6 Great Gifts for Moms

Love is unlimited, but money and time aren't always as abundant. With Mother's Day fast approaching, many of us are scrambling to find a gift that shows our love, but not our lack of resources. Whether you're restricted by a tight budget or you're just low on spare time, we've got a few gift ideas that will make your mom smile.

Gifts on the Go If you're flush with cash but don't have a second to spare, a few clicks will put one of these products en route to your mother.

• Order one of these five eco-friendly cellphone accessories. Extra points if you follow up with a phone call.

• Keep an on-the-go mom refreshed and healthy with one of these five BPA-free drink containers.

• Spread the love around by giving one of these upcycled gifts: Purchase a recycled candle holder that helps homeless mothers in Chicago or a recycled necklace that helps support impoverished Ugandan women.

Gifts on a Budget If your pockets are empty but you're full of creativity, go the DIY route this year.

Dialed In

Smartphones have become our mailboxes, maps, cameras, clocks, calendars, books, and music players. In that spirit of multipurpose minimalism, we went on the hunt for some eco-friendly cell accessories. 

Whether you're pumping reggae or Rachmaninoff, the durable Zion In-Ear Headphones from HOUSE OF MARLEY keep the bass deep and the beats clean. If a call interrupts your groove, answer via a center button and mic embedded onto the Rasta-threaded cord.These earbuds are made from sustainable wood and recyclable aluminum  and come packaged in recycled paper and plastic. The audio-goods company, created in partnership with Bob Marley’s family, donates 5% of its profits to 1Love, a nonprofit that funds green initiatives. $100

Finally, a way to charge up while backcountry camping: With the CampStove from BIOLITE, you can warm your hands on the same fire that charges your phone. The 33-ounce thermoelectric gadget needs no gas. Just stuff in some twigs, set 'em on fire, and plug in. $130

A splash of water can make a smartphone dumb. Keep yours high and dry by strapping it into the nylon ProCase by 

T-REIGN. The rugged cocoon is made via a zero-waste manufacturing process by a company that recently switched its packaging to be more minimal. $35

The Guide 10 Plus Adventure Kit from GOAL ZERO, a company that claims to be the world's largest manufacturer of portable solar products, charges your phone (or tablet) anytime the sun shines. After dark, juice up with the kit's four rechargeable batteries — they come in a pack that doubles as an LED flashlight. $120

A phone case may seem like just another unnecessary thing to buy. But when you consider that a naked cell is much more likely to break than a protected one (remember, its outsides are made of glass), a cover starts to look like an ecological investment. The slim, stylish, and biodegradable Interchangeable iPhone 5 Case from INNOVEZ sports bright-colored style and two layers of buffering to prevent an early death knell for your cell. If you haven’t upgraded to the 5 yet, don’t worry: Innovez makes degradable cases for all versions of the iPhone. $25

--Avital Andrews

Schmear Campaign: The Best Eco-Spreads

Spreads have come a long way from the days of instant-soup packets mixed with sour cream. Animate your Ak-Mak with these eco-friendly slathers. 

The Sweet and Spicy Black Bean Hummus from EAT WELL ENJOY LIFE is a low-fat pate made with corn, pineapple, red peppers, pecans, chipotle chilies, and a medley of spices, all without GMOs. Michelle Dudash, a Cordon Bleu-certified chef and registered dietician who wrote Clean Eating for Busy Families, loves this particular flavor and admires the brand for its unique taste combinations and eco-values: The PET plastic packaging is easily recyclable, and the paperless company recycles all of its waste. About $5 for 10 ounces

JUSTIN'S Honey Almond Butter, creamy and sweet, goes perfectly on everything from rice cakes to bananas, says Amie Valpone, a Manhattan nutritionist who runs the Healthy Apple blog. To give the butter texture, she sometimes sprinkles it with ground flaxseed. The spread is high in protein, comes in a recycled-plastic, BPA-free jar, and doesn't have genetically modified anything — the only ingredients are California-grown almonds, sugar, honey, sea salt, and palm oil, which the company sources from a sustainable farm. Justin's uses mostly organic ingredients. About $9 for 16 ounces

The Premium Organic Sesame Butter from GOLDEN MILLSTONE is made from just a single rare ingredient: sesame seeds harvested by small organic farms in Ethiopia, slow-roasted at temperatures low enough to qualify them as a raw food, then ground on a 90-year-old millstone. The nutty, nutritious spread is packed with those fatty acids that are hard for vegetarians to get, plus protein and antioxidants. Use the sesame butter right out of the glass jar as you would peanut butter, or mix it into dips, smoothies, or salad dressings. $8 for 14 ounces 

Cat + Owl = BFFs?

Talk about an odd couple. Two years after we first shared a video of Fum the cat frolicking with Gebra the barn owl, the celebrity critters remain BFFs, with a shared website, YouTube channel, and Facebook page to prove it. 

What could explain the Spanish duo's unlikely affection? Some believe it's because they've been buddies almost since birth. They also share an instinct to prey on rodents.

Good luck trying not to "awww" over this adorable footage of Fum leaping and pawing at Gebra, who responds with a few pecks when playtime gets too rough.

 

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Ask Mr. Green: Paper Towels or Hand Dryers?

Hey Mr. Green,

Public restrooms often offer two choices: paper towels or blow-drying machines. Which is better for the environment? 

—Brenda in Washington, D.C.

With so many kinds of dryers on the market — RestroomDirect purveys 80-plus models from nine manufacturers — it’s even more complicated than the old paper-or-plastic query (answer: neither, but reusable plastic if you must).

MIT’s recent cradle-to-grave comparison of drying methods gives paper towels a slightly better grade than dryers, except for the super-­efficient Xlerator and Dyson Airblade, which have the lowest impact of all methods by far. (You put your hands in the Dyson, while the Xlerator blasts air out of a nozzle.)

Paper towels are less harmful than electric dryers overall, especially in terms of preventing CO₂ emissions. Paper also uses less water than dryers, because so much H₂O is needed to generate electricity for their heating elements.

Recycled paper beats virgin paper, of course — but another option, the old-fashioned cloth roll, handily beats most paper and dryers.

But it may be best to simply wash your hands of the whole matter — many people wipe their paws on pants and skirts after getting impatient with dryers anyhow. And here's an idea: Why not carry your own little towel in your pocket or purse instead of firing up dryers or yanking out paper?

And while every bit helps, do keep the debate in perspective: Drive your 25-mile-per-­gallon car to and from a restaurant just a mile away, and you’ll burn through at least 100 times more energy than you will in one session with a dryer or a paper towel in its john. —Bob Schildgen

Got an eco-question? Ask Mr. Green!

Are Grocery Delivery Services Green?

It isn’t easy being green. Sometimes, adopting eco-friendly habits — whether avoiding plastic bags or researching sustainable food options — only seems to add more stress to our already hectic lives.

But one green habit might be as easy as skipping next Sunday’s grocery trip. A study published in the Journal of the Transportation Research Forum reveals that grocery delivery is easier not only on you, but on the planet, too. Using Seattle as a model, engineers at the University of Washington found that delivery service trucks generated 20 to 75 percent less carbon dioxide than personal vehicles driven to and from the grocery store. 

While zero emissions are ideal, grocery delivery offers a conveniently green option for those who don't live walking or biking distance from a store.

It turns out that delivery services also help grocery companies green their wallets. Goodchild and study lead author Ericka Wygonik, a Ph.D. candidate in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington, observed that delivery service providers produced up to 90 percent less carbon dioxide if they used routes that delivered to groups of residences, rather than individual households at separate delivery times. 

Spring Recipe: Ginger Lemonade

To wrap up our week of delicious spring recipes, we bring you a classic drink with a refreshing twist. Check it out!

Ginger Lemonade

There are few things more refreshing than a tall glass of lemonade. But a secret ingredient — ginger — takes this classic drink to a whole new level. Spice up your lemonade with this in-season root and watch as your guests beg for more.

Ingredients:

8 cups water

4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cups sugar

3/4 cup honey (you can also use agave nectar)

2 lemons, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated ginger

1 cup crushed ice

 

Instructions:

Spring Recipe: Balsamic Strawberries & Ice Cream

Now that we've shared recipes for the star of the barbecue — the Carrot-Sesame Burger — and its two equally delicious sides — Spicy Green Bean Fries and a Zesty Kale Salad — we have to find something to cure that post-meal sweet tooth. Check out the perfect remedy below!

Balsamic Strawberries with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

There is nothing like a sweet, ripe strawberry! Harvest this seasonal fruit from your garden or pick some up at your local farmers' market. Then grab a bottle of balsamic vinegar and a quart of your favorite vanilla bean ice cream to make a light, refreshing dessert.

Ingredients:

1 lb strawberries, thinly sliced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1/3 cup 2% milk

1/4 stick of butter

1 quart of vanilla bean ice cream

1/4 cup almond shavings

 

Spring Recipe: Zesty Kale Salad

Stay tuned as we continue to share tips on how to enjoy a healthy, green spring cookout. Yesterday we highlighted a mouth-watering carrot burger recipe. Check out what is on the menu for today!

Zesty Kale Salad 

Although kale has been on the scene for thousands of years, the powerhouse vegetable has had quite a resurgence in the past 10 years as knowledge of its health benefits have become more widespread. Since then, people have found all kinds of unique ways to prepare this nutritious veggie. From kale chips to kale juice, people just can't get enough of it, and neither can we. Check out Kathy Sampson's zesty and colorful kale salad recipe below.

Ingredients:

Spring Recipe: Carrot-Sesame Burger

 

This week, the Green Life is dishing out eco-recipes that turn a typical meat-heavy barbecue into a light, refreshing culinary experience. Yesterday we shared a delicious recipe for Spicy Green Bean Fries. Check out today's planet-friendly treat below.

 

Carrot-Sesame Burger

What's a barbecue without a burger? Instead of going the traditional route with ground beef, why not add some color to that hearty sandwich? Not only will you be saving fat and calories, but since carrots are always in season, you can also head out and support local agriculture. Trust us, you won't be sacrificing taste. Try if for yourself by following this delicious recipe from Dr. Ann Kulze of Dr. Ann Wellness.