Celebrating Mother's Day Sustainably: 5 Fun and Eco-Friendly Ideas around Metro Vancouver
Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to celebrating all the incredible self-identifying women who have loved, and shaped our lives. While traditional celebrations often involve gifts and buffets, there are plenty of creative ways to show appreciation while minimizing your impact on the planet. This Mother’s Day, explore some fun and eco-friendly options around Metro Vancouver to celebrate the amazing women in your life.
1. Gift An Experience
This Mother’s Day, opt for giving an experience instead of a gift. Plan an experience that will create a long lasting memory and does not leave a significant carbon footprint behind.
Many fun workshops take place around Mother’s Day week including Sea Smart’s Rattle Making Workshop: Deer Rattles and the Algonquin Women’s Water Song on May 8th, 2024! During this workshop you and your mum will make your very own deer rattles and join together with others to learn about traditional water songs sung while rafting this instrument.
This workshops will be facilitated by Lorelei Lyons who is Chippawa/Metis originally from Manitoba. Lorelei is a knowledge carrier and has been teaching Indigenous Education for 30 years.
Sea Smart Workshop
Need additional ideas? Check out these other experiences happening around Metro Vancouver:
Cedar Bracelet Weaving Workshop at the Museum of Vancouver (May 11th)
Flower Arranging Workshop with Arts Council of New Westminster (May 4th)
Mary Poppins Theater Show at Massey Theater (Apr 25 - May 12th)
Medicines in Our Backyard: A Plant Medicine Walk by the Water with Sea Smart (June 1st)
2. Celebrate Movement
We are all aware of how movement can significantly benefit our health. Not only is it good for your body but it also has the added benefit of making you feel exceptional! This mother’s day, share that exceptional feeling by planning an activity involving movement with your mum. Get outside and visit a few of Metro Vancouver’s more popular hiking trails or veer of course and explore some more unusual outdoor spots. For extra brownie points, pack a picnic for your adventure. Pick up a few items from the store or if you’re short on time, you can get ready-to-eat picnic boxes made by local Vancouver businesses.
If hiking isn’t your mum’s favourite activity, sign up for a dance class, go bowling, or try axe throwing and sword fighting! There are plenty of options, choose one that you and your mum can enjoy together.
Kanchan’s mum axe-throwing
3. Enjoy Nature Together
Celebrate Mother’s Day by nurturing nature together. If you have access to some yard space consider doing some gardening, plant a herb garden or a flower bed! Make it even more environmentally friendly by choosing native plants that support British Columbia’s local biodiversity contributing to a healthier ecosystem. Looking to get started on creating your own local garden? Find out where to begin here.
Alternatively, if gardening isn’t your mum’s cup of tea perhaps consider taking part in a outdoor cleanup. Grab some gloves and a few buckets and head to your local park or beach, year round these areas are filled with garbage. While there, look closely at your surroundings for small microplastics and cigarette buds, these are often hidden. If you head to the beach enhance the experience by doing doing a species identification walk and other fun activities while cleaning. For easiness, Sea Smart has developed a few family-friendly resources that can be used for exploration at Kitsilano beach, Acadia Beach and English Bay! By giving back to nature this year, you take care of your mum and Mother Earth.
4. Sustainable Dining
What mother’s day without a meal? This year instead of shelling out a month’s salary’s on a bottomless brunch (so expensive!), support sustainable restaurants or make an extravagant meal at home using locally sourced ingredients. Visit one of British Columbia’s Artisinal Farmers Markets including those at Ambelside, Burnaby City Hall, Trout Lake and Kitsilano to purchase your goods.
If you want to be even more of an eco warrior make your feast using organic and seasonal foods, and purchase your meat from the neighbourhood butcher. All of it helps.
Kanchan and partner hosting Mother’s Day brunch for their mamas!
4. Sustainable Gifts
Want to go the more traditional route and get a gift for your mum, that’s no problem at all. However, rather than purchasing conventional gifts that contribute to waste and environmental harm, consider sustainable alternatives for this Mother’s Day. Choose gifts made from eco-friendly materials, shop from locally owned and zero-waste stores, or thrift your gift! Remember, it’s the thought that counts.
By choosing sustainable and eco-friendly options this Mother’s Day, you can express love and appreciation for your mum while also minimizing your environmental footprint. So this year, let’s celebrate this special day through experiences and connections that create lasting memories. Happy Mother’s Day! 💙
