The Ink People Center for the Arts is weaving the arts into the fabric of community. They are a grassroots artists' organization located in rural and geographically isolated Humboldt County, CA, and work collaboratively with many different kinds of community partners and cultural groups. They help develop empowering programs which create stronger communities and improve quality of life.

Ink People has been recognized for its significant work by Greenstar, and 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 Ink People to support its projects.

To learn more about Ink People, visit their website at http://www.inkpeople.org/about.html. To visit their online store, click here: http://www.inkpeople.org/store.html

Bt participarting in this program, everbody wins. You get some extraordinary, unusual and thoughtful gifts to use as gifts for any special occasion, for your home or office. Ink People gains support for its important work. 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 ongoing support and ideas...but mainly they need everyone else, no matter how well-meaning, to stand aside and let them work independently.

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

Greenstar Corporation will expand to several other countries in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia in 2000.

What do people in a remote rural village far away 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.

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).

 

When you shop, enter the order code "Ink People" into the "Ordering Instructions" box on the order form.

A card from one of Ink People's innnovative card decks.

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

Thank you, from Greenstar and Ink People.