess, less waste. Choose reusable dishes, compostable wrapping and less junk. 

That’s the mantra of an earth-centered Father’s Day. 

For instance, by choosing a reusable tumbler every day instead of a disposable cup, one can save up to 23 lbs of trash yearly! Check out these gifts that just might inspire both you and Dad to be more eco-friendly.

LOCAL HEROS
Fire Grounds Coffee Company was founded by Dallas firefighter and veteran Kyle Lund.

Some people just can’t stop at good enough. Not only is Paul Clarke a Dallas Firefighter and Paramedic, he’s also a former officer in the Marine Corps Reserves and an Iraq Veteran.

But that wasn’t enough for Paul. So he founded Fire Grounds Coffee Company when he and his colleagues got tired of the mediocre brew that would be waiting for them at the station after a hard and often dangerous night’s work. He partnered up with his buddy, Kyle Lund, a Lieutenant for Dallas Fire and Rescue (and fellow veteran) and Fire Grounds Coffee was born. 

Packed in simple brown paper sleeves, Fire Ground whole-bean blends are anything but plain. Choose from Rescue Roast (Light Roast), Bubba Brew (Medium Roast), Bury Up Black (Dark Roast) and others (from $14.99), or you can get Dad a Sample Pack Gift Set ($29.99). 

Support a local business by ordering at FireGroundsCoffeeCompany.com or watch for Fire Grounds Coffee at Walmart stores all across North Texas. 

Did you know that most firefighters have to buy their own coffee when they are on duty? Honor Dad by donating coffee in his name to local first responders. For $54.95 you can sign up for Caffeinate a Station and a jumbo bag of beans will be delivered to local heroes. 

TUMBLE UP

A Texas-themed tumbler from Fort Worth-based Bison Coolers.

If Dad enjoys his morning cup o’ Joe (or tay) on the go, gift him this Texas tumbler from Fort Worth-based Bison Coolers. 

Dad can boast about his favorite state without even sayin’ a word with this fun Texas flag design that says it all. The large 22 oz capacity holds plenty of craft beer, coffee, iced tea, water or his favorite beverage and he won’t have to worry about spills. 

The new leakproof lid is tumble-proof and helps keep his drinks hot or cold longer.  Hand-washable. American made. $23.99 at BisonCoolers.com.

If Dad prefers more earthy materials, choose this versatile, sleek and stylish bamboo thermos and infuser from Teabloom, a sustainably-minded company based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

This bamboo thermos with removeable stainless steel infuser from Teabloom is BPA free.

The travel thermos works equally well for hot or cold-brewed coffee, tea or even fruit infusing. The large 17 oz capacity will fuel your Pops all day long. With its handy two-way filter with micro-fine.5 mm holes, results in a more-refined brew with less grit. 

Crafted with premium stainless steel interior and earth-friendly, all-natural bamboo exterior. 100 percent BPA-free, nontoxic, and resistant to stains, odors, and corrosion. Slim-line design fits standard car cup holders.

Go to Teabloom and grab one for Dad for $29.95. Also available on Amazon.

WHISKEY BUSINESS
Did you know that Texas whiskey is a thang? Take Dad on a tour of Whiskey Ranch in Fort Worth – the largest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi located on the historic former grounds of the Glen Garden Country Club. 

Take your dad on a picnic and tour of Whiskey Ranch on June 15. Courtesy of Whiskey Ranch.

You and Dad will immerse in the art and science of whiskey distilling  — a true experience for whiskey experts and beginners alike. 

Choose Picnic Day at Whiskey Ranch on June 15 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and get admission for two, a commemorative TX Whiskey picnic blanket, two drink tickets and two picnic snack boxes for $65. Come out and celebrate International Picnic Day and Father’s Day weekend! 

A food truck will also be onsite selling during the event and Air Style Art will be engraving! Ages 21 and up only. TXWhiskey.com.

Can’t make the tour but still want to make Dad feel special? You can pick up TX Whiskey at most liquor stores around the Metroplex such as Total Wine & More ($29.99/750 ml).

COLD BUZZ
Nobody likes warm beer, especially your Pater Familias. 

These reusable beer sticks from Kollea will keep Dad's brew cool.

These novel little beer sticks from Kollea freeze quickly and then keep a beer cold for hours, even outdoors. Also works with cider, soda pop and other bottled drinks. And the coolest part is, you can drink right through it! 

Simply freeze for 45 minutes or more, pop into the bottle and allow it to do its chilling work. Best if you start with a cooled drink. $13.99 for a boxed set of two.

Pair the beer sticks up with eight stainless steel ice cubes from Kollea that are infinitely refreezable and reusable.

I’ve had some of these for years and they work great, especially when you don’t want to dilute your drink. Dad will love ‘em for cocktails, wine and whiskey (see above). Bundle Price: $29.99 on Amazon.

COMPOST THIS BAG

Frito-Lay's Off the Eaten Path come in biodegradable packing.

Only a handful of snack brands are sold in biodegradable packaging — and Off The Eaten Path by Frito-Lay is one of them. 

These delicious little crips are made with real veggies and they come in several addictive flavors such as Jalapeno, Rice, Chickpeas, Peas & Black Beans, and Sea Salt & Black Pepper. Perfect for dipping, taking to lunch, serving at parties and just all around fun. 

The award-winning packaging for Off The Eaten Path is commercially compostable or you can send them to the landfill where they will eventually dissolve. Kudos to Frito-Lay for leading the sustainability packaging pack! Find Off The Eaten Path at Whole Foods and most larger grocery stores. OffTheEatenPathSnacks.com.

Another biodegradable-packaged snack is made right in our own backyard. 

White Rock Granola's new Snackola product is also sold in biogradable packaging.

Full disclaimer, a few years ago, I took over ownership of one of my favorite local businesses, Dallas-based White Rock Granola, and we just launched our new Snackola brand of snacking granola that will beat the munchies, anytime, day or night! 

All three flavors are delicious and the judges agree — with Texas Kick winning First Place at the 2024 International Flavor Awards! 

Whether enjoyed straight out of the bag, sprinkled over yogurt or added to smoothies, Snackola offers a convenient and nutritious snacking solution for Dad to take to work, pack on the trail or keep in the car for when the munchies strike. When it’s all gone, Dad can take those awesome bad boy compostable bags out to the yard and turn them back into dirt. 

Find Snackola at specialty grocers around the area or order direct at WhiteRockGranola.com. Soon to be in major retailers.

CARD SHARK

Create your own Father's Day card using your own photos or artwork or choose from available options with the Felt Card app.

Looking for a fun way to send Dad a personal greeting with photos and yet generate a minimal amount of paper and waste? 

Check out Felt Cards, as seen on Shark Tank. Simply download the Felt app, add your own photo or artwork or choose from a wide variety of Felt standards, insert your personal greeting which you can handwrite or type, and bam — the card is produced on beautiful, high-quality card stock. Cards are mailed in 24 hours or you can set a later date.

Even your envelope can be doodled, decorated and designed.

They’ve even got a handwriting guide to help clean up your script, if you want to use it. Then the card is on its way to Dad, lickety split! Perfect for birth announcements, weddings, special occasions or just a one-off card for Pops. 

Send a single card with a greeting or a photo starting at $4.50. Add a panel or two for about a buck more each. FeltApp.com.

SHOE IN
My vegan son, Frank, recently got married to a lovely vegan gal. One of her wedding gifts to him were some Cariuma shoes and he is lovin’ them. 

Cariuma makes vegan shoes like this Vallely Pro skate shoe.

The black and ivory Vallely Pro ($89) skate design is 100 percent vegan and introduces two new materials to the Cariuma toolkit. Their innovative, high performance vegan suede is “3X more resistant than animal suede. Recycled fabric webbing makes for an ultra-durable combination.” The nostalgic lines harken back to vintage skateboarding days that your Pops might really enjoy.

A certified B Corp, Cariuma was started by a pair of friends who loved skateboarding but hated the waste in the skate shoe industry. Their other styles are made with organic cotton that is grown with regenerative methods, cork, bamboo, natural rubber, recycled plastic and other sustainable materials. 

Plus the company is also dedicated to reforestation and they plant two trees for every pair sold — up to more than 2 million trees so far in their native Brazil. Check ‘em out at Cariuma.com.  

FAST GARDEN
Encourage Dad to become a gardener with Seedsheet, a pre-planted layout that contains seed pods surrounded by weed-blocking fabric. 

Seedsheets come with seed pods embedded in weed-blocking fabric.

The product is super easy to use and was even featured on Shark Tank. 

Simply prep the underlying soil or raised bed and then lay the Seedsheet sections in place. All Dad will have to do is water his new garden and then harvest his fruits and veggies. 

Created by Cameron “Cam” MacKugler when he visited a friend’s farm, the product takes the hassle out of designing a garden that works — and no weeds! 

According to the company’s website, “Our Seedsheets are made from an earth friendly recyclable, non-woven, weed-blocking fabric. Water is able to drip through the material, and perforations help airflow to prevent soil mold and root rot. At the end of your harvest, you can either recycle your Seedsheet, or you can re-use the remaining earth-friendly fabric as a weed barrier in other parts of your garden.” 

Prices start at $129.99 for a Seedsheet that covers four feet by eight feet. Seedsheet.com.

SHOP TALK
Crocodile Cloths are made from 100 percent plant-based viscose​ and are biodegradable .

Did you know that most disposable wipes can take up to 100 years to biodegrade? But we still flush or throw away 11 billion per year globally. 

Inspired by the land down under, Crocodile Cloth  may be just what Papa needs to clean up his life without creating more trash. 

Unlike most other wipes that are made from synthetic polymers, Crocodile’s version is made from 100 percent plant-based viscose and is designed to be biodegradable. The cloths are also infused with aloe and vitamin E, making them safe for hands and skin. 

Up to four times larger than conventional wipes, these 10-inch-by-15-inch cloths make fast work of all kinds of messes around the house, garage, car or workplace. 

They remove grease, grime and crud from all surfaces, including counters, floors, carpets, upholstery, appliances, cabinets and more. 

The Ohio-based company brags that their cloths are American made for a variety of uses such as paint, auto, grill, marine or power scrub. 

In our test of the Crocodile Multi-Use Cloths, we found them to be quite effective. For smaller jobs, we actually cut them in halves or quarters and put the remainder back in the container for next time. 

Around $19.99 per 80-pack at Home Depot, Walmart and online at CrocodileCloth.com.

SAY ‘NO CHEESE’

Kraft's plant-based version of its iconic mac and cheese product.

Finally, here's a treat that could make Dad smile. Is he trying to eat healthier but misses some of his favorite comfort foods? How about the new plant-based Kraft Macaroni and Cheese?

The “Kraft Heinz Not Company” aims to address consumers’ plant-based preferences and evolving needs. The company launched the vegan versions of one of their most popular products last November.

Now Dad can enjoy an old favorite while avoiding dairy products. Under $4.

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Celebrate Mom's Day with green style

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