Clay’s Green Corner

Children of Earth (okay, shamelessly taken from Torchwood. Parents, ask your kids, or do the Google), it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday. Yes, you may panic now, I’ll wait while you calm down and I may be of some help. We all have at least two moms, the one that birthed us and the one that birthed the earth. And luckily enough some of us have/had very special women in our lives who have influenced us, guided us, loved us, nurtured us, gave us a metaphorical slap upside the head when we needed it (but will never admit it) and were there for us even if not “biologically” related. Some of ’em are even men. So as we set aside a day to formally honor mom, let’s at least try to do it more than one day per year. That goes for your mom, and mama earth.

While society puts a ton of pressure on us to buy, buy, buy someTHING to show our love and appreciation, there are ways to succumb without feeling guilty about it. So let’s Go Green for our moms. Just cruising around the intertubes, I found many sites for ideas. Here’s a few that piqued my interest: giving life to those who gave you life try buying a plant for mom, how about different colognes, body washes, perfumes made without harsh chemicals, mom got a hobby? Um, if you don’t know, now would be a good time to ask. If she reads, there are so many wonderful books and now you don’t even have to buy a paper version, so an e-book would be nice. Does she write, paint, play music, cook or garden? Once again you can buy paints, gardening and cooking materials that are not harmful to the earth. So, if you are going the gift route, please do it with sustainability in mind. Maybe even a day at a spa. The Corner would prefer a day at a bar, but that’s how I roll.

So here’s a hearty hat tip and hug to all our moms. Thanks for loving us even on our worse days.

On Monday, May 14 the University of Rochester is sponsoring an alternative transportation expo at the Flaum Atrium at the Medical Center. Come on by from 11AM to 2PM and learn how you can depend less on your auto by investigating various ways of moving around that is earth friendly and not a soul-crushing experience. The Corner will be there happily asking folks to take our Go Green pledge. And if you are not in the Rochester area, you can still pledge to help our world. Just follow this link and make a difference: http://www.rochester.edu/sustainability/pledge/

Whichever you choose to do; do it. You know you make a difference.