Welcome to Jennie of the Jungle!

I ran across this website, SustainableTrip.org , quite a few months ago and was impressed with it. I get monthly email updates from them that make me want to jump out of my office chair and hop on the next plane to South America. Their photos bring back fond memories of jungle cabins and tropical adventures; of rain so hard it rendered umbrellas useless, and of heat so sweltering it rendered sleep useless. This may not sound appetizing to you, but if you've ever been to the tropics and fell in love with it like I did, you know exactly what I'm talking about. SustainableTrip.org is a website that features destinations or businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean that are making outstanding efforts to conserve natural resources and improve livelihoods in their local community. Whether its a hacienda 9,600 feet above sea level in Ecuador, a bed and breakfast lodge smack in the middle of Amazonia, or a tourism company that leads jungle expeditions, these businesses are certifie...

How can you mix art with wildlife? By having an art show and giving a percentage of the sales proceeds to charity. Since I'm passionate about both art and saving wildlife, I've decided to put on an art exhibit for charity; the charity being Southwest Wildlife Foundation (since I volunteer doing fundraising events for them). The theme for the show is urban or pop-art, and I've gathered a number of artist friends whose work I greatly admire to head it up. I will also be showing some of my own pieces. A percentage of the art sales will go to Southwest Wildlife Foundation , and some of the artists have even donated their pieces 100% to the charity. Luckily my friend Derek Dyer, head of the Utah Arts Alliance, gave me permission to show in his gallery in downtown Salt Lake City. The show will take place in February 2012, an the art will be up until March. During Salt Lake's monthly gallery stroll, happening on friday, February 17th, we will feature an urban art show, in whi...