A weekly roundup of EcoSalon’s top stories.

It’s hard to compete with Chevrolet and those sexy new ads for the $32,780 Volt voiced by George Clooney, but Ford argues the game plan isn’t really about competition, but rather cooperation when it comes to its soon-to-be released Focus and other electric vehicles. In Ford Revamps Fleet For The Plug-In Revolution, we take a look at what Ford and other auto giants are up to.

We love our moms but sometimes we have to scratch our heads and ask “What the hell did she just say?” In Word To Your Mother, we celebrate all the weird things moms say that we love them for regardless.

Urban homesteading is more doable than you think. With more people vying to be self-sufficient and sustainable while living in cities, there are a number of ways to cultivate ones own food, and even keep chickens while not angering the neighbors. In Making Homesteading Approachable, writer K. Emily Bond shows us some ways to do just that.

Covetable, high end labels like Missoni, Burberry and Margiela have maybe never been within financial reach for you, but there are ways around that. Design loving bloggers and their latest low impact, low price projects are enabling more and more D.I.Y’ers to achieve exclusive runway looks. Writer Rowena Ritchie provides you with the information how-to in her article D.I.Y. Your Own Missoni, Burberry and Margiela.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and you might be sending mom some flowers right? Think twice, the U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project reports that in Colombia and Ecuador, the two largest cut flower exporters to the U.S., workers earn poverty-level wages. What’s more, 55% of women workers in Ecuador have been victims of sexual harassment, and 66% of all workers suffer from work-related health problems due to handling dangerous pesticides. Your floral purchase ensures they get more of the same treatment. Folding in from public pressure, flower giants FTD and 1-800-flowers, are offering at least five arrangements and three fair trade gift baskets for those of you that care. In This Mother’s Day, Say It Without Sweat Shops, writer Andrea Newell provides us with links to shop for mom consciously.

Image: Oakley Originals

U.S. flower giants are beginning to respond to criticism over abusive labor practices.

For conscious consumers, the hypocrisy is striking every Mother’s Day: those colorful blossoms given to brighten Mom’s day are most likely produced under a dark cloud of abuse that often harms female workers most. Before buying a bouquet, consider selecting a Fair Trade-designated arrangement from either FTD or 1-800 Flowers.

The U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project reports that in Colombia and Ecuador, the two largest flower exporters to the U.S., workers earn poverty-level wages. What’s more, 55% of women workers in Ecuador have been victims of sexual harassment, and 66% of all workers suffer from work-related health problems due to handling dangerous pesticides. This exposure causes workers to experience higher rates of premature births, congenital malformations, and miscarriages. The stress heightens during the busy season, when workers can put in 70-80 hour work weeks with no overtime pay.

In February, Change.org drew a bulls-eye on 1-800-Flowers, calling for a boycott of the flower provider for Valentine’s Day due to these barbaric practices. More than 50,000 members signed a petition urging the flower giant to offer fair trade selections by Mother’s Day.

The company responded, offering six new, clearly labeled arrangements (Change.org called for five), and three fair trade gift baskets. The “Planet Friendly Smile” prices are only slightly higher than the conventional choices. The flowers in these selections were grown and picked in accordance with fair trade criteria and are certified by Fair Trade USA.

1-800 Flowers is now reportedly working to increase its transparency and is moving towards partnering with more fair trade-governed flower farms. Customers need to encourage a full-scale operational transformation by buying these newly available selections. Consumers always have a vote by deciding where and how to spend their money.

Change.org has also turned its eye on FTD, but the company needed little urging before it followed 1-800 Flowers’ lead. FTD hasn’t come as far as 1-800 Flowers yet, but they offer five fair trade arrangements and, we hope, will move toward greater transparency in sourcing soon. 1-800 Flowers and FTD are both major U.S. flower vendors, so if their lines are successful, it will set a powerful precedent.

image: Pink Sherbert Photography

Recently when I was in Portland for the IACP conference, every menu seemed to have rhubarb on it. I ordered rhubarb crisp, rhubarb compote, rhubarb this and rhubarb that. Rhubarb is one of the shortest season produce items I know, which makes it all the more special. I’ve been hankering to make something with it myself and Mother’s Day weekend seems like the perfect time. I’m going to pick up some rhubarb at the farmers market this weekend and make this Spring Rhubarb Crisp, from fellow Oaklander, Romney Steele, out of her wonderful book My Nepenthe.

And while we’re on the subject of Mother’s Day, if your mom is a pancake fan, check out these genuine buttermilk pancakes from Culinate. You can mix the dry ingredients up the night before to save time. Why not make rhubarb compote to go with?

If your Mother’s Day brunch plans are savory, as are mine, this springy golden beet salad from The Kitchn is healthy, easy and super green. No waste here since you mix the beet tops in with the roasted beets and serve them all together. I’m serving this with my leek tart.

Image: garyknight

Chocolates and flowers may abound this Sunday, May 9th, but the very best Mother’s Day gifts really are the kind that don’t fit in a box or vase. Want to know what moms truly want? Time off to relax, a sparkling clean house, priceless homemade art, a month long pass to enjoy a favorite hobby, or a pregnancy pedicure from dad. Here’s our list of sure to please presents that green moms will love!

1. Clean the House from Top to Bottom with Eco-friendly Cleaners

Most moms dream of having a clean home that they didn’t have to make spotless themselves! Send mom to the backyard to relax in a new hammock (bonus if you macrame the hammock yourself!), hand her an organic mimosa and this sweet Think & Grow Plantable Journal, which features covers that may be planted to grow wildflowers! While mom unwinds and writes in her journal or takes a nap, gather the kids together and do a clean sweep of the house with homemade eco-friendly cleaning products. Don’t forget to do the laundry too! Or, focus on one area of the house that is mom’s Achilles heel – a crazy disordered coat closet, an eye-sore of an exposed water heater, whatever needs tending to, fix it, and smile when you see the relief and gratitude on mom’s face. Extra points to families who make this the gift that keeps on giving all year long by helping mom keep the house tidy all the time.

2. Craft Priceless Family Tree Art With Your Kids

Rally the kids, get a large blank canvas and decorate it with your family tree. This is a great way to teach children about their heritage and ancestors, and it makes a very special, personalized gift for moms. Get as creative as you want, gathering twigs to use for each branch of the canvas tree, or simply use paint or paint pens. We all have a blank wall in our homes just waiting to display that breathtaking piece of artwork, and a masterpiece of this type is truly priceless. Not sure how to begin? Check out this inspiring family tree art that is stunning in its simplicity.

3. Treat Mom to an Entire Month/Year of Her Favorite Hobby (Babysitting Included!)

Does mom love to go horseback riding but can never find the time? Is she more “zoned” than “zen” because she constantly skips yoga class to care for the family? Has she always wanted to hone in on her rock-climbing skills but she’s too busy watching the kids climb the walls at home? This Mother’s Day, give mom the time and permission to indulge in her hobby by treating her to a yoga studio membership, horseback riding lessons, or a punch card to a rock-climbing studio… and then tell her you’ll babysit the kids once a week while she gets out of the house to enjoy this passion.

4. Pregnancy Pampering Pedicure

If mom is pregnant, one of the nicest gifts dads can give her is a pedicure with a foot and leg massage. After all, she can no longer bend over to reach her own toes, and could really use the help! Green mamas tend to avoid getting pedicures in salons during pregnancy due to all of the odorous chemicals and dangerous toxins inherent in nail polish. Equip mom with a collection of polishes from Polished Mama, a line of non-toxic nail polishes that was specially created for moms-to-be. Shades feature cutesy names pregnant moms will appreciate: Craving, Fourth Trimester, etc. Dads, roll up your sleeves and massage mom’s tootsies and legs, and then give her a pretty pedicure so she can be proud to show off her toes – even if she can no longer see them herself.

5. Start a Roof/Deck/Yard/Windowsill Garden

No matter how expansive or limited your space is on the home front, there’s always room to grow a garden of some variety. This year, instead of giving mom a bouquet of flowers, start a long-lasting garden in her honor. If she loves to cook, put her on the path to growing vegetables at home. Or if she has a soft spot for flowers, start a vertical garden to showcase a variety of blooms. If she’s always wishing she had the right herb at her fingertips while preparing meals, help her grow an herb harden of her very own. Maintaining the garden will also provide mom with a fun bonding activity with her children.

Happy Mother’s Day!

With Mother’s Day just around the corner – Sunday, May 9 to be exact – it’s time to get your online orders squared away so your precious cargo will arrive just in time for Mom. If you’re still searching for “the perfect gift,” I’ll make it easy for you and suggest you head on over to VivaTerra – our green sister company’s website – where you’ll find oodles of decorative pieces for the home and luxurious eco apparel. Today’s the last day for free ground shipping on over 40 Mother’s Day items, so start clicking those items in your cart! For latecomers, there’s no need to panic because you’ve still got until May 2 to get your standard shipping orders in.

Oh, and about this gorgeous piece that you know your mom would love? It’s the Jewelry Tree of Life ($69), made entirely from recycled metal.

Time to get shoppin’!

“I’m here for the love of my child,” Madeleine Albright announced to a packed room at the San Francisco Ritz Carlton. The crowd was there to support the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center at its annual Blue Ribbon Luncheon fundraiser.

The slogan, for the love of a child, is often used by the center in furthering its mission of ending the cycle of abuse.

Katie Albright, the Executive Director of the center, is the youngest of three daughters of the former U.S. Secretary of State. She used her excellent connections to recruit her mom as this year’s keynote speaker, and mom and daughter appeared to be members of a mutual admiration society, two generations of women who have followed their bliss into careers of public service.

“The first time I introduced my mom to speak I was in the 8th grade and she was in the White House,” Katie recalled. She described a different side to her mom as a single mother who juggled a great deal, putting up with a house of female drama and rebellion while working in high ranking positions of government.

Katie sees first-hand the challenges faced by single mothers as many women struggling to raise children alone are clients helped by the center. Katie said her mother’s achievements have inspired many young women, but her own 6-year-old daughter doesn’t see why Albright gets so much attention at public appearances.

“She asked me about Grandma Maddy speaking today and said ‘I don’t get it, what’s the big deal that she was Secretary of State. A lot of girls are secretaries of state.’ But my son reminded her that Grandma Maddy was the first girl secretary of state!”

It’s true, Grandma Maddie did blaze the trail for future secretaries Condoleezza Rice and Hilary Clinton, who are more known to the younger generations than the elder diplomat. Albright said being a mother prepared her well for diplomacy, linking the process of teaching children the playground rules and subduing tantrums to negotiating with the Middle East.

In addressing the topic of the lunch, she called child abuse a “felony against the future” and argued that too often in both human rights issues and abuse, we fail to anticipate disaster before it’s too late.

“We often send supplies when we hear of refugees forced out of their homes or we send food when we hear people are starving,” she observed. ” The value of vision requires opening our eyes because we do much better when we can prevent abuse and suffering.”

In San Francisco alone, nearly 6,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported last year. The center offers a range of services for treating the entire family, from an emergency talkline, to daily counseling and playroom activities to annual holiday meal and event programs to give troubled families the leg-up needed to combat the vicious cycle of abuse.

The center is also is known for its community-based education, training teachers, police officers, medical professionals, social service providers and children to recognize and report abuse. Another speaker at the lunch, Juanita Alvarado, shared her touching story of being on drugs and on the streets with her four children before the center helped turn it all around. Today, her older sons are honor students and she serves on the Parent Advisory Committee at the center.

Katie took the helm a couple of years ago after years of working as an attorney championing children’s rights. She is very understated about her connections. In fact, I’ve volunteered at the center for years doing the annual holiday party and didn’t know until recently that Madeleine was her mother.

The economic downturn has made Katie’s job tougher as the need for food and shelter are on the rise while generous giving has weakened. Yet as director, she powers through, relying on a network of support throughout the city and teaming with the SF Food Bank to respond to a four-fold increase in demand.

“Katie went to law school so she could learn a language that would help her to help children,” remembered her mom. “She always knew exactly what she wanted to do and is now heading an organization that allows her to do just that. What more could a mother ask for?” Ditto that!

Albright, who is famous for her large, showy pins (she says her next book will focus on the collection) wore a beautiful heart-shaped brooch on her jacket which she said Katie made for her as a Mother’s Day gift when she was only five. Clearly, Katie showed great talent – and heart- even back then.

Earning her mother’s praise must be a great gift for Katie, who returned the favor by plugging her mom’s book, Madam Secretary, which was sold and signed by the author after the lunch. Katie lifted it up and showed it the crowd, assuring everyone, “It’s a really great read!”

images: Luanne Bradley

Here’s our final Mother’s Day giveaway: this versatile splashy cool linen shawl. Whether you’re taking an evening stroll around town or sauntering through the sand in the hot summer sun, this tropical piece can be worn as a shawl or a sarong. Chic and eco-friendly, its bright hues are made from low-impact dyes. Leave a comment to enter to win. Good luck!

Today’s Mother’s Day giveaway: this elegant recycled glass terrarium. Beautifying bare surfaces is a cinch with this charming pear-shaped piece. Tillandsia (air plants) are able to thrive on just a little bit of water, so this natural accent is ideal for eco-friendly decorators whose thumbs aren’t quite green. A $79 value. Leave a comment to enter to win!

Today’s Mother’s Day giveaway: this unique twig jewelry tree. Organize your accessories and display them for all to see in ultimate style. Trade in your jumbled jewelry box for this nature-inspired piece, and you’ll never again have to untangle a knot of necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Leave a comment to enter to win!

Today’s Mother’s Day giveaway: these delicately beautiful papier mache birds. Talented artisans from Haiti transformed recycled cement bags into elegant objet to embellish tabletops in cheerful spring style. Spread the love with these graceful pieces’ heart-shaped tails and endearing charm. A $49 value, yours to win from VivaTerra. Leave a comment to enter to win!