Eco Mother's Day gifts for any budget
L.A. Times Blog - Emerald City
Yes, you can de-gift, re-gift, DIY-gift, or make a simple gift donation in your mother's name to a good enviro-charity. But for those who want to send something a little more tangible, here are some cute new green gifts to consider:
A FREE eco-friendly Mother's Day e-card -- that benefits women's heart health to boot. While I still think a thoughtful paper card -- with post-consumer recycled content, of course -- trumps most e-cards, the Toast To Mom e-cards, created by Clos du Bois, have a cause behind them. For each card sent, Clos du Bois will donate $1 to WomenHeart, a nonprofit that educates and advocates for American women living with heart disease. Cost: FREE -- plus a $1 donation.
Solar-powered glowing flower pot decorations. The Rainforest Site has these cool Glow-in-the-Dark Flower Pot Stickers, made with hand-blown glass and seeded with phosphorescent crystals that store solar energy then glow gently in the dark. Plus, the Rainforest Site will plant a tree with every order. Cost: 3 for $19.95, plus a tree planted on your behalf.
A traditional flower arrangement -- eco-style. Don't buy the pesticide-ridden conventional flowers, many of which have lost most of their scent. Opt for Veriflora or organic certified flowers instead. Organic Style's bouquets begin at a reasonable $39.95
An eco-friendly pampering kit (right). The Lil' Lula bag from Lula Organics includes paraben-free body shampoo and soap, along with a natural wooden brush, pumice foot scrubber and both a lavender mist and lavender bag. Everything comes in a stylish striped reusable tote bag. Cost: $55
An organic wine-pear-pistachio basket. Here's the gift I'd really want to get if I were a mama. Actually, here's a gift I'd like to get, period: The Ceago Sauvignon Blanc Presentation from Organic Style. Organic pistachios, organic pears, and a yummy bottle of 2006 Ceago Sauvignon Blanc, a biodynamic AND organic certified wine by Stellar. Cost: $69.95.
A ticket to the "Celebrate the Farmers' Market" reception and dinner, happening Sunday, May 18 from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. Support the Santa Monica Farmers' Market while enjoying a gourmet meal created with farmers' market ingredients by famous local chefs like Josiah Citrin of Melisse and Neal Fraser of Grace and BLD. Proceeds of the event, which also includes a silent auction and raffle, will benefit the Southland Farmers' Market Assn., a nonprofit organization representing the interests of growers in California certified farmers' markets. Reserve your tickets -- which are available only in advance -- by calling (310) 455-0181 or emailing howell@sfma.net. Cost: $125 per person.
Gorgeous organic, locally-grown lilies in an eco-friendly reusable bag of Ugly Betty fame. Local floral company Wisteria Lane Flower Shop's offering an arrangement of Oriental lilies, delivered in a tote bag made of repurposed juice boxes. Betty of Ugly Betty is constantly carrying around this tote, so this gift may prove especially popular with moms who're fans of the show. Plus, 10% of the sales price will be donated to Good Shepherd Shelter and Beyond Shelter, two Los Angeles-based shelters for battered and needy women. Cost: $130 with coupon code WL0408.