Is burning newspaper green?

**Laura2** · 01-11-2009, 10:48 PM

We have a lot of newspaper lying around. I saw something online that you can buy to make newspaper logs to burn in a fire. I like the idea of cheap/free fuel for a fire too. But is it okay for the environment to burn newspaper?

**Momto2Boyz** · 01-12-2009, 07:19 AM

Here is an article about the effects of "backyard" burning.
http://www.completewastemgmt.com/backyard_burning.htm

Really, anything you burn will create emissions into the air, becuase you can't burn it at the proper temperatures to ensure that the toxins are completely gone.

And, my thoughts are, if you can recycle it into another product and save other trees from being cut down, why burn it? Let it continue it's life as something useful.

That is just my two cents though!

**freebs** · 01-12-2009, 07:32 AM

If you are spending money on fire logs to start your fire i say burn it. You are recycling it into something that you can use.of course there are gonna be people against burning but for some of us that is the only source of heat we have!

**elphie** · 01-12-2009, 07:46 AM

If you buy firelogs I would burn them because I don't know that the firelogs would be any greener than the newspaper as far as emmisions and paper consumption go (a website where they sell the firelogs might have more info on those statistics). And if you are using the fire for heat then you are using less electricity. (Our wood burning furnace even heats our hot water so that's even less energy used.) I'd say its a toss up as far as green goes but I haven't actually calculated any numbers, just my initial reaction.

**Momto2Boyz** · 01-12-2009, 07:57 AM

I should have added this into my original post... But the most environmental and frugal way to go, would be to stop getting the newspaper at all. Most newspapers now have websites where the majority, if not all, of the new stories are posted.

You'd save yourself the subscription cost and the worry about what to do with the old newspaper!

**dogmatix** · 01-12-2009, 08:34 AM

Couple of reuses for newspaper: They make THE BEST window rags ever. Waaaay better that paper towels because they are so absorbent. Also your local animal shelter or even veterinarian will appreciate these as cage and litter liners. Finally you can compost it to use on your flower beds.

**suki** · 01-12-2009, 09:30 AM

Hubby uses newspaper to mulch the garden and tills it under when he's done.

**homesteadmamma** · 01-12-2009, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Momto2Boyz

I should have added this into my original post... But the most environmental and frugal way to go, would be to stop getting the newspaper at all. Most newspapers now have websites where the majority, if not all, of the new stories are posted.

You'd save yourself the subscription cost and the worry about what to do with the old newspaper!

I agree and you can always read them at the library and most schools have them as well.

**redhead68** · 01-12-2009, 01:00 PM

I don't think that burning newspaper is the greenest choice. We've actually begun reading the paper on-line, since we have the computer already. I do receive the Sunday paper, which we shred for the worm compost bin in the basement or use as a green mulch in the garden.

**elphie** · 01-12-2009, 01:28 PM

I agree with posters that there are alternatives to buying more newspapers but the OP was asking about newspapers they already have. The very helpful link above (thanks for that Momto2boyz) about burning waste listed specifically items that were a problem but newspaper was not listed in the article. In addition the OP is using the newspapers as an energy source, not simply burning papers without a purpose. It seems to me that this is a form of "reuse" instead of "recycle". JMHO

**redhead68** · 01-12-2009, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by elphie

I agree with posters that there are alternatives to buying more newspapers but the OP was asking about newspapers they already have. The very helpful link above (thanks for that Momto2boyz) about burning waste listed specifically items that were a problem but newspaper was not listed in the article. In addition the OP is using the newspapers as an energy source, not simply burning papers without a purpose. It seems to me that this is a form of "reuse" instead of "recycle". JMHO

Good point. I suppose I should have stuck with the suggestion of composting, rather than burning. I think composting is the greener choice.

The following link about newspaper logs might be of interest to the OP. Here's another one.

**old_lady_in_the_shoe** · 01-12-2009, 09:36 PM

redhead68,
thanks for the links...
I have read about this years ago, and tried it back then, but I seem to have a hard time to "get it to work well" and it is very "ashy"...

I also use to use a lot of newspaper to "get a fire started" when we first started using a woodstove, but now we do not...I guess we got it figured out, lol!

I think burning is a better idea than trashing it, but recycling would be the best if you don't want to "do anything" with it.

Composting is your next best idea. We don't even bother with actually shredding, we just stack whole newspapers "around the edge of the garden (all sunday papers, cause that is the only day i buy) then cover with hay, leave them there all year and by next spring, they kept the weeds away from the edge of the garden and are now all "gone" and can be tilled in. I use saved stacks and stacks of them for this and only do it the one time in the spring.

Good luck with your adventure and let us know if you make successuful paper logs that work well.

**Laura2** · 01-12-2009, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Momto2Boyz

I should have added this into my original post... But the most environmental and frugal way to go, would be to stop getting the newspaper at all. Most newspapers now have websites where the majority, if not all, of the new stories are posted.

You'd save yourself the subscription cost and the worry about what to do with the old newspaper!

I definitely agree with this...However, I actually don't buy the newspapers that I have.

We receive a free newspaper about the city we live in about 3 times a week.

The other newspapers that I have I bring home from my work. My office receives 5 different newspapers daily. They've always just thrown them in the trash. I really hated to see this so I started bringing them home. I bring a huge stack to the animal shelter every so often. Even after that, I still have a very large stack. I like the idea of making "logs" out of the newspaper because wood has to be bought around here and it can be very expensive.