Mother’s Day is a great time for showing appreciation to the many nurturing women in our lives.
While family gatherings and special dinners are wonderful ways to spend the occasion, green-minded gifts can add a special touch.
It’s always nice to receive a present. However, because everything eco-friendly is intended to make a positive impact on people (and the world around us), environmentally conscious gifts are often that much more meaningful.
Here are a few green items to consider as a surprise for your mother (or mothering figure) on this year’s Mother’s Day:
- Plants: Since a little extra color and life indoors is always welcome one of the greenest gifts anyone can give is a simple plant or assortment of plants like a garden box of herbs. Flowers are nice but they only last so long.
- Essential oils: Whether they are for moisturizing, aromatic healing, or even used as a form of bug repellent essential oils make excellent green products to have around the house.
- A Water filter: Sometimes tap water just doesn’t do it for mom, which means some mothers may need to buy bottled water lugging liter after liter home. A water filter installed by the kitchen sink can be an amazing gift that will save time and effort when trying to quench a thirst. Also it will reduce the amount of plastic being brought into the home.
- Sparkling water machine: Just like water filters cut down on bottled water purchases and plastic consumption, if your mother loves soda water a sparkling water machine can be an amazing gift to give her. They are easy to use and often don’t require electricity. The only maintenance is occasionally refilling the gas.
- Energy saving appliances: When it comes to household appliances like refrigerators, which run twenty four hours a day, energy efficiency can make a big difference on the electric bill. If you really want to surprise the mother of the house secretly replace an older appliance like a fridge with an energy saving model.
- Recycled gifts: Whether it’s the stock cards are made from or the wrapping around a box of chocolates try and make sure gifts are either packed with recycled materials, are biodegradable, or can be recycled after use.
- Local produce: Buying local isn’t always convenient because of distance or availability but for Mother’s Day go the extra mile and purchase some produce, eggs, cheese, honey or other foods from nearby farms or artisans. Then prepare a hearty breakfast or Mother’s Day dinner.
- Organic produce: If local produce isn’t available try having a healthier meal by supporting organic distributors and picking up some of their fruits and vegetables.
- A compost bucket: A compost bucket gives mothers a chance to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle with little effort as food scraps that are returned to the ground cut down on waste going to the dump and provide important nutrients for the summer garden. This isn’t the most romantic gift but depending on its presentation it can be styling!
- Camping gear: If a plant is one of the greenest gifts for the home then camping gear that includes a tent, pack, headlamp, and book of local trails tops the list for great outdoor green gifts. With the warm season here and this gear at arms reach going camping with the family can be a great way to get away from it all with the people mom loves best.
Jakob Barry wrote this article. He is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com and blogs on sites like Phoenix, AZ, tile contractors and carpentry contractors in Tampa, FL.