How can I reuse or recycle paper that’s been printed on both sides?
We’ve already covered photocopier paper and printer paper in general – and there are some great suggestions over there but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what I can do with a stack of paper which has been printed on both sides.
I usually make scrap paper notebooks with any waste paper I get my hands on – the back of drafts, printing mistakes, junk mail, envelopes etc – but since these have been printed on both sides (a photocopying mistake by someone at work), they can’t go into my usual notebook/reuse pile.
They’re just regularly black and white copies so I don’t think they’ll be quite pretty enough for turning into beads or photo frames, and we don’t have a shredder so I can’t shred them for use as packaging/animal bedding either.
Anyone got any ideas or should I just send them for normal paper recycling?
They would be good for practice and learning origami or designing the next generation of paper airplanes.
Assuming the ink doesn’t come off, they caould also be used for small pattern peices- making gloves or mittens, etc. The design can be drawn with a colored marker or crayon.
For scrapbooking – depending on what’s printed the paper can be tea or coffee dyed to be used as background or water color painted or even stamped; the same for paper jewelry – add some glitter, sequins
Can words or phrases be singled out, cut out and used for secret messages for kids; how about a word search game (you find the words first, make a list, then have kids (or other adults if you’re bored) find them; or find 10 words that begin with a or have a j in them, etc. More ideas if you google teaching from a newspaper
Pirnted paper can be used for measuring lessons – how many inches in rows one to ten, how long is the longest word, how many inches in the longest or shortest sentence, etc. Again, teaching from a newspaper
Tearing into strips or squares for mulch or paper mache is a mindless while in front of the TV task or a ‘who can tear the most’ project for a couple of kids
Make a paper chain, cut or tear, to count how many days until – trip, birthday, the start of school
Cover for a summer beach read book you don’t anyone to know you’re reading – you know the the kind, busty blonde on the cover of a romance novel
Pleat fold a fan for a hot and humid day
Make paper airplanes and have contests; make miniature kites and fly them
I think that you can shred printed paper, and use it in your compost. I know this may seem like you’re throwing it away, but good compost needs “brown” content, and I’m pretty sure that shredded paper qualifies as such. As an avid (but beginning) gardener who is trying to go the all-natural root, good compost is in great demand around here.
You can use them to fold real cool envelopes with address stickers in a nice colour . Just unfold some old envelopes which you can use as an example.
A few years back, we had a go at making craft paper using scrap sheets. We tore up the paper sheets into thumbnail size pieces and soaked them in a bucket of water. The printer ink blurred and dispersed in the water and made the paper a grey colour but I’m sure you can add dyes or coloured papers to control the shade.
I seem to recall we pressed the mix between sheets of acetate or something similar using books as weights but it was a while ago so I can’t be sure.
A quick search in the web should give better instructions though. You can add flower petals and all sorts of bits and pieces to get some really quite smart looking craft papers from the technique.
Maybe for starting a campfire?
I just scrunch up paper and add it to my compost. It’s good for creating air pockets and for balancing out all the “green” kitchen waste with a bit of “brown” carbon-based stuff. Stops the whole thing turning into a slimy, smelly mess.
I use this kind of paper in 2 ways. A4 paper size, cut in 3 long strips
One use: to hold hair while on rollers. The ink also helps to dry hair faster. After that they can be recycled.
Second use is as waxing strips. I have a roll-on type of wax, and I use these strips of paper. After that they end up in the trash.
http://abscraft.blogspot.com/2011/05/making-paper-with-5-and-6-year-olds.html
Making paper from scrap paper
I love gardening, but hate digging up the sod first. When making a new raised bed garden, I build the frame, cover the grassy area inside with several layers of newspapers to discourage weeds and grasses from growing in it, top with the new garden soil , plant and mulch :)
It can also be torn by hand for vermiculture (feeding the worms).
hmmm well you can use them in the toilet to wipe your butt and cut back on the cost you pay for toilet tissue… RECYCLE is good :D just saying
Make a Paper-Mache dish or bushel. Blend it with paste and water, make mixture and structure it in something you can utilize: a wicker bin, light and so forth. There are even individuals who make gems out of it.