PANDBAGS FOR PANDAS…New designer handbags help plant bamboo

Hello everyone!! We are now home from a big journey and I’m trying to catch up on all sorts of things!! You can read all about our trip day by day at my GRAFFITI GOSSIP BLOG. There are tons of photos in those travelogue posts as well as waaaaaay more to post.  I took over 400o images in 3 week’s time!!

MING BOUQUET sling shoulder bag

I spoke with Suzanne at Pandas International last week and we had a nice talk.  After I got off the phone it occurred to me I really need to start putting aside money again for the pandas, and the most urgent need right now is still for bamboo bucks to get those groves replanted for the wild pandas.  Without adequate bamboo supply, the few wild pandas left will have a tough go of it!!!

FROM THE PANDAS INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE

Pandas International has been asked by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) to spearhead a drive to replant the bamboo destroyed by the earthquake. The planting and harvesting will be done by local farmers who will benefit economically from the project. A recent study by the Chinese Academy of Science has found through the use of satellite images that in the specific area studied, 354 square kilometers, 23% of the panda’s habitat was “converted to bare land.” Lead author, Weihua Xu, also believes that “about 60% of the Giant Panda population was affected to some extent.”

The CCRCGP scientists, with the aid of transferred, experienced Wolong farmers, will begin growing, transplanting, and caring for thousands of bamboo seedlings throughout areas near Gengda Town.  As the three species of bamboo mature and spread, both wild and captive Pandas will again have plentiful nourishment. The cost to replant on acre of bamboo is approximately $ 4,500.00 USD.

Realizing how tight most of our budgets are right now, I know it’s hard to send in cash to charities unless there is truly some extra left over at the end of the month.  With the holidays coming I was trying to figure out the best way to give a little without breaking the bank myself.

I’m saving for my trip to Chengdu in February and need to put aside every spare bit, but I know I can manage to donate a bit of my income from panda art sales over this holiday gift buying season.  If you all are looking for some special and unique items to give your panda loving friends, please consider a gift that does double duty.

I am DONATING $5.00 from each of my new designer panda handbags which I am offering on my website,  from now until Chinese New Year  2010…THE YEAR OF THE TIGER (which falls on Valentine’s day as well)  My friend Gayle and I will be in Chengdu at that time to visit all our cubbies at Biefengxia as well as the moonbears at AAF!!!  In some cases, I may even be able to throw in a few extra bamboo bucks and will add that to the tally

Many of the above panda designs are selling very fast and some only have one or 2 left in the edition.  I just introduced them last week and want to thank you all for the wonderful feedback and reception to this new designer handbag endeavor of mine.  I hope those of you who purchased your bags get years and years of enjoyment and compliments from them.  I have already put aside my donation from your purchased bags to go to PI at the end of the year.

I’ll be posting a tally up here soon so we can all keep track of the Bamboo Bucks together!!!