Posted: 4/2/2010
Note pads, plastic mugs and sticky notes are one of the most common promotional items in town. But following the pack may not be a wise marketing move, especially when millions of people celebrate the Earth Day on April 22 and shun the use of plastics and papers.
There's no better way to demonstrate the company's commitment to caring for the environment than handing out eco-friendly give-aways. And if the plan is to stand out from the crowd and create a buzz, paper products made of elephant poop might be the right medium to send the message across.
Souvenir stores and gift shops have a line of paper products out of elephant dung. The paper, which can be turned into stationery pads, special gift wraps and other ornaments, is thick and textured. It usually has flecks of seeds, plant fibers and small stones because most of what an elephant eats pass through its body undigested.
The dung used in such specialty papers are collected by farmers in Thailand and some parts of Africa, who earn about $10 for each bag of 50-pound dung. And with that, the company can claim being eco-friendly while helping local farmers in Third World countries.
