Apple Chops Down A Real Tree

Our vision was to utilize the iPhone’s superior distribution platform to empower users with an easy way to make positive social contributions. However, we received a call on last Wednesday (March 4th) from an Apple representative stating that a new policy is now in effect that prohibits apps from promising to perform any services beyond the application as well as any and all applications related to charity. The Apple representative said that this policy had been outlined in the SDK agreement. After a thorough search of the document, we were unable to find any reference to such services nor even the word 'charity' in the agreement.

We called back the Apple representative and when we asked to be forwarded an official copy of this official yet unwritten policy, the Apple representative declined and stated that he can only tell us over the phone. This person even declined to email us from an Apple email address to confirm that he worked for Apple. We wondered if this was legit, so we called Apple and asked for him via the front desk. He answered, so as far as we know he works there, but he won't confirm his role nor this unwritten policy.

Our dilemma is this, Apple is asking us to remove the promise to plant a tree from our marketing materials. However, it is hard for us to change our marketing materials in this way without changing the concept of A Real Tree. March 9th we talked again and told him that we will brainstorm about the ways in which we could conform to this set of unwritten policies. We asked to have a week to figure out a way to change A Real Tree to conform to these unwritten policies, but have been instead given only until the end of day March 10th. We asked again if we could have a week, then he said that he would talk to his management team. So far the app is still up.


photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregondot/3134019512/

Thus, we decided to reach out to our fans, customers and supporters, who understand the concept and value of A Real Tree. The more brains behind this, the more likely we will be able to solve the problem before the end of the week. Please leave your suggestions in the comment thread.

We appreciate the opportunity that Apple has given us with the AppStore and we would like to keep the opportunity alive.

At mokugift, we are just a few guys dedicated to helping the United Nations Environment Programme empower more people to easily plant a tree as part of their Billion Tree Campaign. Please help us. As a token of our gratitude, we will plant 100 trees for the first person that gives us the solution that allows us to stay on the App Store.

Special thanks to Darrell for the first suggestion: Apple chops down A Real Tree.

Now working with AffiliateFuture

We are excited that we have launched 2 affiliate program with AffiliateFuture. If you are already an AffiliateFuture affiliate, please check us out (search for "mokugift").

For those of you who are interested in becoming an affiliate for mokugift to help our planet while making money, please sign up at AffiliateFuture today!

calling all mokugift members in Colorado

Platte River Kitchens joined mokugift as a corporate customer. They will be at booth 2343 at the Colorado Garden & Home Show. For years, Platte River Kitchens has seen companies give away pens, t-shirts and other mementos that aren't environmentally beneficial. Sure, some may reduce their damage to our environment, but Platte River Kitchens made the move this year to reward customers with mokugift trees that benefit our environment.

The Colorado Garden & Home Show is a non-profit organization providing horticultural scholarships and grants in Colorado.

New Features: Share the Inspiration

We are excited to announce that we have pushed out a few features that would let you inspire your friends easily and maximize your total positive impact to our beloved planet earth. UNEP's Billion Tree Champaign is calling for everyone globally to Plant a Tree each. To achieve this goal, inspiring others to plant is as important as planting a tree yourself. This is why we built these new features to help you inspire your friends.

Mokugift now shows the total number of people you inspired (3 degrees of friends) and the total number of trees planted by them. We also provide 4 tools for you to share the inspiration with friends (through which mokugift tracks how your inspiration spreads):

1) Adding Mokugift to your email signature

2) Adding mokugift widget onto your profile on

3) Adding mokugift widget to your blog

4) Telling your friends via email

To celebrate the friends that join you in planting trees, for the first tree that each of your inspired friends plants, you will get a free tree. This doubles your impact in the fight against global warming. For every 10 trees planted by people inspired by you (up to 3 degrees away), you will get a free tree. This will further increase your impact in the fight against global warming.

Get your tools and start inspiring our friends today: http://www.mokugift.com/user/inspire

Mokugift Partners with the United Nations Environment Programme in the Goal of Planting 7 Billion Trees Worldwide

Today we announced our participation in the Billion Tree Campaign. Here is our press release:

SAN FRANCISCO — December 16, 2008 — Mokugift, the online tree gifting service that allows people to plant a real tree, today announced a partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Billion Tree Campaign. The initiative, launched in 2006 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is calling on citizens globally to plant seven billion trees, roughly one tree per person, by the end of 2009. In support of the Billion Tree Campaign, mokugift pledges to plant five million trees by the end of 2009.
Under the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, individuals, communities, private sector companies, organizations and governments in 164 countries planted over two billion trees during the first 18 months of the campaign. The Billion Tree Campaign supports global environmental solidarity and helps fight one of the most critical challenges of our time – global warming. Mokugift allows those who wish to join this global campaign to plant trees with a simple click of a mouse.

"We are honored to partner with mokugift as part of the UNEP Billion Tree Campaign. Mokugift is taking creative approaches with its online gifting service and iPhone application to help the Billion Tree Campaign achieve a target of seven billion trees. In the spirit of the Billion Tree Campaign, mokugift empowers ordinary people to be part of the solution," said Satinder Binda, Director, UNEP.

As simple as sending an e-card, mokugift allows anyone to plant trees and fight global warming without the need to lift a shovel. Trees are priced at $1/tree and the gifter can select which country the trees are to be planted in. Mokugift trees are planted by award-winning agroforestry partners in 12 tropical countries where tree-planting is most beneficial to the fight against global warming. Partner agroforestry projects focus on enriching the land and creating sustainable lifestyle for local communities.

About United Nations Environment Programme
The Billion Tree Campaign was launched in November 2006 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is now recognized as one of the UN’s most successful environmental campaigns reaching several billion people across 166 countries. In twenty three months, people from around the world have pledged to plant 4.2 billion trees. UNEP’s records confirm a staggering 2.5 billion trees have already been planted. Ethiopia has planted over 700 million trees, with a survival rate of 70 per cent. In 2008, Ethiopia is planning to plant another one billion trees. The campaign has exceeded all expectations because of strong grassroots support and well planned global outreach strategies. “Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign” stresses the power of partnerships. In its second stage, the campaign plans to plant seven billion trees -- one tree for every living person on the planet. Every tree counts and UNEP counts every tree.

For more information, please visit: http://www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/


About mokugift
Mokugift enables consumers and organizations to plant trees with a simple click of a mouse for $1/tree. Mokugift, a supporter of the United Nations Environment Programme's Billion Tree Campaign, partners with award-winning agroforestry organizations such as Trees For The Future and Sustainable Harvest International to plant trees in twelve tropical countries fighting deforestation and poverty: Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Burundi, Senegal, Zambia, India, Philippines, and Haiti. Giving a tree is similar to sending an e-card, and recipients can proudly display their trees online at Facebook, MySpace, iGoogle and other popular Web sites. Mokugift enables iPhone and iPod touch owners to plant a tree as easily as they can buy their favorite song. Mokugift plants a tree when iPhone and iPod touch owners purchase 'A Real Tree' application on Apple's iTunes AppStore.
For more information, please visit: http://www.mokugift.com

mokugift quote of the week

A seed hidden in the heart of an apple is an orchard invisible. ~ Welsh Proverb

Richard Preston: Climbing the world's biggest trees

This is a must see. Richard Preston gives a presentation about climbing Redwoods. He gives you a sense of being there. Just enough that you want to climb one to complete the experience he started for you.

The presentation was given in Feb 2008 and posted this month. Kishore Balakrishnan thoughtfully suggested this video to us. Thanks for the inspiration Kishore.