Yuk! That’s disgusting…or naughty…or…or…something!
Those were my first thoughts when I saw it, and recoiled. I was at a travel site in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, and hadn’t intended to go into the gift shop, but somehow there I was, staring at the box.
Who would ever think of using that? Carefully, I picked up the small box. The fact that it was a pretty, pale green color was confusing. How did a box like that fit the contents?
Overcome by curiosity, I lifted the lid and peeked inside.
Inside were 70 small sheets of pretty, pale green paper…same color as the box. The paper looked like the expensive, elegant handmade paper that sells for several dollars a sheet. I love paper and have lusted after handmade paper at many arts and craft shows.
On the lid of the box was the profile of an elephant, strolling along, trunk swaying. I picked up the introductory sheet of paper and looked at the words.
“Elephant Poo Paper.”
What?! How could such pretty paper come from that? Of course I had to put it up to my nose and smell it, cringing a bit. But no. No bad smell. Not the slightest.
Eco-friendly, 100% recycled. And if shoppers preferred, they could buy a companion journal, too, of the same exquisite paper.
I have had a lot of fun with my Elephant Poo Paper. At a family get-together, I asked my Gillis sister and brothers and their spouses (we call ourselves The Sibs and Spouses) to write a little poem on a sheet of the paper. They didn’t find out what the paper was made of until afterward. What a great laugh we had, and still have when we talk about it (as you can imagine, they are great sports!).
Paper comes from trees now. But, if we allow our imaginations to soar away in a whirl of science fiction…someday, our hills can remain forested, and each town or community—or even in the wealthy neighborhoods, each house—may have its very own elephant.
So, what do you think of poo paper? I’d love to know!
Check out the various makers of elephant poo paper on Google. And if you don’t mind paying twice as much, you can even find paper made of panda poo, too!
Carol
Feel free to email me your environmental tips and questions!
