Elephants and Paper-Making

This is a weird but true story out of Sri Lanka, a story which would make even E. F. Schumacher scratch his head.....or at least, give him a good chuckle.

A group of modest businessmen have been combining recycled cardboard and elephant dung into usuable writing paper! No fooling! This story was written by the French news group AFP and put up on an Australian news website.

The original seven-man workforce has blossomed into 122 employees. Their product has been so successful, people in the Marxist-rebel held Tamil Tigers area in the north of the island nation may begin their own paper factories. The former Sri Lankan prime minister presented President and Mrs. Bush with gifts of this unique paper. Demand for this product is increasing.

And yes, it IS de-odorized.

In it's own off-kilter way, this factory fits the Distributst milieu. It is a small, locally-owned business - which Chesterton supported - and it is employing Third Worlders with technology suitable for their area - which Schumacher advocated.

Thanks be to God for some good news from this area.