It is now the time of the year where we all really focus on being thankful for what we have, more than any other time during the year. It is also a time when we give and share with others, some who are less fortunate than we are.

I feel that it is important to acknowledge people’s generosity and caring all year by writing thank you notes for gifts, and when people are generous with their time. Everyone likes to be acknowledged. As a Mom this is twice as true (to make up for the kid, who rarely thanks you). Thank you notes are a simple and nice way to say “I appreciate you for caring and sharing.”

Although I have terrible hand writing and it often takes me a bit of time; I send out thank you notes. I take pride in crafting thank you notes that express my thanks for the gift and for the friendship. I have fun too. I enjoy picking out cards that I know my friends will like. Who doesn’t like love getting a letter in the mail?

+ I am thankful everyday for my family’s heath, that we have food and a roof over our head. And for the fact that my problems aren’t really problems compared to most of the people in the rest of the world. Potable water comes out of the faucet when I turn it. I don’t have to send my daughter to fetch water twice a day in a hostile environment.

Paper Culture Will Plant 1 Million Trees

I’ve told the story before about how sustainability was a central pillar in how we as the founders of Paper Culture wanted to build our business from Day 1. We’ve made some bigger commitments like always printing exclusively on 100% post consumer recycled paper. But we’ve done the smaller things as well, from choosing an office that is walking distance to major public transport to offsetting our carbon footprint. But of all of our initiatives, my favorite one is that we plant a tree in one of our nation’s forests with every Paper Culture order.
Today, we are extending that commitment and pledging to plant 1,000,000 trees by 2020. We’re a small company, so for us, it’s a huge commitment. It won’t happen overnight. Heck, it won’t happen even in the next year or two – but in some sense, that’s the point. We wanted to do something that wasn’t just about Earth Day 2011 or just about a press release, we wanted to do something that would require sustained focus and our team really rallied around this goal.

To kick start this effort, for the next 2 weeks (until April 30, 2011), we will be planting a tree for every new Facebook fan. Just “Like” our fanpage (www.facebook.com/paperculture) and we’ll plant a tree for you. If you’re already a fan, we’ll plant a tree if you fill out a tree dedication form. It’s that simple. No strings attached. No purchase required. No email signup. Notta.

In addition, starting today, when you make your purchase, we’ll give you the opportunity to dedicate a tree. We’ll create a permanent page for your dedication and our designers and illustrators have donated their artwork to help spruce up your dedication with some fantastic tree illustrations.

All of this is incredibly important to us, even more than most, because we understand that our business truly is about trees. In some sense that’s why we use only 100% post consumer recycled paper because it means that no new trees are cut down to produce our cards and with our Cards to Trees prorgram, your cards literally plant trees. But beyond the small world that is Paper Culture, we’ve probably all learned in grade school how important trees are for our well being – but the one or two lessons we learned about trees absorbing carbon and emitting oxygen are really only the tip of the iceberg. Trees’ true importance really cannot be overstated. I encourage you to check out our Cards to Trees page where we’ve accumulated some amazing facts about trees and the good they do.

With both Earth Day 2011 (April 22, 2011) and Arbor Day 2011 (April 29, 2011) quickly approaching, I can’t think of a more appropriate time to announce our commitment. I hope you join us in our quest to plant 1,000,000 trees. And remember, for the next 2 weeks, we’ll plant a tree for every new Facebook Fan, so plant away.

1) Yvette Chu is our votes winner with her fun rabbit drawing and the sharing of the love (just in time for Valentine’s Day).

2) Our editor’s choice award goes to Ambria O’Daniel because we really do believe that so much of the craziness going on in the world these days is due to a lack of understanding about the beauty in the diversity of cultural and religious traditions. Learning about other cultures is a great first step. We loved the thoughts.

Finally, we do appreciate the kind words and while we don’t want to make it a habit of it because we really aren’t fishing for compliments, we did get a kick out of the posts from Kellie (nice poem!) and Jenny (a wink in your direction) so we’ve decided to award $25 vouchers to each of you.

All winners should contact us at contact@paperculture.com with your Facebook username and we’ll send you your vouchers.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Double Sandwich Year of the Rabbit Photo Card

Exclusive holiday card designs benefitting Healthy Child Healthy World

As parents, it is overwhelming just keeping up with the day-to-day. It’s a feat in our household when I’ve remembered to get permission slips signed, put library books and a healthy lunch in my childrens’ backpacks and then make it to the school bus…on time.  So when it comes to keeping up on all the latest news on toxins in our homes, safety recalls, much less trying to discern all those misleading labels, I’d throw my hands in the air if it weren’t for organizations like Healthy Child Healthy World.

This is why I’m thrilled that were supporting Healthy Child Healthy World as part of our Cards That Care program, where we are donating 100 percent of the sales proceeds of these exclusive holiday cards, inspired by the organization’s Five Easy Steps. The card Icons From a Healthy Childhood, portrays icons representing eating healthy (apple), cleaning up indoor air (butterfly), using non-toxic products and recycling (recycle) and holiday peace (snowflake). Similarly, the card 5 Steps to a Healthier Home, reminds us that creating a healthy environment is not impossible if we 1) avoid pesticides, 2) use non-toxic products, 3) clean up indoor air, 4) eat healthy and 5) be wise with plastics. Thus, the name Five Easy Steps…

Not only do I love the designs of these cards, but they are meant to be a keepsake, reminding the recipient of simple ways to keep our homes healthy. Now that’s a gift – err, um card, I’ll keep!

Currently, one of our Cards That Care beneficiaries is the Somaly Mam Foundation. With over two million women and children sold into sexual slavery each year, it is a global crisis that must be stopped. More resources are critically needed to support the rescue and recovery of these young victims. So, as part of our Cards That Care program, we are donating 20 percent of card sales to the Somaly Mam Foundation to help end human trafficking and slavery worldwide.

So when you place your Paper Culture order for holiday photo cards, holiday party invitations or stationery & note cards, simply enter the code SOMALY at check out. Who would have thought that giving back could be so easy?

Remember Somaly Mam this holiday season and then send an extra thoughtful card – one that gives back to help support this worthy cause. It’s unimaginable the abuse which affects millions of children and young people around the world, but through organizations such as Somaly Mam, change is possible.