Green Weddings Blog Series

Green weddings are becoming the chic choice – hooray!

As we move into the 2010 spring wedding season, GGN has had had an increase of customers desperately searching for green bridal gifts, echo chic gifts for bridal parties, eco friendly wedding favors, paperless invitations, and more. To help our clients further, my parents invited me to guest-write a series of blogs on the topic of ideas for Green Weddings!

GREEN WEDDINGS PART FOUR: BRIDESMAID & GROOMSMAN GIFTS

Finding socially responsible bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts can get tricky. Plastic, monogrammed trinkets like flip-flops & cosmetic bags seem to be the most popular gifts for brides to give these days. Tacky synthetic t-shirts and beer mugs are “go-to”/default Groomsmen gift favorites. Bridal websites are “littered” with these types of things.

But not only have you chosen the most special people you know to take part in your wedding (as ’select” members of your wedding party)… you are having a GREEN WEDDING! That means it’s equally as important to honor them with a gift that expresses your friendship and gratitude, as it is for you to honor the planet.

Since you’ve worked so hard to make your special day as eco-friendly as possible… it seems like the green gift-giving should be the easiest part!

So I’m taking the time to gather together the best & brightest (as in GREENEST) ideas for bridesmaid and groomsmen gift options.

Green Gifts For Bridesmaids:

A personal approach is to put together gift baskets/bags yourself. Fair Trade Gift sites are brimming with eco-friendly products for women! Think: beeswax, or soy candles; Organic Coffees, Teas and chocolates; Natural Soaps; Handmade beaded/silver jewelry. Tree-free stationary. Click on the following link to see Good Gift’s Naturally’s terrific selection of green gifts for your bridesmaids .

Now, don’t forget, that if you are putting together a group of items for each person, watch how you wrap the gifts so that your maids don’t end up throwing away tons of discarded wrapping paper.

A tote bag is a GREAT way to resolve that issue! Not only is it a gift that absolutely never goes out of style, but will be re-used for all sorts of things: from keeping their personal necessities organized and close at hand on “your” day; to acting as a “go-to” re-usable shopping bag–specifically, replacing wasteful plastic and paper bags at the store. You can chose to go an extra step by monogramming each bag–but be sure  to choose a vendor that makes the bags out of recycled cotton fabric–and you’ll have a terrific, personalized AND eco-chic thank-you present that every bridesmaid will love and (most importantly) everyone else will envy.

Green Gifts for Groomsmen:

Normally I don’t like to generalize, but…”dudes” do love gadgets and other toys. Solar chargers make terrific gifts, and can be used for laptops, cell phones, I-phones and more. And handmade puzzles that stretch the mind and make for timeless and tasteful desktop accessories are also very popular.

Remember that men like to be pampered too (though they seldom admit it in public)! Fantastic eco-friendly shaving accessories and other spa oriented products are always appreciated.

Food is another “no-brainer” that is greatly appreciated. Think: Organic Coffee or Tea! We at Good Gifts Naturally just love pairing packaged hot beverage presents with an incredible re-usable travel mug.

If you feel the need to go for the “tried-and-true” t-shirt, there are so many cool companies making clothing now out of: bamboo; organic cotton: and even recycled plastic bottle that you will definitely not feel choice/option restricted. Every man deserves the opportunity to look great and support the planet at the same time.

If you’re looking for a way to package more that one item in a green & “manly-man” fashion, the male world’s “tote-bag” equivalent is the messenger bag. Taking the time to find one made from a recycled material will reinforce just how much you really do care.

Here’s a link that will enable you get a look at Good Gift’s Naturally’s terrific selection of green gifts for men.

If you have given or received any other fantastic eco-chic gifts, we’d love for you to share with us and others who follow us on this blog!

Please add your comments below!

Happy Weddings!

Jodi Baker

Green Weddings Blog Series Part 3 -

Wedding Paper (Paperie)

Green weddings are becoming the chic choice – hooray!

As we move into the 2010 spring wedding season, GGN has had had an increase of customers desperately searching for green bridal gifts, echo chic gifts for bridal parties, eco friendly wedding favors, paperless invitations, and more. To help our clients further, my parents invited me to guest-write a series of blogs on the topic of ideas for Green Weddings!

GREEN WEDDINGS PART THREE: Wedding Paper Paperie

Consider all these places that paper comes into use within your wedding plans:

· engagement & wedding announcements

· save the date cards

· shower & wedding invitations & thank you notes

· ceremony programs

· place cards

· menu cards

It could a be a very ugly (as in “un-green”) situation…that can be turned into an incredible opportunity to set the basic tone for your environmentally friendly wedding!

To most paper companies “Green” is defined as the amount of recycled content in their papers.  But truthfully, recycled paper is not the only, or necessarily the greenest option. There are many choices available today including: 100% recycled; partially recycled; or completely tree free papers from wedding invitation suppliers.

If you are interested in making your own invitations, the choices are unlimited!

I thought it might be easier to start a productive and meaningful conversation with your printer/paper supplier if we covered some of the green paper “buzzwords” here.

TREE FREE PAPER

Yes, you read that correctly – TREE FREE PAPER!

Why not start by looking for papers that don’t use trees in the first place?

Tree-Free is the ultimate eco-friendly material!

But … if it’s not made from trees… than what’s it made from?

Cotton, bamboo, lokta, cork, plant fibers, grass, flowers, and vegetables are just a few possibilities!

In fact, hundreds of different kinds of papers are made from highly renewable or sustainably grown and managed plants rather than forests of trees.

Cotton is a fantastic option since the cotton used to manufacture our papers is not from the puffy white flower that we all recognize, but rather the linters, or byproduct, from the textile industry.  Textiles are made using the longest, highest-quality fibers - the rest is standardly discarded.  This wasted cotton is salvaged and used to manufacture cotton papers.  Nothing could be more eco-friendly than reusing a product that is considered waste - otherwise this would all end up in the trash!

GGN’s favorite tree free wedding paperie option is a handmade Lokta Bush paper, also known as rice paper, which is grown in Nepalese forests at altitudes of 10,000 feet or more. The plant has a unique feature which allows it to regenerate to maturity again within 4 to 5 years after being cut. The harvesting process actually helps the plants by extending their growing “cycle”. If the lokta bush was allowed to continue to grow past harvesting maturity it would dry up and begin to decay, preventing any new plant growth. Thus, the forest is not destroyed nor is any harm done to the fragile ecology. Also, the hand production of Lokta paper provides a source of income to paper crafters (usually women) and village communities in Nepal.

There is also a kind of paper made from elephant dung.

Yep, that’s right, you read that correctly too!

I know… not the MOST ROMANTIC idea… but, believe it or not, it’s one that is increasing in popularity.

It’s:100% bacteria free; 100% odor free; and100% recycled! It’s made in places like Sri Lanka and Thailand where elephants are often viewed as agricultural pests. Making paper from their dung enables locals to see elephants as assets rather than liabilities. In fact, many elephant reserves in these countries are using the income from elephant dung paper to support their elephant conservation efforts.

Shall we move on?

PAPER PRODUCED BY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY MILLS

After the WHAT’S IT MADE FROM question…

You gotta ask: HOW WAS IT MADE?

Whether it’s water, wind or solar, when a manufacturer invests in alternate sources of energy to power their business, the impact affects us all.  That’s why I’m highlighting the fact that paper produced by mills using various alternative methods to produce electricity minimizes their (and your!!!) carbon footprint.  Some mills even use agro-waste materials to generate energy.

HANDMADE PAPER

When it comes down to being environmentally friendly, handmade papers lead the pack. There are incredibly chic and gorgeous options for paper, which is a stunning & unique way to announce your special day. Most of these handmade options use the sun to dry each piece of paper, eschewing the electricity-intensive paper machines. Compared to a conventional paper mill, the handmade paper manufacturing process obviously uses much less energy per ton of the paper produced, thus significantly contributing much less towards pollution and global warming. In many cases, as we’ve pointed out, handmade paper making literally uses the purest form of “solar” energy.

Our Green ideal paper product would be handmade, tree/chemical-free and with every aspect of the actual paper-making process being done by hand.

Click on the Titles below to link to GGN’s TREE FREE & HANDMADE paper selections

Wedding Invitations

Thank You note sets

These were just a few of the latest “buzzwords” and useful concepts for you to use to help you get closer to the (Green) paper of your dreams…

if you have more ideas or helpful suggestions we invite you to add your comments below!

Happy Weddings!

-Jodi Baker

Green Weddings Blog Series: Part 2 Catering

Green weddings are becoming the chic choice – hooray!

As we move into the 2010 spring wedding season, GGN has had had an increase of customers desperately searching for green bridal gifts, echo chic gifts for bridal parties, eco friendly wedding favors, paperless invitations, and more. To help our clients further, my parents invited me to guest-write a series of blogs on the topic of ideas for Green Weddings!

Catering - Eat Drink And Be Aware-y!

Since what is served at the wedding impacts the experience you and your guests will have, as well as your wallet along with the earth, it represents a great opportunity to spread the “green love“!

Food and drink have always been a vital part of the stories and events that define our lives. And one currently popular saying goes something like this: “Change what people eat, and you change their lives!” We, of course, think that changes that are environmentally conscious/friendly are best!

When sitting down with a caterer the first thing you want to communicate is how important having a low carbon footprint for your special day is to you!

When interviewing them, the first question you want to ask is, does the caterer use environmentally sustainable practices? For example, do they offer organic and locally produced wines? Do they have options of fair trade coffee and tea for your guests? (Click here for GGN’s fair trade beverage selections!)

Let them know that you are interested in serving local, in season and organic fruits and vegetables to avoid long transportation of food and lower the carbon emissions that result. As the demand for organic food everywhere increases, more and more caterers are responding without increasing prices. In fact, some even manage to use it as a marketing tool to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Serving local organic food will support local growers, the local economy, taste better and be healthier for everyone along with the environment!

It’s also very important to insist that your caterer uses all washable linens, glasses, and tableware, rather than disposable products! Lastly, consider serving food buffet-style, since it can speed things up, eliminate the cost of having each table waited on, and guests have the option to take only what they want/need leaving reusable leftovers!

This “leftovers” issue is especially important, and one you will want to deal with during the planning of the event, rather than after the party is over. You want to make sure from your first interview that your caterer understands your desire to minimize waste. Leftover food should be packaged and frozen (if healthy and safe), donated to a charity, or at the very least composted. It’s a great idea to implement a No Styrofoam policy, and request that all cardboard, cans, and bottles be recycled. It is also okay to ask if they use biodegradable cleaning products.

Lastly: Don’t forget to let your guests know about all of your green choices as it will serve to heighten awareness and reinforce similar eco-sensitive behaviors and choices for many others.

These are just a few ideas… if you have more we invite you to add your comments below!

Happy Weddings!

-Jodi Baker

Green Weddings Series

Green weddings are becoming the chic choice – hooray!

As we move into the 2010 spring wedding season, Good Gifts Naturally has seen an increase in the number of customers searching for green bridal gifts, echo chic gifts for bridal parties, eco friendly wedding favors, paperless invitations and more. In an effort to be more helpful, my parents invited me to guest-write a series of blogs compiling ideas for Green Weddings. Here’s the first.

Flowers & Favors

Since green = all things nature & natural… let’s start with the flowers!

“Happiness held is a seed. Happiness shared is the flower.”

According to several popular bridal magazines, roses & calla lilies are the most popular choice for wedding bouquets. But did you know that most traditional roses are bred for durability to the point where they’ve actually lost their scent? I personally, was shocked to find out that florists often spray them with perfume to replicate their original fragrance. But do not despair!!! Organic roses are naturally fragrant and, because they are free of chemical pesticides, they’re also edible! You can safely use them to decorate cakes or cupcakes, sprinkle on salads, or to make rose-scented sugar (just toss a few petals into a bowl of sugar). Or save your organic roses and make potpourri; fill cellophane bags with the mixture and send them to guests with your tree free thank-you notes.

Before choosing your dream flower for the bouquet, look for a florist that supports organic flower farms, taking into consideration that using local and seasonal wildflowers helps you cut the emissions that would be generated by shipping flowers from far away, and usually lowers the cost dramatically! Green weddings are all about conserving resources – and that includes money!

For centerpieces, consider using oxygen-producing potted plants, which your guests can take home afterward.

When it comes to wedding favors, being green has never been easier.

The not so easy part tends to be the packaging surrounding the present. Whatever your choice for favor on your special day, ask for re-usable bags to hold them made from organza, envelopes made from eco friendly and stylish sinamay, tree free or recycled paper, boxes made of recycled cardboard, and don’t overlook “paperless” gift tags to ornament your gifts. Good Gifts Naturally chooses an organza bag for our default gift wrap to enclose all items we ship as part of the packaging–insuring a naturally beautiful presentation right out of the box.

Living gifts, like a tree sapling or small plants are as thoughtful as they are popular. One great idea for a living “green” wedding favor that one of our customers suggested, was to use beautifully potted, miniature green lucky bamboo plants at each place setting for a breathtaking display that is full of meaning. In Chinese culture the “lucky” bamboo plant symbolizes strength and resilience and when given as a gift, it is said to bring good fortune. According to Feng Shui masters, the bamboo plant creates positive energy and balance - a terrific & welcome idea for any celebration room! A low-maintenance houseplant, this natural and environmentally friendly bamboo plant would be a welcomed favor for weddings and bridal showers.

Seeds are the perfect symbol of the beginning of something wonderful. As flowers need nutrients to grow healthy, a marriage needs nurturing to be strong… which makes seeds a prefect favor to distribute to your guests. Memorable, eco chic and for those guest traveling via plane – easy to handle!

Click here to view our gorgeous “Wedding Sprinkles”,  which come in environmentally sensitive seed tins.  And don’t forget to also access other fabulous eco chic gift ideas for members of the wedding party: bridesmaids and groomsmen!

Don’t rule out charities! If you have a favorite pro-environment organization, you   could let your guests know in the wedding program that in lieu of favors you’re making a donation in their honor.

The wedding toss, or rice throwing, is a lovely tradition that dates back to Ancient Rome, intended to symbolize good luck, fertility and abundance. It is also a wonderful way for your guests to partake in the ceremony and share in the festivities… but its not eco-conscious! Throwing rice after a wedding ceremony can be dangerous for birds, and throwing birdseed that contains non-native or invasive plants can cause problems, especially if you’re saying your vows in a nature preserve or state park.

Many people have their guests blow bubbles, but I love the idea of keeping and “greening” the traditional wedding toss by choosing native wildflower seeds, flower petals, or, my personal favorite: Lavender buds! Imagine showering a happy couple with a gentle rain of lavender at the most memorable moment of their lives… then, as the completely biodegradable lavender buds are crushed underfoot, the delicate fragrance is released again and again… and won’t cause any harm to birds or environment!

These are just a few ideas… if you have more we invite you to add them via your comments below!

Happy Weddings!

Jodi Baker

Every February candy, flowers, jewelry and gifts are exchanged by loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.

Who was this Saint?

The popular legend says that he was a Roman priest. When the Emperor Claudius II decided that single men without wives and families made better soldiers, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the law, defied his emperor by continuing to perform marriages for lovers in secret.

When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered him put in prison and eventually sentenced to death, unknowingly creating a sympathetic, heroic and, most importantly, romantic figure. While in prison, Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. It is said that before his execution he sent her a letter which he signed: “From Your Valentine.” This is the source for the expression still in use today. By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular Saints in Europe. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day became celebrated across all social classes in the seventeenth century. And by the eighteenth century it was common for friends and lovers to exchange handwritten notes and special tokens. By the end of the same century, as the technology developed, printed cards began to replace written notes.

Now, this holiday is celebrated in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Mexico, France and the United States. According to the Greeting Card Association an estimated one billion cards are sent for this holiday each year.

So, historically this has always been a day to celebrate BIG LOVE…which gives us the excuse we sometimes need to express our passion and appreciation for each other!

While we’re at it… why not ALSO show love for the planet we live on?

Here is our list of 5 gift ideas that are low impact on your budget as well as being “Green” choices:

· If you want to send a card, why not send a card made from recycled or tree-free paper.

· Chocolate is the preferred choice for most lovers… so this year, send organic fair trade chocolates

· Pick flowers that don’t wither away in a day – give them a gorgeous, eco-chic and plantable gift that will remind them of this day and your love for years to come!

· If Bling is your thing, purchase Jewelry that is stunning AND ecologically responsible by choosing unique handmade pieces from artisan collectives that specialize in training & supporting women, and jewelers who are certified for using sustainably source stones!

· Everyone loves spa treatments! Find organic, romantic spa products to indulge in at home or give a gift certificate for holistic spa treatments, like a couples massage!

From all of us at GGN:

Enjoy the Holiday and honor the legend by expressing your love for people and the planet!

Orlando Baker

The “glitz” on the New Year and our new President, and a lot the initial enthusiasm and energy we had so much of, just a few weeks ago is now long gone. The initial commitment to making things better has been gradually draining away when faced with the dismal economy both here in the USA and internationally. So what are we going to do now? Here’s where inspiration get’s put to the test and the answer—the road to success–is achieved with good old fashioned hard work and perspiration.

We at Good Gifts Naturally, are still taking our cues from the President, who despite mistakes he’s admittedly made and no let-up from constant observation and multiple opinions on what he should be doing, hasn’t lost sight of his overall game plan. I haven’t actually seen him sweat, but….

• He’s identified specific strategic goals he wishes to achieve
• He’s identified metrics by which he will measure his success
• He adjusts his game plan as he encounters unseen obstacles
• He acknowledges his errors and learns from them
• He minimizes time celebrating the small successes
• He always keeps moving toward the overall target

Here’s how we think we are in step with President Obama, at least with respect to the first point or two.

We set a goal we identified way back in January with our pledge to better use our purchasing power as well as business practices to make a difference wherever we can. To that end, we chose to introduce and support the products from two new young woman entrepreneurs on our site. One of them two has gone on to develop her own web site (images-by-emily.com) to market more of her photo cards. We share reciprocal links between sites that benefits both businesses. The second has had a baby, but is still percolating new designs to continue marketing her handmade holiday cards on our site.

In February, we identified some small steps we could take to better support our environment focusing on renewing, reusing, recycling and rethinking our many impacts on the planet. We’ve become even more disciplined about recycling and had to get a second recycling bin just to handle the increment. We are also in the process of moving to a new solar powered internet hosting company (Canvas Dreams) before the end of this month. This represents very specific efforts to lesson our carbon footprint. It really isn’t easy or particularly convenient, trying to be green (or at least greener), but the end result is worth the effort, and every little bit does help.

The economy has had a measurable negative impact on our sales, but people continue to search for ways to maximize the value of the dollars they do spend. Our products still offer conscientious consumers an ideal opportunity to do some real “good” in our world—for both the people and the planet. Purchases specifically support economic opportunity for producers through Fair Trade practices. And, they also support the environment by being eco-sensitive through sustainable production or materials. This makes your gift purchases beautiful, thoughtful reflections, both for the giver as well as the recipient.

It is unquestionably, an uphill battle to find great products that people will want to buy, particularly in “hard” times. It requires extra effort that generates perspiration–both from the actual work as well as some nervous moments waiting for business to pick up. But really good things are always worth the extra effort. Inspiration without the hard work to make it happen (a.k.a. perspiration), is just a daydream.

We also commit to regularly reflecting and sharing our thoughts on our progress towards achieving our objectives here on our blog. We encourage customer feedback and dialogue here as comments or through the customer contact options link.

Orlando Baker

I like to think of myself as working at being greener, versus actually being green. Like being a good person, its about the consistent effort–the journey rather than the idealized destination.

I recognize the few evangelists, zealously calling for drastic action right here right and now! And I also acknowledge the more “reasonable” activists who are all about intentional actions by large groups to bring about change. The problem for me is that the first group is way too heavy handed for my tastes, dictating to the world that their vision is the one and only “right” way. And the second is fighting an uphill battle against self-serving inertia–where people can’t or don’t want to face up to dire consequences said to exist in some indeterminate, distant future. Why should they choose to limit themselves to excesses earned and enjoyed by prior generations, particularly for theoretical and unproven consequences?

For me it’s about making personal choices that incrementally move me ever closer to an ideal. Like most people, I like the idea of salvaging what we can for future generations. It’s a good thing that good people would naturally choose to do. It isn’t supposed to be easy and I’m prepared to give up some things, including some conveniences. I have been convinced that although we’ve done many very bad things to our environment (a continent-sized island of toxic trash in the Pacific Ocean to name just one), there is some hope that we can all make changes and, if not reverse, at least slow down our headlong rush to make our planet uninhabitable. It’s a combination of both (cumulative) individual changes and large group or cultural changes that will eventually make or break our fragile eco-system

I know I won’t ever attempt anything as radical and impressive as Dave Chameides 365 days of NOT throwing away anything (Activist or Evangelist?). Something he wrote in a recent blog, however, spoke volumes to me, “no one can do everything but everyone can do something.”

We do lots of somethings. We limit our automobile use and walk as much as possible. Our community recycles and we actively participate. We use recycled paper and ecologically sensitive products whenever possible both for our family as well as the business. Good Gifts Naturally chooses natural, organic and sustainably produced (Fair Traded) items to sell. Each of these “things” is good for the planet.

What can you do? How much “greener” can you be?

Orlando Baker

Another of our Fair Trade producers, supports a small group of workers in Cape Town, South Africa. Originals from Africa (OfA), a Fair Trade Federation member, does the wholesale marketing and international shipping of their products to specific retailers like Good Gifts Naturally, and ensures that their producers are always paid fair and equitable prices for their goods. In addition, OfA proudly donates a portion of its proceeds to the Mokolodi Nature Reserve to be used for animal breeding programs, and the education of school children about conservation and the environment.

The people in Capetown, primarily women, create “quirky” accessories from mixed metals, most of which is recycled scraps. A wide assortment of fanciful animal, fish and insect forms are created using casts which are filled with their molten metal. When the mold cools, the results are passed along the “production line” to the polishing team. There,  each piece is individually cleaned and checked for blemishes. Once the products have passed all these rigorous quality standards, they are assembled by hand by a select group of ladies, also acting as yet another quality check.

The end result are quirky/unique magnet clips and bookmarks with the richly detailed elephants, pigs, fish, butterflies and other creatures. Good Gifts Naturally markets this craft work, in sets that are found in our Organizers/Clips category.  As gifts, they are a great way to: De-clutter; be green about it; and support Fair Trade PLUS several other very deserving causes in South Africa.

Now that’s what I would call serious (and all “good”) multi-purposing!

What would you call it?

Orlando Baker

A “kick bag” is a simple thing. Although it often is round, it doesn’t  have to be, and it may also referred to as a Hackey Sack. It’s a very simple toy.

Basically, its a soft container/covering for a handful of relatively soft filler material, (like sand, beans or even shredded cloth) that kids or other young people stand together and kick to one another as a game. There are two basic objectives in the game. First, the bag cannot land or touch the ground, and players can only use there legs or feet to keep it in the air and off the ground as they pass it to one anther. Its particularly good for practicing ball and body control skills used in soccer.

Its a very simple thing that anyone can make for themselves or friends. If they want, it can be as easy as just rolling up an old sock or two! And they are generally pretty inexpensive to buy. But for entrepreneurial women in very rural villages in Guatemala and other impoverished places these are minor miracles. They hand-crochet coverings for ball shapes that are then filled with material to make these to sell. They take an old, traditional skill (crocheting) and apply it to make something that they can market. Church and other humanitarian groups help them organize themselves into production groups or cooperatives that allow them to pool resources and produce these items in quantity to sell (at Fair Trade* costs) to a retailer–enter Good Gifts Naturally. The retailer, in turn, offers their products over the internet or in brick and mortar stores, to a more global marketplace, and ultimately help create a consistent revenue stream for these rural and mostly inaccessible communities.

It’s not Detroit, making hundreds of thousands of cars, SONY making televisions or stereos, or even “light” manufacturing, as we think of it here in the USA. The women use natural dyes made from locally available, sustainable materials, recycled or natural fillers and they are all primarily hand crafted. It’s much more like artisan work than mass production. And it allows the women, and as demand increases, eventually their husbands and future generations, to work with dignity.

A simple thing, that provides the economic stimulus to allow them to build schools to educate their children, and to recognize other opportunities that break their historic cycle of poverty. And they get to do it themselves.

I think that there’s a lesson here. Keeping things local and simple seems to work best for creating focused, productive communities.

I think that some simple things can mean a lot.

What do you think?

Orlando Baker

A young Connecticut Yankee (actually she’s a loyal Red Sox fan who might take offense, but I digress …) lady we know, has recently left on her second “tour” of Antarctica.  She initially volunteered to go there as a dishwasher a couple of years ago and liked it so much, she decided to go back. The adventure begins with several very long plane rides, just to get there before the end of their summer. This marks the end of their window of opportunity, as just a few weeks from now, SERIOUS snowstorms will begin and planes simply can’t land there. Once there, she initially has to cope with only 4 hours of darkness for her “nights” or sleep time. Of course, these dark periods will lengthen with the change of seasons through the winter. And then start the “shortening” cycle again in the spring, when she’s scheduled to leave.  Sounds like fun by the ton, right? Don’t even get me started on what the low temperatures will be over the course of her six month stay through the winter!

But, when all is said and done, how many people do you know who can say they’ve actually lived on the continent of Antarctica, TWICE! How cool is that? And the travel options that open up to you on the way there and back are unbelievable. (Think air miles!)

This is just one aspect of her adventurous spirit, as she’s also just started her own business, which coincidentally serves as an outlet for her interest in photography.  She sells photo note cards and (made to order) enlargements using pictures she’s taken on her global travels–which include Europe, South America, and the USA in addition to Antarctica. She brings a unique perspective to the world which clearly comes across in her photographs. She maintains a blog where she posts frequent diary notes on her Antarctic adventure along with her most current pictures. Good Gifts Naturally, has taken an active role in mentoring and directly supporting this local woman entrepreneur’s effort, by offering her beautiful photo note card sets on our website. We will also provide periodic updates on our blog posts and through tweets on Twitter.

We encourage you to visit her blog site, where you can follow her adventure and even engage directly with her through her comment area. She’ll no doubt, enjoy the company and e-dialog over the very long and isolated winter season down under, at the bottom of the planet. The internet will literally be her window to the world and will allow the rest of us to share her distinctive perspective.

Orlando Baker