Courtney Hamilton's Blog
Mother’s Day Gifts for the Mindful Buyer
May 5, 2008
Posted by Courtney Hamilton in Living Sustainably
Now I’m not a mom yet, and my mom lives on the west coast (leaving me pretty much off the hook when it comes to Mother’s Day) but that’s not to say that I don’t have plenty of ideas about what I would want if I was a mom, or better yet, what I can still do for my mom from 2,851 miles away.
To begin with if your mom lives in far away like mine, you should definitely utilize the internet. The warehouse-to-door nature of online purchases makes the long distance mother-daughter-relationship a bit less… distant… Internet orders also come with added perks, like ground shipping (which saves cash, carbon and creates a little bit of that “hrmm I wonder what’s in the box?” excitement for the receiver of gift).
Anyway, the point is, in celebration of the coming holiday (and as a reminder to myself that Mother’s Day is May 11th) I came up with a handful of sustainable gift ideas. Please enjoy:
What to do if your mom lives far away:
1. Three words: Organic cotton sheets
Most moms work hard, and sleep is probably one of their most valuable indulgences. And for many, her bedroom is her sanctuary—it is a restful peaceful place. Any gift that you could give her to make it more comfortable, more restful and above all more healthy, is worth it.
If you decide to go the “organic sanctuary” route, you can find standard organic cotton linens online at prices similar to standard sheets, and considering the pesticides you’d be saving [one pound of herbicides pesticides and fungicides for every three pounds of processed cotton] they’re more than worthwhile.
Or if you’re willing to splurge, go for a high thread-count set (400+ is luxury). They’ll cost a good deal more, but they’re durable, softer with each use, and are so nice she’ll still be using them come Mother’s Day 2010.
2. Flowers
In many large cities there are a good number of farmers markets and at least one or two organic florists. Buying flowers locally helps avoid the carbon footprint of shipping the buds from the far ends of Ecuador in a refrigerated truck, and buying organic helps avoid growing conditions that possibly involve the nerve gas sarin. But unfortunately after decades of care, for many of us sending mom a card with 20 bucks and a message saying “go buy yourself some nice local flowers” doesn’t exactly cut it.
Instead doing a little online research helps a lot. Look into the price differences, and then make the choice that’s right for you: buy organic flowers online from a warehouse and have them shipped to her doorstep or call one of her local organic florists and have them hand delivered. (If I find a third option I’ll be sure to let you know).
What to do if you’re still under the age of 12:
1. Pancakes!
If there is one thing that moms love, it’s when their kids cook for them. This could mean taking her out to a local organic restaurant, or it could mean making a sustainable breakfast in bed.
If you go for the latter, foods that are in season can be found on NRDC’s Food Miles minisite, and we can suggest a few recipes that include rhubarb, asparagus, wild leeks, spinach and other in season food too.
2. Make her something
For example: Silk or organic cotton eye pillows are great for time to relax. They’re also easily handmade/ homemade with some soft recycled cloth or organic yardage filled with organic flax seeds and dried lavender. You can find instructions online, just google it.
3. Give her a night off
For an overworked mom, sometimes some time off is the best Mother’s Day present of all. A home drawn bubble bath or organic salt soak is a good way to start, particularly if you top it off with some bees wax candles.
If she likes home pedicures, treat her health with a “phthalate-free” version of her favorite hue of nail polish. And don’t shy away from incorporating the family (and photo opportunities) into the evening—there are plenty of organic face mask recipes online that can be made from common kitchen ingredients. Look one up and then try it out—at the very least it will keep the kids busy while mom gets some rest, and in a best case scenario the application photos will take a prominent place in the family photo album.
What to do if you’re a husband:
Buy a book on foot massage and some organic oils. Then read it and use them. Low emissions. Low cost. And above all, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.... think of it in terms of the proverb “if you teach a man to fish”... only replace fish with "rub his wife's feet"
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- Courtney Hamilton
- Communications Assistant
- New York, NY
- At NRDC I work for the Director of National Media Relations, Jon Coifman. Usually my...
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Comments
SK — May 5 2008 02:05 PM
I am a mom and I maintain a consciousness about the planet. So if there is anyway to combine the the two spaces then that is very important to me. Yet, I still keep in mind the recent posting about 'green it, mean it'. I want to know that if a company is really supporting Mother's Day in a sustainable manner that they really are green and mean it. As with most companies, you can ask Earth Day is Over...Is your business still 'Green'
The holiday is over...so now how many companies will keep green resolutions for this year?
The current climate of a consumer watch on businesses showing support for the planet dictates a higher standard of responsibility in corporate citizenship. It is actually moving toward impossible for a company to be successful on Wall Street and NOT be environmentally minded. It is no longer a question of will a company make a play for green-minded consumers. It is simply a question of when and in what way it makes sense for your business.
CSRwire.com, a global newswire service, is a reliable source for how many companies are sincere in sustainable efforts -- trying find the right balance when 'greening' their business. Unique features for accessing relevant information on the nexus of business with environmental and social concerns.
The site (www.csrwire.com) offers me a responsible way to get a better sense of news and content on how companies are stepping beyond the green trend.