May 14 is Mother’s Day! Celebrate your mother and Mother Earth.

Mother Earth has a place in many different cultures. The Greek version is Gaia from whom all live sprang and who personifies the interconnected ecosystems of Earth. The Earth on Turtle’s Back is a story from Native American tradition about a world of all water in which animals bring soil up from its depths that grew to become the Earth.

Mothers, cultural histories, and healthy ecosystems are all cause to celebrate. What better way than with green gift-giving ideas that also honor Mother Earth?

Consider giving experiences rather than stuff. The stuff in our lives takes energy to create and uses energy when we throw it away or recycle it. Experiences are ways to honor a special person in your life. They build relationships and memories, usually without leaving much waste behind. Research shows that experiences bring us more happiness than possessions do. Anticipation of the experience and the memories it creates are the source of that happiness. Give some happiness for Mother’s Day and make memories for the future!

• Plant a garden together. Seattle Tilth offers many resources and opportunities for kids, teens, and adult to learn about gardening.

• Enjoy a walk in a King County park and have a picnic with a view. Visit one of King County’s pesticide-free parks.
• Find a performance of local musicians and listen to some music together.

• Write a card to your mother telling her why you appreciate her and include a favorite photo of the two of you. Send one to your grandmother or a mentor in your life.

If you feel like staying in with your mother, throw a fun Mother Earth movie night! Cook a meal together with some local foods, fruits, and vegetables. Farmers’ markets are great places to get local food, and some run year-round. Find a Puget Sound farmers market near you. Here are a few ideas for informative and uplifting movies:

• The Story of Stuff in English or Spanish – a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the hidden environmental costs of how things are made and how we use and dispose of them
• March of the Penguins – a beautiful documentary
• Demain (“Tomorrow”) – a series of positive stories of solutions for ecological, economic, and social issues
• Wasteland – a beautiful story of people living at a landfill in Brazil and an artist who helps transform their experience

Have a happy Mother’s Day! We’d love to hear about your experiences. Share how you choose to celebrate in the comments below!