The other day Enviro-Girl’s BFF asked her to do a post on this topic. “I have gobs of newspapers every week–between that and regular paper, we recycle two to three grocery sacks of paper every week. Is there a way to reuse it instead of just recycling it?”
Excellent question, Sarah! Here are a few ways to reuse that newspaper and keep it out of your recycle bin:
Shred it and use it as pet litter
Use it for packaging and shipping instead of styrofoam packing peanuts
Use it as gift wrap
Use it in your compost bin
Use it to wash windows–spray it with vinegar and water and watch your glass SHINE!
Layer it 5 pages deep and cover with mulch to keep weeds out of your garden and moisture in
Stuff it into shoes when storing or drying out–newspaper absorbs odors and moisture
Make your own paper! A fun and easy activity for kids!
Use it as a tablecloth for messy meals–serve up ribs, corn on the cob, crabs in the half shell on newspaper for easy clean up.
Looking for more creative ideas? Check out this site.
Finally, one way that Enviro-Girl’s family reduced it’s paper recycling was by canceling their weekly subscription and only getting a Saturday/Sunday newspaper. They didn’t have time to read it during the week anyway and the editorial page was always raising Enviro-Girl’s dander, so it turns out that they don’t miss it much. Online news sources like BBC.com and National Public Radio have kept Enviro-Girl in the loop just fine.
Another idea is to share a subscription with a neighbor or read the news at the local coffee shop or public library. Talk about waste reduction! Think of all the things we could share, and as a result reduce our consumption. Sounds like a topic for another post, doesn’t it?
