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Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 13, 2012. Show mom how special she is by taking advantage of all that gorgeous South Florida has to offer. From green bookstores and oceanside picnics to natural treats and relaxing massages, there’s plenty of gift ideas to choose from.

Books and Leisure

Is mom a reader? Out of South Florida’s many used bookstores, perhaps no bookstore is more green and stylish than my beloved Second Edition Book Shop. Better yet, if mom loves popular fiction, check out the book bundles at Second Edition. The book bundles consist of gently used books that are packaged together and sold as a set. Not only are they cost-effective, but they’re also green and perfect for Mother’s Day.

Treat mom like the queen she is and give her a tour of Villa Viscaya, Miami’s breathtaking Italian villa. Built in 1916 by industrialist James Deering, this spectacular house has been featured on Martha Stewart’s website and is considered one of the most beautiful homes in the country. If you want to pamper mom, South Florida has several green and local spas, including the organic, eco-friendly (and very chic) Uhma Organic Spa.

Picnics

South Florida has many gorgeous, natural places to celebrate Mother’s Day. Enjoy the outdoors with mom by arranging a small, beachside picnic. You can sit right on the sand with her, watch the waves, and have some organic treats. Moms and families can also take a stroll along Hollywood’s famous 2.5 mile Broadwalk, just a short walk from The Desoto.

Farmer’s Market Gifts

Get mom some fresh-cut flowers or some garden supplies at Flamingo  Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market. The local farmer’s market has many earth-friendly options for Mother’s Day, including a variety of plants and flowers. The bamboo wind chimes at the Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market are one of my favorite items. The sound adds a sense of tranquility to any indoor or outdoor setting.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Unique Hotels Group

As Ellen DeGeneres famously pointed out after right-wing group One Million Moms boycotted her JC Penney spokesperson position, they only have 40 thousand people on their Facebook page. (I guess 40 Thousand Homophobic Moms With Nothing Better to Do just didn’t sound as catchy.) However, their inaccurate name didn’t stop OMM from getting their proverbial knickers in a twist again just in time for Mother’s Day. Why? because corpo giant JC Penney has taken yet another stand in their support of LGBT families and featured an adorable lesbian family in their most recent catalog.

JC Penney Supports Lesbian Moms

JC Penney’s May 2012 catalog features partners Wendy and Maggie and their daughters Raven and Clover on pages 10 and 11. Both women are wearing wedding bands and the whole family is dressed in brightly colored spring clothing. Little Raven is holding tightly to mom Wendy’s hand and smiling into the camera. Even grandma Carolyn, Wendy’s mother, is in the two-page spread. The pages focus on how this happy family likes to enjoy art as a way of self-expression. A happy, artistic, creative family, just in time for Mother’s Day? Oh, say it ain’t so, America!

If You Can’t Say Something Nice, Walk Away

Predictably, One Million Moms is now again at war with the retail giant.…On second thought, maybe the word “war” is just as inaccurate as OMM’s member roster. The word “war” implies that both parties are equally furious, and that’s not entirely true: only OMM is furious.

On the other hand, JC Penney’s employees barely seem to notice, instead responding to One Million Moms with indulgent good manners. JCP’s employees have been instructed to hold fast to their manners, smile politely, and walk away from members of OMM. (Maybe JC Penny employees can thank mom for teaching them the “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” rule, eh?)

Get Over It, OMM

We’re in the 21st century. There is no excuse for bigotry and homophobia. One day soon, I hope that all 40 thousand of the One Million Moms can open their hearts to mothers of all orientations.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By greekadman

Mother’s Day is just around the corner on Sunday, May 13. On Mother’s Day celebrate mom in environmentally friendly ways and give her a green Mother’s Day.

Body Care

Pamper mom with organic body wash and bath salts. (General body wash often has petroleum or parabins in it, both of which can cause cancer or have other dangerous, long-term side effects). When selecting bath goodies for mom, make sure that they are cruelty free and made without any animal byproducts. Alba Botanica has fantastic parabin/petroleum free body care items. There are many wonderful body scrubs out there, but green, organic scrubs and body washes will protect mom’s health while helping her feel like a queen.

Books

If mom doesn’t already have an e-reader, consider getting her one because the more you read, the greener of an option the e-reader becomes. If she’s an avid reader, pick her up a Kindle or other e-reader so she can download her favorites. If she really loves real books (and really, who doesn’t enjoy curling up with a real book?), get her some gently used books from a site such as Better World Books.

Traveling Mom

While nurturing her kids was probably a great adventure, it’s time for mom to see the world and explore new places. If mom enjoys packing a bag and seeing the world, make sure she’s got the eco-friendly supplies to do it. A stainless steel water bottle is a must have for any traveling mom. If mom’s taking a flight, get her some carbon-offset credits. If she’s the slow-and-easy type of traveler, you might want to plan a train trip for two, so that you and mom can see America from the window of a train. Plus, train travel is one of the greenest ways to explore.

Cards for Mom

While you could go with traditional Mother’s Day cards, let yourself get creative and make her a collage using pictures cut from magazines using what you already have. Get creative with pen, crayons, or even pictures from magazines and put your unique collage into a frame. If you’d rather go with a traditional card, find one printed on recyclable paper.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Etsy Ketsy

Earth Day is over for 2012, but here are some little-known eco holidays to give us an excuse to celebrate nature. Two holidays focus on penguins, one on trees, and one on….trains? Yes, trains because trains are a fantastic way to travel green (and if you can’t migrate on foot like the penguins, may as well hop a train).

National Train Day

On May 9, celebrate this green way to travel by hopping a train to Anywhere, USA. Remember, trains are a wonder for green travel because they release less carbon emissions than either cars or planes. Plus, train travel is often cheaper than either highway or air travel. On trains, you can get to know your neighbor and experience the beauty of the landscape.

Penguin Appreciation Day

I didn’t know that penguins had a day of honor, but apparently and much to my surprise, they have two. On January 20, penguin lovers now have an excuse to celebrate this adorable, flightless bird, and there are many reasons to appreciate them such as their friendliness and their highly social natures. Clearly, penguins are ready to party down – they even look like they’re wearing tuxedos. (That’s the only penguin joke in here, we promise.)

World Penguin Day

Just in case one 24-hour period to appreciate penguins isn’t enough, celebrate penguins worldwide on April 25. What does one do on penguin day? On either one of these days, learn about penguins by watching the Morgan-Freeman-narrated blockbuster March of the Penguins. You could also help protect these grounded birds from climate change, as researchers believe that penguins who live in Antarctica are in danger from recent warming trends that have impacted their population and their food supply.

Love a Tree Day

For those who feel that Earth Day is too all encompassing of a holiday, the single-minded focus of Love a Tree Day may be just the eco-holiday for you. On May 16, go out and show your trees some affection with Love a Tree Day. How to celebrate? Plant a tree, visit your favorite woodland area, water a tree by soaking the root system, or simply kick off your shoes and wander around a national park. There are plenty of tree traits to love: their shade, their beauty, and the fact that they produce oxygen and clean the air. So, spend some quality tree time on May 16th. (We won’t tell.)

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Northeast Region

Earth Day officially began on April 22, 1970 and was founded by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson. I urge you to take advantage of the fact that Earth Day falls on a Sunday this year – go out and celebrate it, don’t just hear about it second-hand.

My first memory of an Earth Day celebration was in 1990. I was eleven and I was running wild with some friends on the Ridge, a patch of land in-between Pine Island Road and Nob Hill Road in Plantation, Florida. All I remember of that day is a lot of talks about recycling and soda cans. I stacked old soda cans and then my friends and I excitedly put them into big red bins marked for that purpose. There were balloons. My cousin rolled down a hill, narrowly missing an anthill, but this was just another excuse for the sweaty, curious lot of us to poke at some insects. Not bad for a first earth day: soda, tin cans, and a lot of bugs.

When I was growing up, a best friend of mine lived in walking distance from the Ridge, and we’d go there all the time. We didn’t care about what danger might exist. All that mattered for us was to be free in nature. We’d stay in the woods so long that her parents yelled themselves hoarse trying to get us to come inside. But we – especially I – couldn’t be distracted. Light changes in the woods, blazing forth when you walk out of a cluster of trees. Those times represented freedom and joy, independence and adventure. I wish everyone that feeling at least once in their lives, especially the kids of today, who are growing up in a world where technology may one day entirely eclipse the natural world. Let’s make it up to us – and use this Earth Day to renew our commitment to protecting the environment.

Here are some things to do on Earth Day.

Picnic

Make the kids turn off their electronic devices and go on a picnic. Enjoy being outside.

Pretend to be Ansel Adams

Got junior explorers? Feel like being an explorer yourself? Pay attention to what’s around you. Take pictures of bugs and of the natural world.

Take the Time

Find a local celebration or simply make the time to go for a walk. Make this a perfect time to celebrate the value of the present and our hopes for the future.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By ax2groin

Easter was on April 8th. It’s time for Peter Cottontail to hop away down the bunny trail, which means that it’s time for us to figure out what to do with all the fake grass, baskets, and all the other colorful Easter goodies. If you were one of the people who purchased the millions of Easter baskets or artificial grass that leave store shelves every year, here’s what to do with them.

Round Up the Rabbits

Large and small, stuffed or chocolate – in the aftermath of Easter, bunnies are everywhere… like a post-holiday Watership Down. If you’re sick of small and fluffy (or if the little ones are bunnied out), round up the rabbits for an impromptu trip with the baskets – and donate them to a thrift store or charity.

Have a Swap

Have a post-Easter swap party and collect all the bunnies, baskets, leftover candy, and other goodies to trade with friends.

Chocolates

Consumers purchase an amazing 90 million chocolate bunnies per Easter. Organic chocolate is the way to go, but if somehow you still have leftover chocolate, bring it to work instead of throwing it out.

Baskets

Thrift stores love baskets, even Easter ones, so round up your slightly used Easter baskets and drop them off at your nearest Goodwill or children’s hospital.

The Problem of the Fake Grass

Fake grass from Easter baskets can be easily found at any drug store or dollar store in America. Instead of fake grass, next year try shredding paper for the Easter “grass”. That way, the whole thing can be recycled at the end of the holiday. If you’d rather stay away from paper for Easter, wadding up a pastel tee shirt is a great idea, so it can be reused – and cleaned – year after year. But what if you’re already sitting on an unfortunate mound of fake grass? Well, save it with your stamps and boxes, and use it to cushion the next present you buy. Moving or packing? Use some of the fake grass to provide padding for breakables or keep it handy for some arts and crafts projects at local schools.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Barking Cats

Each March since 1978, we’ve celebrated Women’s History Month. This group of women spans sexual orientations, but they all paved the way for us to achieve our dreams and empower others.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Although no one has actually proved that Eleanor Roosevelt was a lesbian, several of her biographers admit that, at the very least, her written correspondence with journalist Lorena Hickok is extremely passionate. Roosevelt was born in 1884 and became the 32nd First Lady. As the wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eleanor’s powerful position is similar to that of Hilary Clinton, who also emerged as much more than a traditional president’s wife. Roosevelt became an outspoken advocate for civil rights and, after her husband’s death, chaired President Kennedy’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, an organization which laid the foundation for feminist causes. Because of her human rights achievements, President Truman famously referred to her as the “First Lady of the World.”

Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony was born in 1820 and grew up to become the legendary champion of women’s right to vote. She formed a close friendship with fellow suffragette and writer Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and in 1868, the two women began to publish a weekly journal advocating equal rights of women, including many topics that are still being discussed today such as divorce laws and the place of religion in women’s issues. She was arrested for leading a group of women to the polls in 1872, and after her trial, she continued to openly fight for women’s right to vote. When Anthony died in the early 20th century, less than five states allowed women to vote. After her death, women were finally given the right to vote when the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920.

Barbara Grier

One of my favorite and perhaps most obscure heroes, publisher Barbara Grier co-founded the 50s lesbian magazine The Ladder and the revolutionary Naiad Press. Naiad Press soon became the largest lesbian publishing house in the world. Grier championed a new and unique literature for women, one that created space for lesbians and bisexual women to experience their own stories. Grier brought back into print classics such as the books of Ann Bannon, and even acquired the rights and reprinted poems by Gertrude Stein and Renee Vivian. Naiad Press eventually became Bella Books, but even after Grier’s recent death in fall of 2011, her legacy lives on.

To read more about women’s history or LGBT rights, please read our pieces on Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon .

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By marc.benton

Each March since 1978, America has celebrated the diverse accomplishments of women. These three women have been agents of change in the environmental landscape. Our three Women’s History Month heroes are Laurie David, the American producer of award-winning documentaries, Frances Beinecke, the president and one-time executive director of the National Resources Defense Council, and Dame Jane Goodall, world-famous subject of the film Gorillas in the Mist.

Laurie David

An American producer, writer, and activist, Laurie David‘s passion has brought global warming into the public eye. Called the “Bono of climate change” by Vanity Fair, David has made numerous appearances on Oprah and was a three-time guest editor of Elle Magazine. David has been the recipient of several awards, including the Audubon Society’s Rachel Carson Award, and the U.S. EPA Climate Protection Award. Not only is she a trustee of the National Resources Defense Council, she has produced numerous shows that deal with global warming awareness, including the Academy Award winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and HBO’s documentary Too Hot to Handle. David is also the author of several books, including the bestselling Stop Global Warming: The Solution is You!, and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post.

Frances Beinecke

Beinecke became president of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 2006 and is also active on the boards of the World Resources Institute and the Energy Future Coalition, to name a few. She is the co-author of the book Clean Energy Common Sense: An American Call to Action. Her history with the NRDC is long and varied; for almost a decade, she served as the executive director. Under her leadership, the organization saw a dramatic increase in both membership and staff. With Beinecke at the helm, the NRDC focuses on everything from the future of energy to protecting endangered places.

Jane Goodall

Played by actress Sigourney Weaver in 1986’s Gorillas in the Mist, British anthropologist Dame Jane Goodall is considered to be the world’s expert on chimpanzees and is best known for her four-decade-long study of their social and family patterns. She is the author of books such as 40 Years at Gombe and Through a Window. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Medill DC

It won’t take much to be green on St. Patrick’s Day. Come out to the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival on Saturday March 10, 2012 in Fort Lauderdale.

Fun

The day kicks off with the annual Leprechaun Leap, a family-oriented 1K walk. There’s a great line up throughout the day from 11 am to 6 pm, including an Irish blessing, Irish step dancing, storytelling, a puppet show, and three bands – Hootnanny, Against the Tracks, and Avalon. The festival officially begins at 1:30 and will include face painting for the kids, bounce houses, pony rides, and more. The event is sponsored in part by Whole Foods, among other corporate sponsors.

The Parade

The parade starts at Las Olas Boulevard (SE 8th Avenue) at noon and ends at 1:30 on Andrews Avenue. The festival will award over $3,000 in cash prizes to the best float, including categories for marching bands, pipe bands, school floats, and non-profit floats.

Green Festival Tips

To be green at Fort Lauderdale’s yearly Irish festival, remember to pack plenty of eco-friendly sunscreen. (Avoid the spray on kind if you can, which can be harmful.) Recycle bottles and trash, and avoid plastic utensils if possible. While most beers or burgers that have been dyed are usually made green with safe, plant-based dyes, it never hurts to double-check. Make sure to either bring a reusable water bottle or recycle the bottles that you buy, as somehow almost 80% of plastic water bottles wind up in landfills.

Everyone loves festival goodies! If you’re going to take home all those fun little Saint Patrick’s Day festival toys (green beads, foam hands, plastic shamrocks), either recycle them when you’re done using them or find ways to reuse them. If you’re not  going to use them, either don’t take them home or donate them to a thrift store.

If You Go

The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is free and open to the public. Parking is $5 in certain areas between the hours of 7 am and 4 pm. Have fun painting Fort Lauderdale green!

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By mbsz

The joke about gay movies is that there’s four of them that anyone has heard of and dozens more that fly enchantingly under the gaydar. Celebrate the romance of Valentine’s Day with these movies, some mainstream, some low budget, all romantic.

Imagine Me and You

Imagine Me and You is the thinking lesbian’s version of a British romantic comedy. The plot is simple and charming – bride-to-be Rachel (Piper Pierbo) meets lesbian florist Luce (Lena Headley, who would go on to star in The Sarah Connor Chronicles and 300). Both women feel a connection, and Rachel finds herself falling head-over-high-heels in love, only to run in the other direction. All the elements of a good rom-com are here – Rachel’s boyfriend’s bumbling, obnoxious best friend and Luce’s supportive mom who has one of the best lines in the film. “Does Rachel love you?” she asks Luce. “It doesn’t matter,” replies Luce. “It’s all that matters,” she tells her daughter.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fannie Flagg’s novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café put Ruth’s and Idgie’s romantic relationship front and center. Even though the tearjerker 1992 movie whitewashes their relationship and presents them as just-really-special-friends, it’s still pretty clear that proper Ruth (a pre-Weeds Mary-Louise Parker) and “bee charmer” tomboy Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) are crazy about each other as they raise a son and fight the Klan in 1930’s Alabama. Rounding out the cast are feisty, modern-day nursing home resident Jessica Tandy who tells the decades-old tale of Idgie and Ruth to depressed housewife Kathy Bates.

Brokeback Mountain

Ang Lee’s gorgeous 2005 epic about two young ranch hands who fall in love is a heartbreaking classic. Based on a short story by Annie Proulx and adapted for the screen by novelist Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana, Brokeback Mountain follows Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as the star-crossed cowboys who struggle with closeted lives and homophobia in the 1960s.

The Wedding Banquet

Another straight-wedding-gone-wrong movie, this time for the boys. This 1993 romantic comedy is about a gay Taiwanese landlord who marries a straight female tenant to make his overbearing parents happy. Once his parents come to America to help with the wedding, the plan backfires with hilarious results. This movie was Ang Lee’s first film dealing with gay issues; the second, of course, was Brokeback Mountain.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Transwoman Hedwig (John Cameron Mitchell) dreams of superstardom and searches for her soul mate in this fantastic and visionary rock opera based on the stage musical of the same name. The original music is powerful and courageous (check out “Origin of Love”), and the movie feels like an amazing, revolutionary concert.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By davidm69