PLAYgreen

Greening Dad

Can't think of what to get the #1 man in your life for Father's Day? Check out these green gifts for dad. Go green Dad, go! 

Rockin' Dad

Hook up your music-loving Dad (or in-need-of-musical-taste Dad) with an iTunes online gift certificate. Dad can pick his own tracks , and you can take all the waste from wrapping, packaging, and plastic CD cases outta the mix. 

Fishin' Dad 

Bottle Cap Lures  are lures made from soda and beer bottle caps -- that really work. Keeps the caps out of landfills, new materials out of production, and Dad out on the water reeling 'em in. 

Gadget Dad

Splurge on you Dad by giving him the  Solio Hybrid Charger  to recharge his cell phone, MP3 player, digital camera, and all the other electronic stuff he manages to cram into his pockets -- all with stored-up power from the sun (free power - woo-hoo!) or the socket. 

Organic Dad 

Every man deserves a little R&R....pamper him with an Every Man gift basket from Lula Organics. Includes skin-soothing, paraben-free Every Man Jack shave gel, body wash, and face wash; soap from Pangea Organics; a recycled, reusable razor; and a wooden body brush. 

Sporty Dad

Green Tee Time!  Nothing says "I love you, Dad" like these Eco Golf Balls. They are water-soluble golf balls that dissolve in water after 96 hours, so he won't be leaving plastic evidence of his birdies and bogies for millennia. 

Source: Ideal Bite, "Top 10 Best Eco-Gifts for Father's Day," viewed June 17, 2009

Goats at Rec Sports?

Proving once and for all that Rec Sports has the most diverse workforce on campus, we recently employed a small heard of voracious goats to clear 5 acres of bushes, grass, weeds and poison oak on the hillside behind the Golden Bear Rec Center, creating a clean fire break for the building. Not only do the goats work cheap -- $1,200 for the goats vs. $2,500 for human labor -- but they work green too. Instead of gas mowers, blowers, pesticides and trucks to haul off the waste, the (nearly) zero-emission goats quietly and cleanly go about their task. Learn more about the goats.
 

Summer Eats: What's in Season for June

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s in and what’s out?

A large part of staying in shape is eating a healthy and balanced diet. Now, more that ever we are becoming aware of and have access to, local, season produce. While you'll be set on the basics (carrots, lettuce, beets, etc.), some fruits and veggies will be out (oranges, fava beans, asparagus). 

Here are some highlights of  what is growin’ in the Bay Area in June. All of this produce should be available at your local supermarket and will most definitely be at your local Farmer's Market. 

Fruits: apricots, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, elderberries, figs, nectarines, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries.

Veggies: chilies, corn, nopal cactus, rhubarb, summer squash. 

Spices: fresh lavender, garlic. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Now what? 

You've graduated. You're smart. You're talented. Employers should be falling at your feet, right? Well, maybe not in this economy. Try something new with either AmeriCorps or Green Corps.  You will be able to put your passion to work, and do something different. 

AmeriCorps 

Started by President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, AmeriCorps was formed by the National and Community Service Trust Act, which established the Corporation for National and Community Service and brought the full range of domestic community service programs under the umbrella of one central organization. AmeriCorps workers get a stipend for their work and a wide range of benefits. Programs vary and there is something for every interest. 

Get paid back to play dodgeball? Heck yes! A notable AmeriCorp program in the Bay Area is Sports for Kids. This program puts the play back into the day of elementary schools across the country.  Check out their job openings.

Green Corps 

The one-year Green Corps program intersperses intensive classroom instruction with multiple campaign efforts. Trainees gain hands-on experience running field campaigns to win environmental protections and public health initiatives. Throughout the year, each trainee receives specific individualized feedback on all aspects of his or her work, as well as local mentorship from environmental organizers throughout the nation. At the end of the training, the Green Corps program facilitates trainees' placement in permanent positions with leading environmental and social change groups. 

Source: AmeriCorps, www.americorps.gov; Green Corps, www.greencorps.org