Toys, gadgets, what’s the difference? If there’s a Father’s Day gift that a little (or not so little) boy could enjoy with his Dad, then this is it. You can explore an advanced green technology together while having fun with the H-racer hydrogen fuel cell car.

The beauty of this toy car is that there are no batteries to be thrown away afterwards. You’re creating your own power with water which is converted to hydrogen with the help of a solar panel. The only exhaust is water too.

The hydrogen fuel cell is an amazing system that may be used to power cars of the future, and even towns, the point in case being Woking, which is already partially powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system. Very space-aged, very advanced. Perfect for the Dad who likes to play with the very latest technology.

In my experience, Dads are pretty partial to gadgets, so I’m starting off the eco-friendly Father’s Day present suggestions with a series of some of the greenest technology available.

And first up on the list of green gadgets for Dads is the Trevor Baylis Wind-up Eco Media Player. Mum’s like this one too, I can tell you that because I have one of these and I absolutely love it. But it’s Father’s Day coming up so we’ll focus on the Dads.

This brilliant alternative to the iPod or other MP3 player not only stores your music, its powered by hand (40 minutes of play time for a 60 second wind) or via USB, can play videos, charge your phone, has a built-in torch and the most comfortable and well-fitting earphones that I’ve ever worn. It even has a special connection with it so that Dads can record their favourite old vinyl LPs onto the media player (so excellent for Dad’s who are a bit long in the tooth too).

Unfortunately there’s no image here on Pricegrabber for me to show you, but it has a great retro look, and although it’s a little bigger than the iPod, it’s green credentials make it absolutely worthwhile. The men that I’ve allowed to play with my Eco Media Player have all been very impressed with it and green with envy. It’s perfect for camping, hiking or fishing trips, or anytime when you’re away from a power source.

Father’s Day falls on the 15th of June in 2008, so it’s probably time to start planning a special day for the Dads that are part of your life. Gifts don’t have to be things, they could also be an action or some of your time. Over the next few weeks I’ll cover a variety of ideas for making Father’s Day a green experience rather than just another commercial landmark over the course of the year.

To get the ball rolling, here are a few ideas of gifts of time.

1. Wash Dad’s car.

2. Give him a shoulder massage.

3. Make him a special dinner.

4. Mow the lawn so that he doesn’t have to.

5. Do the weeding in his allotment/vegetable garden.

Use your imagination and make it personal. If you are going to go down the route of giving him a gift, make it something that will enhance a greener lifestyle. I’ll be concentrating on green gadgets and other gifts for Dads with a green twist as we count down the four weeks to Father’s Day.

Bank holiday weekends are the perfect time for a barbecue, but make sure you take the greenest route for a sustainable feast.

As far as gas barbecues go, the greenest by far are those fueled by LPG, with CO2 emissions about 100 times less than the average charcoal briquette doused in petroleum solvents. The benefit of gas over charcoal (even the non-petroleum doused sustainable charcoal that I’m going to tell you about in just a moment) is that there is no smoke, and so no contribution to air pollution. The rather attractive looking LPG barbecue you see here is the Electrolux EGL2600X Outdoor BBQ Cook Centre.

If you decide that gas grilling is not for you (gas barbecues don’t come cheap after all), then choose charcoal that is sourced ethically. FSC charcoal is widely available, and you may find other charcoal manufacturers close to where you live who used coppiced wood to make their charcoal.

Once you’ve got your barbecue burning sustainably, it’s time to cook. What you decide to cook is just as important in determining whether your barbecue is as green as it could be. Choose local meats, preferably organic, sustainably caught fish and locally grown vegetables for your feast.

Top that off with a glass of fairtrade wine and you can enjoy your al fresco meal without the slightest tinge of guilt.

Drying your washing out in the open is a great way to make energy savings during the warmer weather months. Sunshine and wind will dry your washing, get everything smelling really fresh, and the sunshine even acts as a mild bleaching agent, good for getting whites white without the added chemicals. If you don’t have a washing line, I highly recommend a rotary dryer that takes full advantage of the wind, and can be quickly and easily put away when you have visitors round.

Bright colours and a retro look are all the rage this summer. Here are some of the organic summer dresses on offer this year. No need to buy cheap frocks made in sweatshops when you’ve got an ethical choice like this.

The Energy Saving Trust (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) have granted Epson the first ever energy saving recommendation label awarded to a printer, so if you’re in the market for a printer, have a look at what they have on offer.

And here’s another way to go eco-friendly with your printer… return your printer cartridges to be refilled, or buy recycled printer cartridges. Don’t forget to recycle the ones that you’ve used up.

I love pottering in the garden with the conversation of BBC’s radio 4 to keep me company. With this eco-friendly hand-cranked radio, torch and charger, you won’t need batteries or power to keep listening to your favourite radio show out in the garden.

Perfect for camping too.

Do you buy lunch every day? Is it a sandwich that comes in one of those throw-away triangular plastic containers, or a salad in a disposable plastic bowl? You could save money and reduce waste by taking your own lunch to work. Here are some ideas for waste-free lunches.

1. Pack a sandwich in a sandwich box that can be washed and reused.

2. Make a salad and pack it in a reusable food container along with a kitchen fork that can be taken home to wash again.

3. Take soup or a hot drink in a flask instead of buying in disposable containers.

4. Get yourself a drink bottle to take juice or water to work, and fill up with water from the tap.

Babies love to be touched and cuddled, and consequently baby-wearing makes for happier babies who cry less. There is also evidence to suggest that baby-wearing can be beneficial for babies in terms of development and health, and can help mothers and babies bond by fostering closeness.

When choosing a baby carrier or sling, look for one made of organic materials to prevent unnecessarily exposing your baby to chemicals. The ERGO baby carrier is an extremely versatile option that can be positioned on your hip, back or front evenly distributing your baby’s weight to keep you comfortable, while the ergonomic design supports your baby’s posture too.