ask mr. green
Who Is Your Daddy and What Is He To Do?
Dear Mr. Green,
I'm an eco-minded family man, looking for an eco-friendly way to spend Mother's Day with my wife and kids. I know all about the "stuff" I can buy her that leaves less of a carbon footprint on the earth, like recycled gold jewelry and fresh, locally grown flowers, but after all the recycled wrapping paper has been torn, what can we do as a family to celebrate the mother of us all - Mother Earth?
Signed,
Mama's Boy
Dear Awesome Offspring,
What a wonderful way to put some new meaning into Mother's Day - by including a "gift" to Mother Earth. Mother's day traditionally is when moms across the country get acknowledged for their often-thankless job of raising children, and if you ask me, collectively we've acted like pretty spoiled children towards our planet, and she needs some acknowledgement, too.
Sure, your eco-minded wife is probably gonna expect organic chocolates, local flowers, a healthy brunch and, if she's especially lucky, some conflict-free diamond bling-bling. After all, through some very clever marketing and a whole lotta guilt, Mother's Day is one of the most commercially successful of all U.S. holidays.
But the flowers will soon fade and become compost. And in today's economy, the rock might just end up in hock. And her backside (along with yours too, buddy) will only get a another size larger from all that chocolate and brunch... you know where this is going... so why not celebrate the mother of your kids and Mother Earth by getting the entire family bicycles this year.
In the U.S., the average car releases about one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile driven, but by climbing onto your bikes and avoiding only 20 miles of driving per week, each of you could eliminate about one thousand pounds of carbon emissions per year. What could make Mama Earth happier than that?
From the research I've done I've come to realize that the best bikes are the ones built to last the longest. (Duh!) When hunting for a bike for mom, yourself and the rest of the clan, look for sturdy bikes (new or preferably used, or "previously owned") with a standard steel frame fabricated by a reputable manufacturer. As long as they have solid tires filled to the proper pressure, and their parts are maintained in working order, you can expect your bikes to last a lifetime.
Your wife will think that bike riding is a fan-tabulous idea because it will limit the time she spends carting the kids from place to place in the gas-guzzler. And an added bonus for you is that the bikes will not only help save money as the price of a gallon of gas keeps soaring, but will also keep mom in-shape and sexy (Same for you, mister!). And the kids will enjoy it too, because it will give them more freedom, and... well... it's fun!
And once everyone in the family is outfitted with bicycles and the appropriate protective gear, my suggestion is to pack a picnic, choose a destination and then make plans to head out for an afternoon of tooling around together. And if you do it this Mother's Day, you can skip the fattening chocolate and crowded restaurant brunch, and enjoy the local wild flowers just popping up at this time of year...as for the bling-bling, only you know what's best!
While you're riding together, experiencing Mother Nature's great outdoors, take a moment to examine the sky, smell the fresh air, and listen to and experience the music of the wind rushing past your ears. The sound, the awe and the look of adventure will be apparent not just in your face, but mirrored in your spouse's and children's as well. If you only let her, Mother Earth can provide some long-lasting treasured memories.
I know that for me, the memories I have of spending time out of doors with my family are the ones I recall and cherish most. So this Mother's Day, instead of going the traditional, safe route, offer your wife the promise of time spent together with her family, and the memories that go along with it. A diamond may be forever, but Mother Earth needs our help so that she's here forever, too.
about mr. green
From re-gifting, re-cycling, to natural cleaning products for your home, Mr. Green has all of your ecotiquette answers. Our Mr. Green (aka. Michael De Jong), is the author of "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing." He lives in Jersey City with his partner (Richard,) dog (Jack,) and three goldfish (Phil, Jill and Gill) all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in "CLEAN" and is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by an immigrant family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of "CLEAN" books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly Blog on www.thedailygreen.com. "CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing" can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.
Click here to send him a question and he'll put in the elbow grease to scrub out the answers!
