Mother's Day Eco Gifts:
New Mums, Mum’s Mums, Expert Mums, Working Mums, Tired Mums- it’s our moment of the year!
March 14th is Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday if you want traditional) and a chance for our offspring to thank us and us to thank our Mums.
My mum is very Eco-savvy, so I can get her gifts that leave us both feeling great!
Then there are the gifts for me as a mum-
Our marvelous child will source gifts usually involving one of the following:
Dinosaurs, pirates, melted chocolate, mud and water.
Don’t know about you but….
So, this is where your partner becomes a child influencer. And this influencer needs an influencer too i.e. you!
Give your partner the necessary nudges- then they can plan with child and of course it was your super-sharp child who came up with the original idea!
So don’t forget to-
Leave your shopping page on the laptop when it’s your turn to make tea.
A magazine left open on that particular page, casually left on the sofa.
Drop it into a friend’s phone chat, when you know they are ear-wigging.
So, here we go, in no particular order, with the Green Mumma Top Ten Gift Ideas for Eco Mums, 2021-
1. Friendly Soap Lavender & Geranium Conditioner Bar £4.95
I bought this from the Ethical Superstore (www.ethicalsuperstore.com) after hearing about it from my aunt. It has a wonderful smell on opening, then rather than liquid, you just rub it into wet hands to create a luscious lather. Work the lather through your hair for a couple of minutes, then rinse. Leaves your hair soft and frizz-free, with that lovely floral scent that doesn’t vanish as soon as your hair dries.
This handy bar weighs in at 95g and is free from plastic, parabens, triclosan, phthalates, SLS/SLES and microbeads. No animal testing and certified cruelty free plus it’s made and packaged (recyclable cardboard) in the UK.
https://www.friendlysoap.co.uk/ also have some marvellous gift packs, starting at just £8.45
Why not give Mum the gift pack for hair with the Friendly Soap Lavender & Geranium as well as Lavender & Tea Tree shampoo and conditioning bars to give your hair a complete treat (£14.95, at friendlysoap.com).
Friendly Soap has partnered with the international charity Just a Drop to support vital hygiene projects around the world. They are donating 10P from every web order made to provide communities with hand washing stations and materials to make their own soap, which will boost protection in the fight against Coronavirus.
Visit the Just a Drop website (https://www.justadrop.org/) to read about the fantastic work this charity is doing an how we can support their efforts
English Heritage Gift Membership, £63
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/
With the Government’s latest announcement, COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021) we can look forward to the summer with a bigger degree of optimism.
If, like me, you are struggling to get joy out of walking/ jogging around the same local park for the zillionth time, read on…
Spring has sprung! whilst I am loving the mild spring weather we are having at the moment, I am yearning to get out into the great outdoors again. Here’s a fabulous idea for Mum which gets you out, makes you feel inspired and relaxes you all in one! I am cheating a bit, because I received this as a gift from my brother last Christmas (he thinks he always has the best ideas- quite often he does!)
With over 400 places across England to visit and enjoy, plus discounts across the UK, this is such a great gift! With prices starting at £63 for a single adult one year membership (£55 if they are over 65), you can visit parks, castles, prehistoric sites, grand houses and more with no extra costs except for special events.
Even better, up to 6 kids get in free with your card!
Many sites are re-opening, with online time slots, but don’t expect to have access to interiors until late June.
My local favourite is Wrest Park, near Silsoe, Beds. At over 90 acres this park ticks all the boxes:
Wonderful woodland walks, a grand house, formal gardens, a stunning pavilion facing the long lake and the café in an orangery!
All perfect for a summer picnic and plenty of space for kids (and big kids) to go bananas without spoiling it for others!
Here are some similar organisations around the UK:
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
https://www.cadwmembership.service.gov.wales/
https://manxnationalheritage.im/
https://discovernorthernireland.com/
Please add your country or regional heritage organisations that may be of interest to our readers
Vivian Bird Bamboo Organic Cotton Blend Socks, £6.95
These socks win every time! From sustainable sock makers Thought, they come in four different shades, but I’m such a sucker for this cheerful Yellow! Handy for the Green Mumma HQ, which can be a bit chilly in the winter.
For Mum I would go for the classic grey shade (with a pinky trim of course!).
The great thing is, they are made from super-soft bamboo, organic cotton and recycled polyester blend and are breathable, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, so great for Eco Mums on long summer walks.
I was very taken with the whole attitude of the company; here’s the company commitment:
‘We’re committed to considered design, responsible sourcing, and fostering change. What drives us is our mission to live more thoughtfully – something we hope to inspire you to do too.’
I’m a great believer in the ‘everyone can make a difference’ approach, and all our small changes and adjustments will help protect the future for us and our planet, so that really resonated with me.
Craftsman Squirrel Feeder, £23.99
https://www.protecttheplanet.co.uk/
This is a personal choice, as we have two squirrels, one grey and one black, who rule the roost in our garden. Well, more wreck the roost to be honest. They rip lids off bird feeders, sweep the bird table goodies off the edge and generally annoy all our garden wildlife. But we love them! They are such naughty creatures, you can’t help but be enamoured and laugh at their antics.
Mum has a longer garden, with a large ash tree, which has also pair of grey squirrels, so she would love this.
This great looking feeder, in duck egg blue, has a copper roof and a clever sideways swinging door to stop those rascals emptying out the tray. Made using sustainable materials.
For squirrel food, visit https://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/category/wildlife-food/squirrel-food-uk/ where 1kg of calcium coated squirrel food will cost £6. It contains all the goodies squirrels love, including sunflower seeds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts and maize.
Remember to use No VOC water based paints to freshen up the box. Here’s a very informative article about natural paints from Lakeland Paints:
https://www.lakelandpaints.co.uk/blog/buyers-guide/7-reasons-why-you-should-switch-to-natural-paint/
By the way- don’t forget to check out the great choice of mother’s day cards while on the Protect the Planet site: https://www.protecttheplanet.co.uk/search/for/cards/
Mother’s Day Coupons £0
https://www.skiptomylou.org/printable-mothers-day-coupons/
Saw this on the site Skip to my Lou and thought it was such an amazing idea! All you need is a printer and paper and away you go! You could even add in your own personal coupons.
Sorry? Yes, of course scissors.
Ok, yes, a stapler could be good too.
Always one smart Alec on hand…..
Elephant Bike £330
I had to add this extravagant pressie for a number of reasons, the best being when you buy a bike, someone in Malawi, central Africa, gets one too- how cool is that!
Now, looking at this bike, it looks fantastic, from the comfy saddle, to the paint job (this one is pastel green), the stand, the basket, everything!
And, do you realise, these are refurbished postal bikes? No, nor did I, but yes they are and lovingly restored to pristine condition with each bike individually numbered. Even better- you can choose from 3 standard colours or 21 premium colours for another £50.
There are choices for medium legs and long legs, with a 3 speed gear lever on the handlebar. These bikes are super-robust and virtually indestructible!
I think the wicker basket is awesome and you also have the cost option of a chain guard (£30).
And remember, while we love them and would love to own one, people in Malawi would see their lives totally transformed by owning one of these gorgeous bikes.
Please pop onto the cycleofgood.com site to see some amazing products made in Malawi with old cycle inner tubes! The team of local people earn over the living wage for their work and any extra money goes towards funding education and community support. That’s a massive feel-good bonus!
Gentle Day Organic Face Cream, £29
https://www.conscious-skincare.com/
My mum and I both have sensitive skin and frosty days soon dry our faces out and we are always on the lookout for ethical cream to deal with it.
Thankfully we have found a super face cream made by UK company Conscious Skincare. Made especially for skin like ours, it is made with a blend of organic shea and cocoa butter, evening primrose and comfrey oils.
It has a wonderful aroma and is extra gentle on the skin, lasting through the day.
A great idea that Conscious Skincare came up with is to offer small 5ml samples for just £3, so you can test it out before committing to a full size jar- very clever!
Have a look at the awards that Conscious Skincare has received over the years, a great testimonial to Rebecca’s (the company founder) strong ethical approach:
https://www.conscious-skincare.com/awards/
Red Bee Scarf £30
https://www.wheredoesitcomefrom.co.uk/
Mum always likes to have a light scarf to hand, as even in the milder weather it can turn pretty chilly as the sun sets, so a new one is an easy option. These stunning scarves are from Where Does It Come From? and made in Gujarat, India. The fabric is soft and warm, yet takes up minimal space in the handbag. They are made from local cotton which is spun and woven, then dyed using traditional low carbon, low water techniques. Made by Fair Trade artisans and co-operatives in India and you can read all about their journey on the website.
Jo Salter, the founder of the company, has a great blog which is full of info about how clothes are sourced (http://www.wheredoesitcomefrom.co.uk/blog/) and links to other great sites.
Wild Flower Seed Mix £3.99
https://www.dobies.co.uk/flowers/flower-seeds
So, let’s talk gardens…. No, let’s NOT. We have a small back garden, with a massive tree at the back, two sheds, then various slides/ sand pits/ paddling pools all vying for space in summer. My gardening efforts were successful on the veg front, as Dad made a pallet board planter at the side of shed one, which we over planted (as you always do) and it went crazy. A massive tangle of rocket, broccoli, cabbage, carrots and more. But a definite success.
Now, the lawn and borders…. Oh dear, what a mess.
I don’t want to buy turf and have a neat and tidy area. I’d really like it a bit wild at the back around the tree, as well as by the patio, which has a sharp slope which grass doesn’t like.
So, when a packet says chuck them on and watch them grow, I think ‘that’s my style!’
We all need a bit of wild in our gardens and the kids will love giving this as a present, then sowing across the scraggy edges, then policing the area for you! You then get the joy of colour and greenery, with all the wonderful butterflies, bees and birds as a bonus in the summer. It’s a win/ win!
Read this great article from the Natural History Museum, which will get you sending wildflower seeds to all your near and dear:
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-grow-a-better-lawn-for-wildlife.html
Green Mumma Bathbomb Gift Set £12
https://thegreenmumma.com/products/organic-bathbombs
How could I not include these!
Lovingly made with our own hands from locally sourced ingredients, these bathbombs are 100% natural, Vegan and eco-friendly.
They smell absolutely devine, with a choice of Hertfordshire Lavender or Matcha Green Tea (or a mix of both!).
We wanted to create a sensory and luxurious bath experience and, judging by the fantastic feedback we’ve received, I am pleased to say I believe we have achieved that!
All our bath bombs are made with the same great quality Epsom salts and/or Dead Sea salts and essential oils. All of our botanicals are ethically sourced and all ingredients used are organic and unrefined. Plus- doesn’t the package look great! Have a great Green Mumma Day!
Thanks so much for looking through the list and I hope you have been inspired by the choices I have made. Please let us know your thoughts on the selection for Eco-friendly Mums on Mother’s Day.
Roll on lockdown easing, don’t let down your guard, and stay safe!
Love and kindness
The Green Mumma
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