Mother’s Day is a day of recognition to celebrate and honour the important women in our lives, from biological mothers, maternal bonds and to the general influence of women in our lives. However, the celebration can often come with a lot of waste and environmental harm, from wrapping paper to single-use gifts. Did you know that every year Australians spend 200 million on flowers for mothers day? And your local florist or supermarket could have been flown as in from as as far away as Kenya and Vietnam, crazy right! Why not make the day more sustainable and eco-friendly? Here are some sustainable and green Mother's Day ideas that will show your appreciation while also doing your part for the environment.

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Plant a tree or flower: Planting a tree or flower is not only a beautiful gesture, but it also helps to reduce your carbon footprint. Trees and flowers absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen, making them a great way to contribute to a healthier environment. If planting a tree or flower isn’t your thing, then pulling over on the way to mums and selecting a bunch of flowers from the local road side entrepreneur is still beneficial for the local community and also reducing your carbon footprint. 

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Homemade gifts: Instead of buying something from the store, try making a homemade gift. This could be a handmade card or a craft that you’ve made yourself. This not only shows your creativity but also reduces waste by avoiding store-bought items. Some ideas could be a handmade photo album, a knitted scarf or a personalised painting.

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Use sustainable wrapping: Gift wrapping can create a lot of waste, but there are ways to make it more eco-friendly. Instead of using traditional wrapping paper, consider using recycled paper or fabric. You could also use a reusable tote bag or basket as a wrapping alternative. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it’s also an added gift for your mum to use.

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Cook a sustainable meal: Instead of taking your mum out to eat, why not cook her a sustainable meal at home? Choose locally sourced and organic ingredients and try to reduce food waste by planning the meal ahead of time. This not only shows your love and appreciation, but also reduces your carbon footprint.

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Gift experiences: Instead of giving physical gifts, consider giving your mum an experience she’ll never forget and also reduce your waste. This could be a day spa, a cooking class or a night away in nature. My favourite destination for off grid style get aways is Salty Cabins. Not only are they 1% for the planet, donate $20 to Sea Shepherd per booking but they also plant a tree for every guest that visits. Check them out https://www.saltycabins.com/home, it’s a truly unique experience.

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Upcycling gifts: I know I’ve written about this before but its so rewarding to create something new from something bound to go to waste. Upcycling is a great way to show your creativity while also being sustainable. Instead of buying new gifts, try upcycling something you already have into something new and unique. This could be a piece of clothing, jewellery, or even a piece of furniture. Your mum will love the creativity and effort put into making the gift.

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Name a star: This is probably my favourite idea, naming a star in dedication to your mum. Adopt a star is a great not for profit organisation that has downloadable certificates available within minutes is eco friendly and dedicated to have all proceeds go back into research. To purchase your everlasting gift 

https://adoptastar.org

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Donation to charity: Instead of buying a gift, consider making a donation to a charity in your mum’s name. This not only shows your love and appreciation but also contributes to a greater cause. It could be a charity related to the environment or a cause close to your mum’s heart. 

Give Ethical gifts: If you're not ready to give up the traditional present giving but want to be a sustainable consumer, look at independent platforms that have done the hard work for you. The honest consumer has a great compilation of mothers day gifts that they recommend. 

https://www.thehonestconsumer.com/blog/ethical-eco-friendly-mothers-day-gifts

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Mothers day is the perfect opportunity to get creative, reminiscence on special memories and be present in her presence, it doesn’t have to mean that we have excessively and pointlessly consume things that are thoughtless and impacting the earth. By using these sustainable and green ideas, we can show our appreciation for our mums while also doing our part for mother earth through conscious consumerism.

Happy mothers day to my matriarch, Sherry. I love you. 

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