©2008 Holli Dunn www.HolliDunn.com
By Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson
Hello, Green for Good readers! We’re Lynn and Corey – a mother-daughter team on a mission to green up the way America celebrates. We promise that each month this column will be filled with tips and tricks for how to make your holidays and special occasions healthy and eco-friendly.
We’re excited that our first holiday with you is Mother’s Day, not only because we’re an enthusiastic mother-daughter team, but also because Mother’s Day gives everyone an opportunity to love and appreciate both of their mothers, one being Mother Earth, of course.
This year, American consumers are expected to spend $15.8 billion on Mother’s Day, down a little from last year. But while the sluggish economy may be partially to blame for the decline in spending, even the National Retail Federation President and CEO, Tracy Mullin, maintains, “Mom has been saying for decades that it’s the thought that counts on Mother’s Day, and this year, kids might actually be listening.”
So this Mother’s Day, how about listening to your moms (for once!) and seek out ways to show them both you care by giving green gifts from the heart.
Here are our top five suggestions for people-mom- and Earth-mom-friendly Mother’s Day gifts:
- The gift of yourself – Instead of giving your mom something that took resources to make, ship, wrap and dispose of, how about giving of your time, energy and/or talents? Does mom need her garden weeded, her roof de-mossed, or her closet organized? Would she enjoy a hand-knit scarf, a song written just for her, or a card (with heartfelt words) handmade from old family photographs?
- The gift of ahhh… People-moms and our Earth-mom can always use a little pampering; so what better time than now? Consider a relaxing massage, some 100% beeswax or soy candles, an organic cotton and/or bamboo spa robe, or a gift basket filled with organic pampering products. For more conventional gifts, look for local and organic flowers, organic and fair trade chocolate, or some eco-chic jewelry.
- The gift of health – For all moms – humanly and planetary – the best gift is the gift of health. Support your moms’ wellbeing with an eco-friendly yoga mat (with recycled plastic yoga mat bag), passes to take Nia classes, or a book on creating a therapeutic garden.
- The gift of yum – No matter what Mom’s tastes, you’re sure to find something she’ll enjoy and that the Earth with thank you for when you present her with edible (think, no waste) gifts. For starters, how about a home-cooked meal made from organic, local ingredients, a subscription to a local CSA (community supported agriculture), a membership to an organic or biodynamic wine of the month club or a bag of organic, fair trade, shade grown coffee from a woman-owned and -operated farm in the Peruvian Andes.
- The gift of giving – For gifts that keep on giving, buying your Mother’s Day goodies from sites like Shop The Cause helps to support Fair Trade and creates economic opportunities for women living in poverty worldwide. Or, for the mom who has everything, how about a donation in her name to an organization that feeds and protects women in Darfur through the Solar Cooker Project or plants trees in forests devastated by wildfire.
And because we’re moms and we want to spread the love, we’re offering a sixth, no cost, Earth-friendly way to celebrate your mother. Send her to see
this video and be sure she has a hanky when she watches.
Stay tuned for next month’s green holiday tips on Father’s Day…
For more about us, visit www.TheGreenYear.com
