Gifts for Mother’s Day and Mother Earth

Posted Fri, 05/03/2019 - 14:33

April showers bring May flowers… and Mother’s Day! This year, in addition to celebrating mom and all the wonderful women in your life, let’s also share a little love with Mother Earth by reducing waste and the potential for creating marine debris. Here are some ways you can shower any mother with love:

For the ‘Green Thumb’ mom. Think Green this mother’s day! Consider getting your mom a plant native to your area, a fun piece of garden art, or native garden defending ladybugs you can release together. Take your mom to a garden center or farmers market to pick out a plant, or lend her a helping hand in the garden. This way you get to spend time with your mom and an opportunity to share her love of gardening with you.

Flowers in pots.
Plants are a great Mother’s Day gift… not only do they add color and texture to your home or yard, they are great for Mother Earth by capturing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. A win-win for everyone! (Photo: NOAA)

For the ‘Nature Loving’ mom, get outside! Plan a day hike on her favorite trail, spend a day at the zoo, or bring the birds right to her door with a new bird feeder. If you’re out on the trail, don’t forget the snacks! Pack a treat for mom in a reusable food pouch or container.

A bird sitting on a bird feeder.
Bring nature to your mom with a new bird feeder. (Photo: Spencer Oakes)

For the ‘World Traveler’ mom. If your mom is an active traveler, consider getting her a set of reusable travel bags, including TSA pre-approved reusable liquids bags. She might also appreciate a set of bamboo utensils! Not only will she now travel in style, she will also reduce her dependence on single-use items.

Reusable bamboo spoon, fork, and knife on top of reusable travel pouches.
While traveling can lead to amazing adventures, it can also be associated with a lot of waste production. To reduce reliance on single-use items while traveling, consider reusable travel bags (including TSA pre-approved liquids bags) and a set of bamboo utensils. (Photo: NOAA)

For the ‘Sporty’ mom. Nothing is better for the mom that spends time outside or at the gym than a reusable water bottle! With tons of colors, shapes, sizes, and patterns, you are bound to find the perfect bottle for mom.

A bottle on wooden slats with two people standing in the distance.
Whether your mom spends her time at the gym or just likes to go on a walk, a reusable water bottle will keep her hydrated! (Photo via Pexels)

For the ‘Overworked and Stressed’ mom. Give mom the spa treatment at home with homemade face masks, scrubs, and bath salts. You can pamper without all the waste by making your own treatments with natural ingredients like coconut oil, salt, avocado, and even essential oils.

A jar filled with coconut oil with a small scoop.
Make and store a face mask or scrub and gift it in a decorative jar. (Photo: Dana Tentis via Pexels)

For the ‘Foodie’ mom (or the mom who hates to cook). Whip up a delicious meal that is free from packaging and made with local ingredients, and serve you mom breakfast in bed! If you are not an early riser (or did not get the ‘cooking gene’), treat your mom to brunch at her favorite restaurant. What could be better than her NOT having to cook on her special day?

Olive oil is poured over food on a plate.
Can you find all of these ingredients in plastic-free containers? (Photo: Jessica Lewis via Unsplash)

For ALL moms! Treat your mom to wool dryer balls and washable produce bags. While these might not be the most exciting gifts, they are extremely handy, reduce single-use waste, and are gifts to Mother Earth as well!

Wool dryer balls a bottles of essential oil.
Wool dryer balls are a great reusable replacement for dryer sheets. Throw a couple of these balls in with your laundry and you are set! To make your laundry smell extra fresh, consider adding a few drops of essential oil to the wool balls. (Photo: NOAA)

There are many ways to celebrate all types of moms out there! This year, get creative and make sure to keep Mother Earth in mind!

Gifts for Mother’s Day and Mother Earth

Posted Fri, 05/03/2019 - 14:33

For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

The Marine Debris Blog is no longer accepting comments but continues to display past contributions.

Angela L Sinon

Thu, 05/05/2022 - 14:33

...thank you love this. So true