Leave it to the good folks at National Geographic to design this useful and stylish camera bag (which can be used for anything from cameras to video cameras to laptop computers). The National Geographic NG W2140 Walkabout Midi Satchel Bag and all the Walkabout Series of bags are the best you can get as far as camera bags go, designed with the professional in mind.

It uses the latest weatherproofing technology to keep your requirement bone dry, and it has more than sufficient padding and support, so your delicate equipment will be safe under any condition. It has an impressive amount of storage space, and unlike cheap camera bags, no detail is left to chance: clasps are made of brass and punched aluminum instead of cheap plastic, internal pockets are lined with nylon with zippers and velcro to secure and protect your equipment. And it’s made with sustainable materials.

And of course, proceeds go to support National Geographic’s conservation programs.

Imagine you’re living two thousand years ago and travelling the Silk Road from Afghanistan to China. You come across a merchant selling the most exquisite and beautiful jewels you’ve ever seen, made of gold, carnelian, turquoise, and other materials.

The jewelry you see on this page is literally what you would have seen. And it carries a story much more fascinating than the jewelry you pick up at Walmart or Target.

In 1979, archaeologists in Afghanistian had a major excavation at Tillya-tepe (also known as the “Golden Mound”) near Shibargan, Afghanistan. They discovered more than 20,000 gold pieces from the Bactria period. The 18-inch Afghan Heart Necklace with Pearl necklace (and separate earrings) you see above is based on one of the designs, made of gold-finished pewter hearts with 4mm freshwater pearls.

Similarly, the Bactrian Rimmed Spangle Bracelet with Turquoise Discs you see to the right was based on a design discovered at Tillya-Tepe.

Proceeds from sales of this jewelry benefit the Afghan Museum, as well as the National Geographic Society’s ongoing cultural work.

National Geographic has produced this Commemorative Edition of the Inside 9/11 DVD Set.  Produced in 2006, it looks back at what led up to September 11, from the terrorists’ beginnings, to the immediate aftermath of September 11. The documentary has been lauded by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times as a powerful and visually stunning recounting of the awful events.

In this special “commemorative edition” are also two additional full-length programs. One, called “Through These Eyes” is a recounting of how National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry documented the aftermath of September 11 in the streets of New York. “Witness 9/11″ is also a documentary collaboration between six filmmakers taking extraordinary footage of the events.

As horrible as that day’s events were, we owe it to the victims, to our country, and to ourselves never to forget. Never forget how angry you were at the sheer evil and despicable inhumanity of those evildoers who planned and carried out this mass murder. Never forget how unified we were as a country in the days afterwards as we healed as one. Never forget the heroism of our brave men and women in uniform. Never forget the promise you made to yourself in the days following 9/11 to volunteer, to help others, to give blood, and to fight back evil with good.

The Last Place on Earth Two-Volume Box Set is a remarkable gift set from National Geographic that documents one of the last pristine and undeveloped areas in central Africa: the 2000 mile stretch from Congo’s deep forests to Gabon’s pristine sea shore.

National Geographic photographer Michael ”Nick” Nichols and ecologist Mike Fay took a grueling 456-day voyage and captured on film this stunning set of photographs in an effort to preserve amazing wildlife that, with increasing industrialization, will not be there anymore in a few years.

The work was so significant it caused the government of Gabon to set aside 11 percent of the country’s interior rain forest as national parkland, creating 13 new national parks to protect virgin lands and wildlife.

This book is a joint venture between the National Geographic Society and the Wildlife Conservation Society and all proceeds go to Congo basin forest conservation. 

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There are throw pillows, and there are throw pillows.

If you need a beautiful home accessory, consider these African Embellished Leather Pillows. They’re not mass-produced in some factory somewhere–these are high quality leather goods hand-stiched by women working in a Maasai village near the Tanzanian border, in the shadow of Kenya’s Mt. Kilimanjaro, and finished by women of the Kikuyu tribe near Nairobi.

The product is available from National Geographic Society, which also supports the craft enterprise. Income directly benefits the women in these African nations, who use the proceeds to feed their families and send their children to school. It’s a great gift for someone who wishes to be fashionable, and know that they are also helping to support hard workers in developing countries.

Here is an amazing story from the folks at National Geographic. This holiday season, you will be hard pressed to find a gift more interesting or meaningful than this one.

There was a species of pine tree that was thought to be extinct for more than two million years. The only record of the plant existing was from fossil records.

In 1994, a single tree was found in Australia, in the Wollemi National Park. After further examination, they found about 100 tree that had survived in a single canyon in a rugged part of the wilderness. The tree is one of the world’s oldest and rarest species.

Not only can you read about the Wollemi Pine Tree–you can own one yourself, or give it to someone as a gift. The tree can be grown indoors or outdoors in some parts of the United States. It comes in a copper, red, or clay pot. Proceeds from sales of the plant go towards conservation.

In Spring 2007, the National Geographic Society had a photo contest among some of its most gifted travel photographers. They were asked to photograph street markets in Fiji, Japan, Togo, Italy, Vietnam, Mexico, Senegal, Spain, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, and Myanmar.

The result is the Glimpse 2008 Marketplace Calendar. It is a colorful and fascinating look into different cultures from the National Geographic Society, and a way to travel the world right from your office desk.

All proceeds go to the Glimpse Foundation, a nonprofit organization which sponsors cultural understanding and exchange programs for young adults.