It's that time of year again, when fathers get a day of their own for appreciation. Here are some ideas to give your dad or those who have been a father figure in your life an energy efficient holiday.
Cordless and Efficient Lawn Tools
Is Dad still mowing the lawn and chopping weeds with his gas-hog of a lawn mower or weedwacker (string trimmer)? Consider purchasing emissions-free lawn tools for dad's summer chores involving fresh cut anything. You can find ENERGY STAR-certified products to fit the bill. Aside from the bonus of carbon cutting, dad and the air around you will likely smell better as well. For extra dad appreciation bonus points, you could also help him with landscaping duty like the good ol' days.
Grill the Clean and Responsible Way
No father is complete without a nice place to barbecue. Consider getting dad a gas or charcoal grill this Father's Day to save some electricity and reduce carbon emissions while cooking. A liquefied petroleum gas grill operated for an hour would emit 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide while a charcoal grill would emit about 11 pounds. An electric grill would account for about 15 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Nevertheless, with budget in mind, a great Father's Day gift in itself could be grilling him a nice meal outdoors. This can also save on home energy costs. Using the oven indoors while running the air conditioner can be a big waste of energy. Enjoying the sunshine and reducing your electric bill at the same time? This solution is a no brainer.
Change Dad's Light Bulbs
Changing incandescent light bulbs to LEDs can save as much as 80% a year on lighting costs. Replacing 15 inefficient incandescent bulbs in your home with energy-saving bulbs could save you about $50 per year. For the greatest savings, replace your old incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR-qualified bulbs. For more information on improving your home's lighting, please see our Lighting Tips page.
Energy Efficient Power Tools
Dad's old power tools might be sucking the wall socket dry, so to speak. Consider bringing his workshop into the 21st Century this Father's Day with the gift of cordless power tools. Paired with ENERGY STAR-certified battery chargers, he could save about 30% more electricity. Even better, you can find these cordless tools from most major manufacturers, which will ease the transition for the one brand man. To learn more, visit ENERGY STAR.
Father's Day may only come once a year, but these gifts will save money and energy all year round!
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