Courtesy of the Farmer’s Almanac
Earth Day is Friday, April 22, 2022. The first Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970, when 20 million people across America celebrated by filling their local streets, parks and auditoriums to demand a healthy, sustainable environment. They were concerned about their cities laden with smog, polluted rivers, rampant pollution, and other environmental hazards.
Since then, Earth Day has been celebrated around the world, by people from all walks of life who are concerned about making a sustainable future for their children. In the past, events, festivals and overall awareness campaigns mark the day, with the hope of preserving the environment.
Those of us who read the newspaper know that a Sunday news habit can quickly turn into a gigantic stack of newsprint. And, despite our best intentions, that stack never quite makes it to the recycling center.
If you’re looking for creative ideas to shrink that collection of newspapers, here are some ways you can put them to use around the home and garden.
Seed Tape
When it comes to planting quick and easy flowerbeds or perfect rows of lettuce, seed tape is essential. Make your own by cutting newspapers into 1-inch wide strips. Then mix 1/4 cup of flour with just enough water to make a sticky paste. Use a toothpick to dab the paste onto your newspaper strips, place the seeds on the drops of paste, and let your seed tape dry before planting.
Pots for Seedlings
For gardeners, one of the best ways to get rid of newspapers is to turn them into seedling pots. Newspaper seed pots save you money on peat pots and plant starting kits, and they’re fully biodegradable, which means that when the time comes, you can simply plant the seedlings – pots and all – without worrying about root damage. If you’d like to make seedling pots, HGTV.com has an excellent tutorial here: www.bit.ly/3vnUb4g.
Weed Barrier
Cut down on time spent weeding vegetable gardens and flowerbeds by spreading two or three layers of newsprint over the bare ground. To keep your gardens organic and toxin-free, avoid using glossy newspaper inserts or sections with colored ink. Once you’ve laid out the newspapers, use straw, mulch or grass clippings to hold the papers down and hide them from sight.
Eliminate Odors
Newspaper is just as effective at eliminating odors as baking soda, and unlike baking soda, you can use newspaper everywhere. Place crumpled newspaper in stinky shoes or musty luggage, lay a sheet or two out in the refrigerator or put balls of newspaper in plastic food containers to get rid of bad smells.
Cleaning Windows
Paper towels streak windows and cloth leaves lint behind, but newspapers have neither of these drawbacks. For sparkling clean windows, crumple a sheet of newspaper and use it with a water and vinegar solution or your favorite glass cleaner.
Paper Mache
If you enjoy arts and crafts, then paper mache is the perfect way to recycle your old newspapers. You can make anything from bowls to sculptures and piñatas. Best of all, paper mache is a kid-friendly craft, which means you can let the little ones in on the fun, too.
Make Coasters
One of the most unusual ways to recycle your newspapers is to turn them into drink coasters. This simple tutorial (www.bit.ly/36ifM5v) shows you how to make coiled newsprint coasters in both square and round shapes. If you’re feeling particularly creative, use colored newsprint to create interesting designs.
Donate Them
If you’ve tried each of these ideas and you still have some newspapers left, let someone else put them to use. Veterinary offices and animal shelters often use newspapers to line animal cages. Thrift stores use them to wrap breakable items. Ask around among local business owners, and you’re certain to find more than a few who will be happy that stack of papers off your hands.