While it may seem careless to throw away your daily newspaper, worry not: newspapers were not designed as a permanent medium. In nature, the sheets break down in six weeks. This makes them easy to recycle (which you should already be doing) and easy to reuse in environmentally-friendly ways. To celebrate Earth Day, April 22, use these five tricks to get new life out of your old newspapers.
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In the Garden
Are you preparing a summer garden? Get your seeds off to a great start with this DIY planter. Because the newspaper will break down as the plant grows, you don’t have to transplant the sprout, and the decomposed newspaper will give your plants an extra nutrient kick.
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Spring Cleaning
Are streaky windows ruining your spring cleaning efforts? Use vinegar and newspapers for a fool-proof way to get clean, streak-free windows. It’s simple: mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water, and dispense into a used spray bottle. Squirt on, then scrub with newspaper.
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Crafting
Got allergies? Skip the fresh-cut flowers and freshen your house with some beautiful newsprint blooms. This is a great weekend craft for the family and a cute way to repurpose old copies of your work. You can stick them in a vase, attach them to gifts or make an entire wreath of them.
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At-home manicure
When was the last time your manicure was headline news? This DIY manicure is an easy way to dabble in nail art. All you need is your base color, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, newspaper and a clear top coat!
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Take it on the move
Forget the bubble wrap if you’re moving—newspaper is an easy substitute for wrapping valuables in and for padding boxes.
Happy Earth Day from the News Media Alliance!
Contributing writer
