For those amazing eco-moms out there, this week may be quite busy. Thursday is Earth Day and there are thousands of events being held nationwide to honor our planet - be they stream cleanups, advocacy days, or just working in the home garden with their kids.

Here at the Sierra Club, we know a good many fantastic eco-moms making a difference, but we thought we’d choose an extra special woman to profile for this Earth Week post: Mary Brune.

Mary is the wife of Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, and mom to Olivia (age 6) and Sebastian (age 1) - and she and her family are about as green as you can get.

The Alameda, Calif., residents drive a hybrid, compost, recycle and eat all organic. They even tore up the concrete in their backyard to start a vegetable garden.

To Mary, teaching your kids to be a good steward of the earth is easy. "It's as basic as any good behavior you want to model for your kids," she explained. "You teach them to be kind. Caring for the earth and protecting our environment are as basic as anything else that we like to pass on to our kids."

Her daughter Olivia started exhibiting this good behavior at a very young age, as Mary cited one walk with the then 19-month-old where Olivia picked up trash on the street and said, "Throw trash, mama."

"She couldn't speak full sentences, but she knew that cup didn't belong on the sidewalk," laughed Mary.  "I think we're off to a good start."

The Brune family also spends a lot of time outdoors to show their kids up close the wonder and importance of nature.

"We love to camp, and getting them out into nature is really great," Mary said. "They understand the beauty of trees and what it's like to be in a forest. And when you say 'What happens when we cut those down?' or 'What does it mean to dump something in the river with fish - what happens to animals?' that brings it to their level. You have to use words they can understand."

But Mary goes above and beyond what just happens in her own home. Spurred by her drive to use all non-BPA drinking bottles and non-toxic toys for her children, Mary began to work on something else that can harm kids.

In 2005, she and some fellow moms started a group called "Making Our Milk Safe" (MOMS), which focuses on eliminating toxic chemicals that can make breast milk less safe.

For her, instilling good environmental values is just as important for adults as for kids - but it helps to start early.

"We try to not go overboard (with the kids), but we want them to understand the reasons for it, that we're doing it for our own health and for the health of the environment, too."

Mary is an inspiration to all of us at the Sierra Club, and we hope she serves as one to all the Moms Rising readers as well.

This Earth Day, what are you doing to improve the planet so your kids have a healthy and bright future? Start by taking the Sierra Club Earth Day pledge to make a difference in your life and the lives of your children.