What are, in your opinion or according to your direct experience, the easiest and most convenient way to recycle and re-use paper at home?
asked Jul 16, 2014 at 8:25
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4Turn it over and write on the other side ;-)– FlytoJul 16, 2014 at 13:28
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1Well, is there a way to whiten it back at home?– usumdelphiniJul 16, 2014 at 17:45
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2 Answers
I ask my colleagues to keep the papers they print and do not use anymore, and I pile them up, cut them in half and make two holes at the top. I bind them together with a binder ring and I have a new notepad!
If the paper is soiled, I compost it (bakery paper bags, tissues). If it is office paper, after I wrote on both sides, I use it in my garden to layer the bottom of my pots and planters. I also use them at the bottom of the litter box for my cat, it makes cleaning up easier and I can compost everything at once. If the paper looks nice or if it has colorful pictures on it (old magazines, Christmas catalogues), I use it to wrap gifts, with a bit of burlap ribbon. Finally, I use it to wrap fragile items when I put away seasonal decorations: Christmas ornaments, holiday dishes etc.
You can also re-use it and make papier mâché sculptures if you have children, you just need water and flour and a bit of patience.
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In case of office paper, is the printer ink safe for the garden environment ?– RaiyanJul 25, 2014 at 18:30
Some people make briquettes from paper to burn them in their oven for heating, see for example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki8OsYh0ksA
This is quite tediuos work. Also, the exhaust fumes and the remaining ashes are toxic, since paper consists up to 30% of filler, like calcium carbonate, cement and other. Therefore, in germany it is forbidden to burn paper briquettes in home fireplaces, since these don't have a special filtering of the exhaust fumes and a proper disposal of the ashes.
