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Reuse, in most cases, is a fair bit greener than recycling. That's not to say recycling isn't green. It's green and it is awesome. But reusing an item significantly reduces the overall footprint of the item. It takes energy to recycle but much less than the energy it takes to create anew.
One of the most common day-to-day items that quickly turns to trash are newspapers. Once the day is over, the news is old. (and probably still bad.) The good news about newspapers is that it is an organic material (wood) and not toxic. Old newspapers had some crazy chemicals in their inks, but today’s black-and-white gazettes are usually made from soy-based inks. That means you can mulch the old news.
Green Benefits
You'll essentially be recycling the old newspaper yourself and turning it into new plants. You'll keep the old picayunes from a landfill fate. It's a chemical-free form of herbicide and a way to conserve water. Gardens are a great way to cut down on food miles, too. Hey, this is some ultra-green stuff right here.
Here's how to do make mulch from newspaper:
- Lay down 2-5 sheets of newspaper.
- Leave three-inch diameter holes for the plants.
- Throw a two or three-inch layer of mulch on top of the newspaper: Grass clippings, straw, leaves, etc.
- Harvest food.
The newspapers decompose before next season.
More on Gardening:
2009: The Year of the Edible Garden
Urban Gardening: What, How and Why
5 Alternatives to a Backyard Garden
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