By Aliza Heeren, Marketing and High Performance Building Fellow 

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and we have some great gift giving ideas for you to show the moms in your life how much you care about them- and the earth! Choosing sustainable gift options this Mother’s Day is easy! Here are ten ideas to get you started:

1. Sustainably grown flowers.

Most of the time when we think about organic products, we are talking about food. However, often flowers are grown with huge amounts of pesticides, which still negatively impact our environment. Try to choose local and organic flowers this Mother’s Day!

2. Make a card out of recycled materials, or send an e-card.

Giving a sustainable Mother’s Day card is one easy change anyone can make! Create a card out of recycled paper, cardboard or magazines. Even better, make an e-card and save the paper all together!

3. Make a donation to a sustainable organization in her honor.

Giving a gift to your mother’s favorite sustainable organization in her honor this Mother’s Day is a great way to support local organizations and your Mom all at once! Mothers are always working hard to ensure a successful and healthy future for everyone in their lives, and this Mother’s Day you can do the same for her and our earth!  To donate to CET this mother’s day, visit our website.

4. Give the gift that keeps on giving…and supports a local farm!

Mother’s Day is the perfect time of year to give a membership to a local CSA. If the mothers in your life aren’t enthusiastic about vegetables, many local farms also have weekly flower shares!

4. Give the gift of time.

Instead of giving a gift that she may not need, choose to give a less tangible gift and offer your time! Giving handmade coupons for yard work or cooking dinner is a great gift that every mom will appreciate!

6. Chocolate!

There are plenty of options out there, just remember to look for sustainable and fair trade labels when purchasing your Mother’s Day chocolate.

7. Baked goods.

This is a great way to avoid giving someone something that they don’t need, while still giving a great gift! You can either bake something yourself, or support a local business and purchase some tasty treats.

8. Plant a tree.

Planting a tree in someone’s honor, either in their backyard, or through an organization is a great way to give the gift of life and reduce your carbon footprint!

9. Homemade beauty products.

You can never go wrong with a nice lotion or body scrub as a Mother’s Day gift. But you can make it even more special and sustainable by making it yourself!

10. Finally, don’t forget to use sustainable gift wrap!

There are so many ways to give your gifts in sustainable wrappings this Mother’s Day. For more ideas of sustainable wrapping, see our blog!