Brooklyn, NY
company Mr. Ellie Pooh, which sells 100% handmade journals,
stationery, office supplies and various grades of paper made partially from
Sri Lankan elephant dung, is the Co-op America’s 2008 Green Business Leader
Award winner.
Sri Lanka is home to about one out of 10 of the world’s estimated 40,000
Asian elephants still living in the wild. Elephants are not killed in Sri
Lanka for their tusks, their hides or for meat–they are killed because
they interfere with agricultural crops. Mr. Ellie Pooh is working towards
finding ways to change the perceptions of farmers, who are being encouraged
to see the elephants as a sustainable economic resource.
Along with Maximus, their Sri Lankan partner and paper-production company,
Mr. Ellie Pooh plans to introduce “Project Peace Paper,” which would open
paper re-cycling plants in rural areas, train villagers in paper making
techniques and sell finished goods worldwide in order to contribute to the
local economy.
Green Business Program Director Denise Hamler said, “We’re pleased to
announce that green business peers awarded the prize this year to Mr. Ellie
Pooh, which works towards resolving the elephant-human conflict in Sri Lanka
to try and prevent more of the world population of Asian elephants from
disappearing. This company’s green and sustainable aims and practices are
truly a model for other corporations.”
Mr. Ellie Pooh founder, Karl Wald said, “Mr. Ellie Pooh paper products are
100% recycled, made up of 75% elephant dung and 25%
post consumer paper. There are no toxic chemicals used in the paper-making
process, only basic bonding agents such as alum and rosin, along with water
soluble salt dyes for coloring. As no bleach or acids are introduced during
manufacturing, the handmade papers are pH neutral and can be used in
multiple situations.”
Awarded since 2003, the Green Business Leader Award recognizes the
extraordinary leadership efforts of one business that has used its position
in the marketplace to organize consumers and businesses together to build a
more socially just and ecologically sustainable economy.
Past winners of the Co-op America award include Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps,
T.S. Designs, and Organic Valley Family of Farms.
Along with Mr. Ellie Pooh, the 2008 Green Business Leadership Award nominees
were: Social(k); Ecowood Displays; WorldofGood; and Activist Design Studio.
Founded in 1982,
Co-op America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and
practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and
environmental problems. Co-op America’s green economy programs encourage
corporate responsibility, tackle climate change, build fair trading systems,
advance healthy, local communities, and provide green purchasing and
investing information for families and businesses.
Loading...