What’s black and white and red all over? You guessed it, your daily delivered newspaper. Though well read and a staple at the breakfast table, this comforting activity is not necessarily a green way to stay in touch. The average newspaper can cost up to 6 ounces in carbon emissions when you factor in logging, production and delivery. The wood pulping required is a pretty dirty business giving petroleum, coal and primary metals industries a run for their money and more often than not, that stack of info has come from a very old tree opposed to a new one. While the verdict is still out as to whether on line news is more environmentally friendly than the traditional newspaper – it seems both take a toll on the planet. Fortunately, newspapers aren’t just good for news - if you gotta have smudgy fingers with your morning coffee consider these newsworthy tips and put yesterday’s headlines to good use today.

*sharpen pencils by rubbing the point on a newspaper
*make cheap party hats out of the funny’s
*use to dry and polish windows after washing
*stuff under doors and cracks to stop the cold from creeping in
*wrap green tomatoes in newspaper to ripen
*put in loose shoes to tighten or leather shoes to keep shape
*crumple and place in a suitcase for a few weeks to remove odors
*use to pack valuables when moving
*use as drop cloths for painting and other messy projects
*did somebody say “paper mache”?
*use wet newspapers to smother weeds in the garden

Photo by Jesse Hove.