With Earth Month upon us, it is very important that we, as kayakers, take time to raise awareness about our impact on the environment. We need to do this not just as individuals, or kayakers, but as a society, united together. After all, Mother Earth is not just our playground; she is our home as well. Another way that we can honor her is to make wiser choices in the companies that we choose to do business with. We can do this by looking for companies who feel the same way about the environment as we do; something to be preserved and enjoyed by all.

There are two companies that come to mind when I think about Earth Month. They both are constantly striving to think outside the box in regards to our “big blue marble”. The first is a company in Germany  named Torqeedo. They manufacture light weight rechargeable electric outboard motors which are designed with the environmentally conscious angler in mind. The second is also out of Germany going by the name, PowerFilm Inc.. They are proud to be the manufacturer of one of the only “marine tested” solar panels.

Torqueedo’s motors already provide the groundwork for greener motoring on the water, but they have now taken it a step further, teaming up with PowerFilm Inc. They have added a solar array that can be used to recharge the motor’s battery practically anywhere, at anytime. It’s light-weight and portable and gives you 45 watts of charging power in a 25” by 30” rollable solar panel. I love how simple this motor is to use. You simply unroll it, plug it in and connect it to your motor. The connecters are waterproof so it is safe to use no matter where you are. Since no electricity is being used you are leaving no impact on the Earth in any way.

Another great feature of the Torqeedo is that this motor can be mounted to any kayak. In fact, it can be used with an inflatable kayak, the Sea Eagle 385ft Fast Track (as shown in the picture). In the past, using a motor with a kayak, especially an inflatable kayak was not easy and sometimes impossible.

As of now, the Torqeedo motor is on the pricey side due to the fact that it is incredibly light weight and portable. Since this is a fairly new type of motor, I am sure that we will see the price go down as technology progresses. My family and I love the fact that that it offers the opportunity to upgrade to motorization without doing harm to our beautiful planet.

The Anti-Bottle is made by the Vapur company. It was introduced in 2010 to allow users to tap into tap water everywhere and anywhere. The foldable, flexible, reusable eco-friendly water bottles are FDA-approved and BPA-free, so they’re a good fit for the environment, too.

The main drawbacks seem to be deciding where to hold them when drinking from them. Most say it’s better to hold them near the cap where they are less flexible. The Anti-Bottle also perspires alot when filled with cold liquid, which can be a hassle inside a back pack. But the advantages of portability seem to outweigh any negatives.

I know I’m impressed with finding another product that helps make my gear bag more compact.

The other day I got to thinking about how life jackets really work. I think we all have a basic idea, but I wanted to dig a little deeper, so I researched the subject online and came across the web site HowStuffWorks.com.

I learned that there were types of life ‘preservers’ as far back as the 1700′s. And the sad statistic that 90% of drowning victims were not wearing life jackets.

Technically, the functionality of a life jacket is derived from the principles discovered by the ancient Greek philosopher Archimedes. I won’t explain it here. You can go to How Stuff Works and check it out for yourself.

No matter what type of life jacket, or PFD (personal flotation device) you wear, make sure you wear it religiously. If you’re life jacket is too cumbersome, maybe you need to check out something new. Life vests are now being made lighter, stronger and more comfortable. Safe paddling is always the best option!

Matt Preye is a kayaking expert and instructor with fifteen years of experience as a recreational and a whitewater kayaker. He made this video about kayak safety gear that every kayaker should watch. Even though he’s talking about hard shell kayaks, remember that all these safety tips apply to folding and inflatable kayaks as well.

In the case of avid kayakers, you should be familiar with what they are paddling now and whether your gift will fit their preferences. Kayaks are kind of like shoes. One size or type doesn’t “fit” all. Ask their friends, fellow paddlers or significant others for advice. A portable (inflatable or folding kayak) may not be the perfect choice for someone who’s used to paddling a hard shell kayak. However, if they’re tired of storing or car carrying the hard shell, a portable kayak might be the perfect gift. Accessories, especially paddles, can also be very user specific. Find out what they have, then buy them what they’d like to have.

If you’re buying for a newby it’s even more important to research your choice. I’ve seen a few situations where a wife or husband has purchased a tandem (two person) kayak without consulting (or even hinting to) the other person only to be disappointed when they experienced that “confused facial expression”. The hassle and expense of returning the kayak could be easily avoided if you could have discovered in advance that the “giftee’s” idea of water sports is lounging on a Caribbean Cruise or maybe they have an aversion to paddles or … you get the idea.

If you need a few gift suggestions, maybe these will help you out. A Sea Eagle 330 or 370 is a great gift for a beginner who wants to start out paddling. Sea Eagle Explorer Kayaks (340, 380 or 420) or any of the Innova inflatable kayaks are terrific for someone who wants to upgrade from a beginner level kayak. PakBoat’s Arrows or Puffins folding kayaks are nice for a hard shell kayaker who’s tired of carting around and storing that hard shell kayak. PakBoats track very much like a hard shell, too. And, of course the TRAK adjustable kayak is perfect for the kayaker who has everything and wants more. All of the above also travel very well on planes or in car trunks or the back of a minivan. Some kayak accessories you might look at include these items that can all be used by any type of kayaker, traditional hard shell or portable. You could buy someone a new, lighter fiberglass or carbon Cannon paddle, a PakPod Deck Bag/Paddle Float or one of the new WindPaddle™ sails that fit most any type of small boat, kayak or canoe. If there’s a paddler on your list that’s also a photographer, an AquaPac 100% waterproof/sand proof case is a nice gift. There are also AquaPac cases for cell phones and MP3 players.

There’s some great gift ideas here, made even better by a little advance ‘gift giving’ research.