It is Mother’s Day on Sunday, a day when mothers around the world are spoilt and pampered for one whole day. I’m sure that many of you will be planning to send a nice card or bunch of flowers or perhaps a cute teddy bear. 

But have you stopped to think about the possible environmental impacts of these thoughtful gestures?

Were the flowers you so lovingly bought grown with deadly chemicals and pesticides and flown halfway across the world?

What about the Mother’s day card you so carefully picked out? Was it responsible for the destruction of a small piece of the Amazon rainforest?

That cute heart-holding teddy bear you just couldn’t resist buying– was it made in a factory far away under terrible working conditions?

These are hardly the images we want to conjure up for a day which symbolises caring, nurturing and protecting are they?  This Mother’s Day we want everyone to honour our Mothers yes, but how about doing that while honouring Mother Earth as well?

We’ve come up with some great ideas to help you honour both your mother and Mother Earth:

  • Make a book of vouchers for hugs and kisses for future collection.
  • Give a pot plant instead of cut flowers.
  • Make a delicious breakfast in bed, using free-range, locally grown and organic ingredients.
  • Home-made gifts are always treasured – get creative and design a card from scrap paper and magazines.
  • Arrange a picnic in the garden
  • Create a collage of family photos with love notes from everyone
  • Plant a tree with your mom and watch it grow together

Are you planning to give your mother an interesting or creative gift this Mother’s Day? We’d love to hear your ideas.

12 May 2010

Thanks to Brenda and Sarah for sending in a picture of this beautiful home-made Mother’s Day gift. Sarah planted this flower in a pot she made out of a used plastic juice bottle. What a wonderfully creative gift – well done Sarah!