San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Honor your mother this weekend with one of these zero-waste gifts

These+are+reusable+makeup+rounds+you+could+give+as+gifts.
Aaliyah Alexander
These are reusable makeup rounds you could give as gifts.

With Mothers’ Day quickly approaching, we get to show our appreciation to our loving mothers by pampering them, spending precious time with them and showering them with heart-felt gifts.

Searching for the perfect present to surprise your mom is a fun experience and a way for you to get creative with crafty do-it-yourself projects. To help with this task, here are some low-waste gift ideas and DIY’s you can mix and match for Mother’s Day.

There are a variety of small, zero-waste stores on Etsy. Most stores have little-to-no-waste packaging and often hand-craft the items sold in their shop.

An example is Dandy Roots Boutique based in California. Aiming to give sustainable gifts on Mother’s Day not only helps reduce unneeded waste endangering the environment, it also saves you time, money and resources by reducing the need to continue to purchase single-use plastic products. 

Naturally scented soap is a cute addition to most gifts.

The first gift idea is to put together a “home essentials” care package. This can consist of a natural beeswax candle, a small plant with a cute pot like a glass mason jar, some reusable kitchen sponges and a homemade, all-purpose cleaner. For the cleaner, there are recipes on Pinterest, and the solution can be stored in a reusable glass spray bottle. 

An easy, low-waste way to wrap the gift is to arrange the items in an open wooden box. You can decorate the box with twine and nature items such as leaves, branches or flowers. 

If home essentials don’t pique your interest, then try making a special body scrub. You can make an assortment of different kinds so your mom never runs out. A variety could include types such as coffee, sugar, oatmeal honey and coconut scrubs. All you need are glass jars, twine to decorate and ingredients for the body scrubs.

The left container is filled with cleaner while the right contains a coffee body scrub, both could be Mothers’ Day gifts.

A personal favorite of mine is the coffee body scrub where I mixed ½ cup of coffee grounds and ¼ cup of olive oil with a few drops of vanilla essential oil in a jar. This do-it-yourself scrub is simple, sustainable and can be modified to fit your preferences. To compliment this gift, you can throw in a naturally scented soap bar, some reusable cotton makeup wipes and a cute bamboo toothbrush.

The last idea is to give your mom an experience. With the COVID-19 virus still prevalent, people are staying home as much as possible. This is a great time to get creative and plan a day to spend quality time with your mom at home. Wake up early to cook a heart-felt breakfast and serve it to her in the comfort of her bed or plan to have brunch, picnic style, in your backyard. You can also plan to bake a new savory dessert with your mom. Then you could top the gift off with a letter of appreciation. 

About the Contributor
Aaliyah Alexander, '21-22 Opinion Editor
Aaliyah Alexander is a junior studying journalism and international studies. 
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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Honor your mother this weekend with one of these zero-waste gifts