Happy (almost) Father’s Day! Celebrate the dads in your life with nontoxic gifts and treats. With these easy tips, you can take toxic chemicals out of your Father’s Day BBQ, select or create your own luxurious nontoxic gifts, and wrap up your Father's Day presents in environmentally friendly, affordable packaging.

Shaving products, cologne, and more: Festive shaving kits, cologne sets, and other men's product packages are popular gifts for Father's Day. Make sure you're choosing the safest cosmetics possible for the men in your life.

• Do your homework: Check out this guide to toxic chemicals in men's products by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which will help you decipher the ingredients list on mens products and colognes. Look up specific items on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database.
• Try a DIY: You can also make homemade versions of popular products for the dads in your life. Organic Authority has a recipe for luxurious nontoxic shaving cream which you could store in a decorated, personalized glass jar. DIYNatural has recipes for different scented shaving oils, as well as ideas for inexpensive nontoxic shaving essentials. To round out the shaving kit, add a homemade after shave; Frugal Living has several recipes for easy, DIY after shaves.

Better BBQs: Taking the traditional Father's Day BBQ route? A few easy swaps and tricks will help take toxic chemicals off the guest list for your Father's Day feast.

• Be efficient: According to TreeHugger, barbequeing with the hood closed is an easy way to maintain energy efficiency while also helping your meats get evenly cooked.
• Marinate your meat: The process of grilling meat creates compounds called HCAs, which have been linked to breast, prostate, and colon tumor growth. One of the easiest, and tastiest, ways you can reduce HCAs in your grilled meats is to soak meats in a marinade before throwing them on the grill. Choose vinegar or lemon based marinades: Their acidity prevents HCAs from sticking to the meat. Steer clear of sugary marinades that encourage charring; these should only be used in the last few minutes of grilling. And remember to marinate your food in a closed container in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
• Reduce packaging: Look for ways to reduce the amount of plastic and packaging you purchase. Save money, and avoid packaging, by buying bulk snacks, sweets, and ingredients. Steer clear of overly packaged convenience produce, like prewashed lettuce, premade carrot sticks, or individually wrapped fruits or veggies. These items often carry a higher price tag. Look for loose produce at your supermarket, or use this tool to find a local farmer’s market. Skip plastic tubs or bags by using minimally packaged ingredients to make one of your favorite snack foods at home, like potato chips or salsa.

 ***Looking for nontoxic tips? Join us this Thursday at 6:00 pm PT/9:00 pm ET for a tweetchat with Women's Voices for the Earth! Click here for more information on how to join.