The Banyan Effect has been recognized by Greenstar for its contribution to building productive organizations, and the people who serve in them, as a means of effecting social change. Banyan is now a Greenstar Premium Partner. This means that, when you visit the Greenstar website as you're doing now, and make a purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be paid to The Banyan Effect.

Everybody wins. You get some extraordinary, unusual and thoughtful gifts to use for your home, office or any special gift occasion. Banyan gains support for its important projects and Greenstar 's international projects, based in developing countries, also benefit.

So, who is Greenstar?

Greenstar is founded on a simple idea: that people, no matter where they live, have the same basic needs: for food, shelter, caring for their children and families, building their future, leading a life of learning, creativity and dignity. Where people in emerging nations don't enjoy the social and economic conditions to support these basic needs, all they need is the tools to grow by themselves, some assistance and startup resources.

And then they need everyone else to get out of the way.

Greenstar's concrete approach to delivering on this promise is also very simple: a self-contained, solar-powered, Web-connected community center. Including a medical clinic and telemedicine connections, a classroom, a commercial-grade photovoltaic solar power array, and a satellite dish for telecommunications.

Then, make it self-financing through ecommerce on the Internet.

We create a commercial website to market products from the village worldwide, and promote the site to nearly 200 million people who work, shop and learn on the Web every day. Allow them to connect with the people in the villages by email. The people in the village will decide for themselves how to use the income to improve their lives.

In a few months, a village can advance 1000 years, from a position where there is no electricity, no telephone or computer, no clean water, little medical or educational support, and little income, to a position where they are independent, growing, and connected to the world community.

A trial installation is underway on the West Bank, in a remote Palestinian village, with great success. To learn more, see http://www.greenstar.org/newsletter.htm/

What do these people have to offer that you would be interested in -- for holiday gifts, for your home or office?

A surprising variety of beautiful and unique items -- from the historic Hebron area, which figures strongly in the scriptural events of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Gorgeous brassware; subtle glassware and ceramics; finely-formed pottery.

And their culture -- live music recorded recently in the village, with extraordinary Bedouin sounds from a tradition more than 5000 years old. You can get a free sample of this amazing music by clicking here.

We also developed a gallery of artwork produced by the children and adults of the community, which shows a startling clarity of vision, and fine artistic balance. These digital products can be downloaded direct to your computer, where within minutes you'll hear amazing music and see stunning artwork. Find out more by clicking here.

The people at Banyan, Paul Charbonneau & Todd Smith in Toronto, introduce Banyan and Greenstar to each other in this way:

Dear Fellow Change Agents:

Part of doing well on this planet is facilitating those people with the skills, talent and desire to effect change to meet with the opportunity to do it -- whether it's for their families, their communities or the world as a whole.

That's where we at The Banyan Effect see our mission of catalysing ideas and Greenstar's mission of empowering people around the globe as one. Being as close to technology and the Internet as The Banyan Effect is, we realize that Greenstar's vision of closing the "digital divide" is both significant and important as we emerge from the age of information into the age of possibility.

New leaders are creating new rules that are enabling immense untapped talent to harness their ideas by communicating and collaborating in the network economy. Through Greenstar, communities and villages in even the most remote regions of the planet can gain access to instant, global communications and benefit from the power of the Internet to discover new ways to learn, create and provide for themselves.

We're proud to support Greenstar in this objective. We hope you'll support them as well. Visit Greenstar's Solar-Powered Ecommerce website today and discover a world of truly unique art, music and crafts we're sure you'll love.

For positive change,

The Banyan Effect

Banyan publishes a quite useful electronic magazine, which you can subscribe to for free. Subscribe to ChangeAgent Weekly : A healthy serving of business, technology, capital & talent that's good for people and the planet. Send email to subscribe-changeagent@thebanyaneffect.com or for more details http://www.thebanyaneffect.com/ChangeEzine.htm

Make a purchase here on the Greenstar website. Or call, toll-free to 877-282-9900 to quickly receive a printed catalog by overnight mail (323-422-9602 outside the U.S. and Canada).

That's all. Greenstar automatically pays 8% of your total purchase, including shipping, to Banyan, which uses the funds to support its important work.

Thank you from Greenstar and The Banyan Effect.