Mother’s Day is a special holiday that celebrates the strong, beautiful ladies in our lives.

As Mother’s Day approaches (yeah, we know…time flies), finding the perfect gift for an environmentally-conscious mom can feel like a daunting task with the number of online retailers out there. We've all been there: a last-minute Google search brings up hundreds of ideas and picking just one can be overwhelming, easy to put off, and oops - you missed the shipping window!

Now you’re hurriedly searching for some generic gift from the corner store that doesn't really capture your unique gift-giving style.You know the feeling when your recipient gives you a polite "Thank you", but you can see the disappointment on their face as they open yet another bamboo toothbrush. The good news is, if you’re reading this, you can avoid this scenario.

So, grab your favorite mug of coffee, tea, or wine (no judgment here), and explore some thoughtful, eco-friendly gifts that will please any Mother Earth-loving mother - with time to spare!

Why Does Being Eco-Friendly Matter?

Before we get into the gift-giving, let's talk about a couple of reasons why being eco-friendly is the bee's knees. First off, reducing waste is an intregral part of taking care of the Earth. It's like Marie Kondo-ing the planet - say bye-bye to excessive packaging and unwanted ingredients, and hello to minimalist products that spark joy for Mother Earth.

Plus, many eco-friendly Mother’s Day gifts are made from natural, organic, or non-toxic materials, which are better for the health and well-being of both the recipient of your gift and the environment. For example, choosing clean, natural skincare products reduces exposure to harmful chemicals and promotes a healthier lifestyle for all the mommas out there.

So, let’s get eco-fabulous together! It's time to show the world that every gift-giving season is an opportunity to make our planet green and gorgeous and inspire others to follow suit.

Give the gift of radiant skin with an eco-friendly skincare kit that includes all the essentials.

3 Eco-Friendly Gifts Ideas for Mother’s Day

Below are gift ideas that will please any woman in your life with an added nod to sustainability:

• Spring flower bulbs: There are a whole bunch of gorgeous bulbs that can bloom during spring and summer, and they're perfect for adding a pop of color to anyone’s yard. Plus, they're like a little invitation to all the fluttering butterflies and charming hummingbirds to come join the party! You can arrange some of these bulbs in a cute basket for a lovely gift that your loved one will absolutely adore. How delightful does that sound?
  
  
• Skincare kits: Every woman deserves healthier, more radiant skin. So indulge your favorite momma with the gift of healthier, more radiant skin with our all natural skincare kit. The kit includes our Facial Moisturizer, made with organic botanicals, so you can be confident that she’ll have a clean and effective skincare routine - powered by nature.
  
  A good facial moisturizer utilizes the power of plants to provide natural hydration, leaving the skin soft and smooth. There’s a bonus! Our skincare kit includes all the essentials: a cleanser, facial moisturizer, serum, and an all-over body lotion. So your lucky lady will have everything she needs for a simple skincare routine to be ready to slay the day!
  
  
• Bamboo cooking utensils: If the woman you have in mind is a culinary queen, make her day and help her create a zero waste kitchen with bamboo cooking utensils. Plastic can sneak harmful chemicals into your food, so bamboo is a fantastic alternative to the more common plastic or rubber spatulas that tend to degrade over time. They’re not just practical, they’re strong and sturdy too - so she can keep flippin’, stirrin’ and servin’ with confidence. Best of all, they’re biodegradable (meaning they’ll break down naturally over time).
  
  

Show the Ladies Some Love!

Whether you choose one of the gift ideas above or buy a handpicked bouquet of flowers, knowing your purchase is also eco-friendly and aligned with a sustainable mindset will bring you a sense of satisfaction in making a positive impact on the planet. Your loved one will feel truly special and appreciated, knowing that you took the time to choose a gift that comes from the heart.

When you gift your mom or the mother-like figure in your life with a gift that also respects Mother Earth, you’re saying, “I care about you - and the planet.” And it doesn’t get better than that!

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Top 5 Not-So-Healthy Trends
Show Your Heart Some Love with Omega-3

Spring cleaning applies to your pets too! With an eco-friendly pet shampoo, get your furry friends fresh and clean after their playtime outside.

Welcoming the warmer months doesn’t just mean “out with the old and in with the new” spring cleaning - it also means sprucing up your pet! Since April showers bring May flowers, your family is spending more time outside, and all the lovely things about being outdoors are likely making their way indoors. We’re talking about dirt, mud, and leaves - the enemies of a clean home.

Don’t get us wrong. It’s cute to watch your pets having fun outside, and then post it to Instagram, but when muddy paw prints are everywhere, the cuteness ends there. Even cats who normally pride themselves on staying clean can make a mess of your bed, couch, or countertops after being outside.

We know you can’t stop spring storms from happening, and your pets definitely benefit from exercise and playtime outside. However, you can help your pets keep fresh with some simple spring grooming using an eco-friendly pet shampoo at home.

To get that groomer-level of clean and keep your pet’s fur soft and shiny, we’re sharing tips to revitalize their coat and freshen things up - all from the comfort of your own home.

Choose the Right Pet Shampoo for Grooming

So you’ve decided to take some time out of your day to give your pup or kitty a quality wash, which may include other activities like brushing and trimming nails. Before you start, first things first: don’t stress. Animals pick up on that and can react negatively to the whole process if you’re feeling anxious about it.

You don’t need to set up an elaborate home spa for your pets (but you can if you want to make it special for your furry king or queen). But your dog or cat doesn’t need a bunch of fancy pet products to get clean after a romp in the yard. You can get creative at home, too. Invest in some fancy sponges or scented oils to make the whole process more fun and still get great results.

Next, choose the right kind of pet shampoo. Stay away from pet shampoos filled with questionable chemicals since these might irritate your pets’ skin. Also, some of these shampoos mask odors rather than eliminate them.

Instead, go with an eco-friendly pet shampoo made with real ingredients, like coconut oil and rosemary. Botanical-based pet shampoos naturally neutralize odors. They’re also the safest way to remove dirt and other debris from your pets’ coats.

Using this kind of pet shampoo gives your pets a silky, healthy coat, no matter how dirty they get. And with nature-inspired products, you can rest assured that it’s not causing harm to your sweet, furry friend - or the planet for that matter.

Use an eco-friendly pet shampoo with botanical infusions of organic rosemary and sage to soothe your cat’s skin with a gentle, aromatic experience.

How to Clean Your Pets with an Eco-Friendly Pet Shampoo

Using eco-friendly pet shampoos is easy. Get your bath area ready with all of your supplies nearby. Soak your pet’s coat with a sprayer. If you don’t have a sprayer, use a pitcher to pour water over your pet. Then apply the shampoo and gently massage it into their coat, ensuring you’re getting the foam down onto their skin. Remember: be gentle and make sure you don’t get any shampoo near their eyes.

Next, rinse your pet really well so there’s no residue left behind. Have big towels handy to wipe down your pets after their bath and keep them warm. Once their fur dries, their coat should look and smell its best - and now they’re ready for some snuggle time on the couch!

Keep Your Pets Fresh and Clean Every Season

Overbathing (more than two times a month) can dry out your pet’s skin. So how can you keep their coats in tip-top shape in between baths? Try using a conditioning spray mist made with natural ingredients. A convenient pet spray like this is great for freshening up anytime - after playing outside, during brushing sessions, or whenever you need added softness and a fragrant boost. With this eco-friendly pet spray, you can keep ‘em clean without having to hit the tub every day.

In the end, any season is the right season to make sure your dog or cat gets the best care. And with an eco-friendly pet shampoo or conditioning spray mist, you’ll have the keys to an inviting, happy, and fresh-smelling home year ‘round.

 

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Helpful Tips on Caring for Senior Pets
What You Should Know About Grains In Pet Food

How great would it be if you could celebrate the holidays while giving our earth the gift of sustainability? Well, that’s exactly what we want to do! We’ve come up with some eco-friendly decor ideas so you can deck the halls without the guilt (or expense) of waste. Here are some of our favorites:

Pressed Leaves

As fall comes to an end, take up the leaves from your backyard and get to pressing! Elevate this tried and true activity to make gorgeous wreaths or tie them to your wrapped gifts as a colorful accessory. There are a couple ways you can press your leaves. You can use a heavy hard book and put the leaves between the pages to flatten them or iron the leaves between wax paper, paper towels or a thin cloth.  To preserve your pressed leaves, you can coat them with eco-friendly epoxy so you can use them for holiday decor for years to come!

Dried Fruit

Another elegant eco-friendly item you can use for your gifts, wreaths, and ornaments is dried fruit! This is a colorful way to decorate your space while using what you already have in your kitchen! Some of the best fruits to use are oranges, apples, and lemons. All you have to do is slice up the fruits and be sure to dry them out as much as possible with a paper towel. Then, lay them flat, bake in the oven at 200 degrees Farenheit for 3-4 hours, and make sure to flip them until they are completely dry! And there you have it! Beautiful eco-friendly decor that smells good and looks even better.

Cranberry and Popcorn Garland

Need a new garland? Look no further! Make a new one that pops with color by using cranberries and popcorn. This is a classic to be sure, but if you’ve never tried it, it’s a wonderful homemade addition! You’ll need none other than popped popcorn and washed cranberries as well as craft string and a needle for threading. Make the popcorn a few days in advance so it gets slightly stale and is firm enough for threading. Thread your two snacks through the string in any pattern you like and then add it to your tree decor! If you really want your homemade garland to last a few more years, spray it with shellac to preserve and reuse!

Gingerbread Ornaments

Get the kids in on the eco-friendly decor with gingerbread ornaments! This super easy craft looks adorable on trees and gives off an inviting cinnamon scent. These gingerbread cookies are made with only three ingredients, making it the perfect homemade project. All you need is craft glue, ground cinnamon and unsweetened apple sauce. Combine these ingredients together into a dough, roll out and get to work with the cookie cutter. Don’t forget to create the hole at the top for the string to hang. Let it dry by baking, air drying, or using a food dehydrator. Then, whip out the glitter and any other gingerbread accessories for decorating! Once these have all dried, string a ribbon through and hang them up for everyone to enjoy. Even though these look good enough to eat, make sure that you keep them away from kids and pets!

Cloth Gift Wrapping

Traditional wrapping paper doesn’t have the best impact on the environment, especially considering over two million pounds of it end up in landfills by the end of the holiday season. A fantastic alternative to wrapping paper, which is reusable and looks just as festive, is wrapping cloth. Also known as furoshiki, the practice of using cloth to wrap gifts originated in Japan. You don’t need to purchase the exact kind of cloth traditionally used because you probably have something very similar lying around the house. Once you find a fabric, check out the easy tutorials online for the many unique ways to tie up your gifts.

Recycled, Personalized Greeting Cards

Need a fun holiday decor project to do with the kids? Instead of buying a bunch of greeting cards that could potentially end up in landfills, make your own! You can get recycled cards or paper and customize them using potato stamps. All you need to do is outline the desired shape on the potato and then cut around it with a knife so the design sticks out. Dip into paint and you’re all set! This keeps the same festive feel as traditional greeting cards while adding a unique touch, and serious crafty bonus points

By all means, continue to enjoy festivities and less-DIY holiday decor! Just by making small changes to your decorations like we’ve listed here, you can reduce your environmental impact while still experiencing all the warm, fuzzy feelings of the holidays.

We should always be looking for new ways to be kinder to our planet — a great way to start is by making your own home more eco-friendly!

Having an eco-friendly home will help you contribute to a sustainable environment and also save some money. Every step you take helps reduce your own carbon footprint!

Here are seven ways you can put your home on an eco-friendly track:

1. Save Water

   It’s time to get serious about saving water! Installing a water meter, checking your place for any leaks, and even just cutting down on shower time are ways to be conscious of your water consumption. A low-flow showerhead can save over 2,000 gallons of water per person each year! Remember: Use only what you need when it comes to water.

2. Compost Food Waste

   Don’t waste your leftovers — turn your kitchen scraps into compost. Consider investing in a compost bin or building your own to start composting food waste. After breaking down kitchen scraps you will be left with rich fertilizer for your garden and a lot less food waste. Plus you’ll make insects such as worms very happy!
   
   

3. Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

   Harmful chemicals are not only bad for the environment, they can be dangerous if you have pets or kids in your household. Luckily there are eco-friendly cleaners designed with kid and pet safety in mind. Check out our eco-friendly cleaners that are safe for the whole family, including our Bio-Base Floorwash and Bio-Base Biodeodorizer Spray.
   

   
   

4. Proper Insulation and Ventilation

   If you are a homeowner, maintaining the temperature inside your house is crucial to energy management. The latest in insulation and ventilation helps keep your home’s temperature steady during all seasons, eliminates energy waste and saving you money in heating and cooling costs each year.
   
   

5. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

   This is a simple one — investing in energy efficient light bulbs isn’t very costly and they use less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs. They also last much longer, which means you don’t have to replace them as often. It’s a no-brainer — save some cash and energy at the same time!
   
   

6. Buy Recycled Items

   Try to buy recycled products whenever you can. From toilet paper to paper towels and napkins, you can find almost any paper-based household product made with recycled materials. You can even buy recycled technology, such as cell phones and video game consoles.
   
   

7. Install Solar Panels

   While it’s a long-term investment, solar panels are an essential feature for an eco-friendly home. Solar panels provide clean electricity — and in many cases you can generate enough energy to sell some back to the electric company. Deciding to install solar is a long-term financial investment. The big upside here is that at a certain point you will break even and be free from continuing to pay your utility every single month. Hands down, solar is one of the best ways to make your home eco-friendly.

-----

Here at Life’s Abundance, we are focused on reducing our own carbon footprint everyday. Our Florida headquarters is solar powered, our Texas warehouse will be powered by wind, and we’re constantly implementing more sustainable practices throughout our business. Thanks to these initiatives along with our tree planting program we are a climate positive company. Customers are a big part of this impact too. For each skin care product purchased another tree is planted!

Do you have other great ideas for eco-friendly living? Share them in a comment below.