Green Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

This Mother's Day (hint: it's May 10) why not make both your mother and Mother Earth happy? You can still play it safe by getting her a traditional Mother's Day gift but can give it a little eco-twist, too. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Fair Trade Chocolate: Fair Trade certification guarantees healthy and safe working conditions, no child labor, fair wages, the use of environmentally sustainable practices and more. Look for the "Fair Trade Certified" logo. My favorite chocolates include: Omanhene (locally owned!), Dagoba, Igna Fire and Divine. Your local gourmet shops, natural food stores and co-ops carry a wide variety of chocolate bars but if you would like a gift box or if delivery is needed the links above will guide you.

Fair Trade Flowers: The majority of flowers in the U.S. are imported from Latin America, where growers are exposed to highly toxic pesticides that were banned in the U.S. years ago. Roses can contain up to 50 times the amount of pesticides that are legally allowed on food. Look for Fair Trade or VeriFlora certification, which guarantee not only organic production but also fair labor practices, water conservation, recycling, minimal energy use and packaging and community development. Check out flower selections at your local florists, natural food stores and co-ops. If delivery is required, try Organic Style or Organic Bouquet.

Eco-Friendly Gift Baskets: These are great alternatives to the good ol' fruit basket. One of my favorites is the "Women Around the World" basket from the Global Exchange Fair Trade Store which is loaded with Fair Trade scents, soaps, chocolate, coffee, tea and music made by women from all around the world. Another option is the "Gardener's Gift Basket" from Delights of the Earth filled with hand-made, organic and cruelty-free products to use after an afternoon spent playing in the dirt. It includes two bars of Bug Be Gone natural soap, Therapeutic Bath Salts, two bars of Gardener's Delight Organic Soap and Aftersun Skin Saver.

100% Soy and Beeswax Candles: Your typical drugstore candles are made of petroleum-based waxes, such as paraffin, and use heavy synthetic dyes and artificial fragrances, which can become indoor air pollutants and allergens. Some of the wicks contain traces of heavy metals, which are released into the air as the candle burns. Look for natural soy or beeswax candles whose aromatherapy comes from natural, plant-based essential oils. Most of your local natural food stores, boutiques and co-ops carry them. If you need delivery take a look at BsaB Candles or Way Out Wax or PaddyWax.

Organic or Natural Body Lotions: Around 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our systems. Synthetic chemicals such as sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates, parabens and fragrance have been linked to health problems such as weight gain, hormone imbalance, liver damage and cancer. Local shops such as Future Green and Olive Fine Organic Living have wonderful product lines to choose from as well as your local natural food stores and co-ops. For delivery try a gift set from Pangea Organics, whose packaging when planted springs up into a Spruce Tree!

So as to keep this short and sweet I can't do a thorough job of providing definitions and meanings behind the labeling terms and certifications. I will continue to tackle these throughout the coming months. But if you want to know more now, most of the businesses listed above have very informative websites. So even if you aren't making any on-line purchases still take a look at the sites to learn more about the products you're purchasing in stores.