Going Green: Where newspapers shine like a computer screen can’t

Jim Bona

(Hamilton, NY) This will be the first print edition of the Madison County Courier. Congratulations! I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about recycling newspaper.

I am sure you have noticed that the print medium is slowly losing much of its appeal. As we all go more and more digital many people are now getting their news on line. In some ways this is a good thing. It is bad for print newspapers though. Although a happy middle ground will hopefully be reached, I have to say that I am a big fan of the newspaper. It is something that you can hold and pore through. It is something you can clip articles from. It is something that you can underline and highlight. It may be old fashioned, but it is still a great way to get your news. (That it doesn’t need electricity or batteries to read it, as a computer monitor needs, is also good).

There rises the question: what to do with the paper when you are done with it? This is where the print newspaper shines like a computer screen can’t. After the paper has been read, besides recycling it, there are tons of ways that it can be used. It can be used as anything from mulch in your garden to wrapping paper. You can use it along with vinegar to clean windows and it leaves no lint. You can line your litter box with it. You can use it as an alternative to paper toweling to wipe those extra dirty and greasy items. You can stuff it into your shoes to deodorize them. You can stuff your hats to keep them from crushing flat. You can use it to start your fireplace and barbeque fires. They can be rolled up and used as logs for your fireplace too. There are as many uses for newspaper as your imagination allows. (You sure can’t wrap your fish up in a computer monitor).

If you are reading this in the print version, I hope you reuse this paper….or at least, recycle it.

Jim Bona is a technician at Colgate and also a Trustee of the Village of Hamilton.

Going Green: Where newspapers shine like a computer screen can’t

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