|
In This Issue
|
 |
|
|
|
Sign Up
|
|
|
|
|
Quick Links
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mother's Day (as well as Father's Day) is a "no gift"
day in our house. While I love the special attention I
get from my two kids and husband, the last thing I
want or need is more stuff cluttering up my closet or
kitchen. For me, the ideal Mother's Day is one that
starts with a great (organic) brunch (made while I read
the paper), rolls through a walk in the park or a hike in
the local woods, and ends with a delicious family
dinner I didn't have to make. No stress over the "right"
present, no mess at the end of the day throwing away
wrapping paper and plastic packaging, no hassle
returning something that didn't fit or didn't
work.
That being said, my children find it unacceptable not to
give me anything. And truth be told, I always want to
honor my own mother in some way, especially since
we live 500 miles apart. Here are some tried-and-true
gift ideas that don't take a big toll on Mother Nature but
help your Mom feel the love. (P.S. - You might want to
forward these ideas to your own kids and partner
before they head to the mall to buy you something you
don't really need!)
Family Activity - If your Mom worries about the
future in an increasingly changing climate, help her
take action. 1Sky, a non-profit organization dedicated
to reducing global warming, is encouraging
moms and their families to create an art square
that can become part of a massive "stop climate
change tapestry" for delivery to Congress' door (just
as lawmakers are considering legislation to cut
greenhouse gas emissions). Sit down with your Mom
and your own kids to make a square that reflects why
you're concerned about the earth's changing
temperatures. 1Sky will compile all the squares into a
visual statement it hopes will get your representative's
attention.
Donations - Because my Mom is such an
animal lover, I've made donations in her name to the
ASPCA and The Humane Society.
Because I'm on the board of the Alaska Wilderness
League, my family has contributed to them in my
name. Earth
Share's network of 500 local and national
environmental organizations provides a link to almost
any eco-interest your Mom could have, including
wilderness preservation, creation of rail-trails, and
projects that work to protect human health.
Garden plants - and 3 hours of gardening
help. You can't go wrong bringing a big flat of
bedding plants for your mom's garden - unless you
just drop them on the doorstep and leave the planting
for when you're gone. Show up not only with a fresh
botanical infusion for the yard but also your garden
gloves and spade, and your mom will think you're as
special as Eve in the Garden of Eden. (If she doesn't
have a yard, bring a big beautiful pot for the porch or
patio, then spend the next hour filling it with a variety of
specimens that will become more lush as summer
proceeds). Needless to say, choose plants native to your
area - they'll require less fertilizer, water, and
pesticides. Locally
grown bedding plants are available at most
farmers markets. You can find organic soil
amendments on sale through Home
Depot's Eco-Options product line.
Organic Garden Gift Bag - If you can't be there
in person, send a gift bag that includes membership
in local horticulture club; organic
seeds; a gift
certificate to an organic garden
supply store; a timer for the faucet to help conserve
water; a gift certificate for a bird house or
bird bath.
Flowers by Mail - If you're completely out of
time, send
flowers from Organic
Bouquet, along with your
message of appreciation.
Green Gear Gift Basket - Is your mom the
kind of
person who likes to try new gadgets but usually
doesn't buy them for herself? Fill a basket (one you
recycle from another holiday will do) with some of the
new earth-saving products you can find at your local
hardware or grocery store: an energy-saving LED
light;
the new Green Works cleaning products
(even the Sierra Club thinks they're good); the Tw
ist European Sponge cloth, which outlasts 17
rolls of paper towels;
a solar-powered battery charger for cell phones
and
MP3 players; batteries that recharge
when you plug them into a computer's USB
port.
Green Goodies Gift Basket - If pampering is
more up
your Mom's alley, stock a reusable shopping bag with
"green" lingerie; organic make-
up from Monave; a
tea ball and full-flavored organic tea ;
org
anic chocolate from fair traders Equal Exchange;
fra
grance-free body lotion from Terressentials; a
CD of Paul Winter's Canyon Lullaby.
Big Green Purse - For the Mom who wants
more
earth-saving ideas but is burned out on surfing the
web, give a copy of
Big Green Purse - and a couple of
hours of uninterrupted time to thumb through it
(maybe while you're making her dinner?). She'll find
dozens of easy and affordable tips ranging from
clothing to cosmetics to computers to cars, plus
information on organic food, lawn care, and coffee and
tea. Available at your local bookstore or in time for mail
delivery from a variety of online booksellers.
|
|
