Super Eco

Photo credit: Mr. Kris, flickr

How cool is this? By giving a Mother's Day gift you can also give a more everlasting gift by helping a hard-working entrepreneur to lift herself out of poverty. Too good to be true? Nope. Give as little as $20 to MicroPlace and your mom-of-choice will receive a handwoven fair trade scarf from India or an e-card (or both).

It's all about microfinance. With MicroPlace, you're investing in a funding organization that funds smaller, local banks and lending institutions that give directly to needy would-be small entrepreneurs who need a hand with a small loan to start a business that helps them out of a life of poverty. It's an investment, not a donation, and you receive interest on every amount you invest.

Like the microfinance idea? You have options:

• The Calvert Foundation's "Honor Mom" program. Make a donation to the organization, which supports people in need across the U.S. and around the world, and Mom gets a card and a chance to win a $250 Eileen Fisher gift card.
• Or just get mom's unconditional approval (and call her out about it on Twitter) with the Global Giving program (we think mom will love you anyway, but you're extra-special in your own heart when you help change a life).
• Unitus's Empowering Women campaign. This video tell you how they work:

Mother's Day and microfinance. Win-win. You get to look like the awesome kid you are and mom knows she raised you right, and you help someone out of a life of poverty. Congratulations.