by Conny Manero

Created on: March 29, 2010

You want to go green, but you are uncertain how this ties in with Mother’s Day.  Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who is a little confused.  You may think that by going green you will have to sacrifice something, while the opposite is actually true, you have everything to gain.

When going shopping for a Mother’s Day gifts consider the following:

Instead of flowers who have a very limited time span, give mom a 'grow a tree' kit, a Bonsai tree or a Bamboo plant.  Young plants are not only decorative, they give the message of life and hope and in the case of the bamboo shoot it is widely believed that they bring good luck

Introduce mom to some homemade products.  Whether its jam, pies, berries or pickled onions, when presented in a decorative container, homemade products can be quite charming.

Does she like growing things herself?  Does she have a garden, a balcony or even a windowsill?  You could give mom a couple of fruit trees, give her the tools and seeds for her own vegetable patch, or seeds and pots to grow her own herbs.

Have a look at organic linen.  Bed sheets, pillowcases and comforters are luxuriously soft and produced without any harsh chemical treatments.

For something decorative you could look into ornaments, wine glasses or decanters from recycled glass. 

Then there are organic body products.  You could get some bath oil, shower gel, body lotion or even a whole body pampering basket.  You could also look into moisturizers and night creams.

If mom has been battling dry, oily or frizzy hair, present her with some organic shampoo and conditioner.  She’ll sing its praises from the first time she uses it. 

If mom uses make-up, look into organic beauty products.  Whether it’s foundation, eye shadow, lipstick or nail polish, you’re bound to find something to suit her style.  Chances are, once she goes green, she’ll never goes back.

Have you considered candles?  Not only do they create atmosphere in the bathroom or living room, they can save on electricity. 

Have you thought of given mom a bicycle?  To visit her friends or for quick trips to the neighborhood store she could leave the car in the garage, safe on fuel and get in shape at the same time.

Maybe you could give her reusable shopping bags?  Mom would no longer have to pay for bags when packing groceries.  Whether made from linen, hemp or cotton, any reusable shopping bag is better than a plastic bag.

Perhaps mom is already into green products, but would like to learn even more.  In that case you could give her a book or a membership to a local environmentally friendly organization.

This Mother’s Day, show that you care, not only about mom but about the environment as well.  If you’re far away and cannot give her a gift, send her a card, made from recycled paper of course.

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