It doesn’t take much to turn Mother’s Day into a celebration that honors both your mom and Mother Nature. We share plenty of options here on experience gifts or zero-waste ideas. But today we’re delighted to share ideas that focus on FOOD for a truly sustainable holiday.
Our friends Danielle and Ellen from the Food Tank are sharing their ideas for making a better, more sustainable Mother’s Day.
1. Buy local. Consider cooking your a mom meal at home instead of going out to a restaurant, and try to buy as many ingredients as possible from local farmers. A
study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) about the environmental impact of food transportation in California showed that importing food products into the state released nearly 250,000 tons of greenhouse gases–the equivalent amount of pollution caused by roughly 40,000 vehicles. And shipping food from far away also means that it’s not as fresh–or tasty–once it reaches consumers.
The organization
Local Harvest has a search feature that allows consumers to find area farmers markets and farms in their communities.
2. Dine responsibly. If Mom prefers to go out for dinner on her big day, do some research beforehand and find restaurants that follow best practices for sustainability.
The Green Restaurant Association has a search feature that allows diners to locate the most environmentally friendly places to eat. And make sure to eat leftovers–the NRDC
reports that restaurant patrons leave 17 percent of meals uneaten on average, and that more than half of that is thrown away.
This question showed up in my Facebook feed yesterday:
“What are your most used and least used items from your wedding registry? I don’t want something in my kitchen or house that doesn’t belong there.”
My friend’s younger sister is getting married and asked this question. It’s interesting to read the answers and see some of her friends consider the wedding gifts they registered for, and how useful they’ve turned out to be. She’s getting advice to skip the formal serving pieces, and opt for more of the things you use every day like towels and linens.
When we registered for our wedding gifts 12 years ago, I remember reading about keeping price points in mind when you create a registry. It said most people get the list, scan it for the first $25 or $50 item, grab it and go. Whether or not that’s the most thoughtful way to choose a gift… that’s for you to decide. I know it means you’re getting the couple something they want.
What I know from experience is that the gifts that now mean so much to us were not the things two 24-year olds scanned in a department store or Target on a Saturday night to cross yet another Wedding To-Do off our lists.
Next time you’re shopping for a wedding gift, challenge yourself to think of something that will really make a difference in the lives of two people beginning a life together. They’ll get plenty of “stuff” so why not give a gift that doesn’t add clutter to their lives? [click to continue…]
Easter’s on its way! So we’ve pulled together a quick roundup of eco-friendly Easter resources for you.
Over at Green Child Magazine you’ll find a simple how to on coloring Easter eggs naturally. Or if you don’t have time to cook up your own earth friendly dyes, you can use a kit like WeeCanToo.
As for thinking outside of the candy isle, Amanda at the Eco-friendly Family gives plenty of tips. Then you can head over to Abe’s to stock up on some favorites at a great discount!
It’s mid-March and the winter months will soon be a distant memory. Many of us will be turning to thoughts of vacations… and if you’re anything like us, a vital part of our vacation attire is a pair of shades. But why opt for any shades when you can have a totally unique pair made by Wooed By Wood?
As the name suggests, the sunglasses are made from… you guessed it – wood. Not just any wood, but reclaimed wood sustainably harvested and hand-crafted into something really special. We learned it takes nearly two weeks and 50 different processes to make one pair.
Some of the stunning choices include frames made from Bamboo, Cocobolo, Zebrawood, and Walnut, which really do look the part. But as Julia from the company states, “Mother Nature was the real designer, all we did was to lend a helping hand.” In essence, they’re the ideal gift for someone who cares about the environment but wants to look and feel fabulous.
As well as making you look good, they’re extremely practical. With polarized lenses and spring hinges for better fitting, they’re made to last. With prices starting at $80, they make a stunning gift for someone special.
Joh (pronounced Joe) and Julia’s love for wood runs deep. “Some of the oldest living things on our planet are trees and our reliance on wood is as important today as it was thousands of years ago,” says Joh. “All we’re doing is bringing it back to life in a way that is practical, yet beautiful at the same time.”
Julia and Joh are about as passionate about the environment as you can be and this is reflected in the quality of their materials and the time and effort spent making their inspiring products.
