Do One Thing: Shred Paper For Packing Material.
For this week’s Do One Thing, I want to talk about shipping and packing material. While most of us do recycle our paper, have you ever thought about shredding it and then using it as filler for sending packages? Sometimes when I order stuff online and it gets delivered, I marvel at the amount of plastics and peanuts that fill the box. Wouldn’t shredded paper do just as good of a job while being completely reusable over and over again?

photo from shutterstock
When I need to ship something, I shred paper from my recycling bin and use that to pad the items – and unless I am shipping something incredibly breakable, it seems to do just fine. So next time you need to ship something, consider just using shredded paper as packing material…it saves you money AND is completely reusable/recyclable!
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- Do One Thing: Switch To Recycled Content Toilet Paper.
- The Problem With E-Waste Recycling Is The Toxic Leftovers.
- Do One Thing: Check Local Recycling Laws.
- Do One Thing: Buy Checks Made From Recycled Paper & Printed With Soy-Based Ink.
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Shred paper for worm compost (leave out the glossy and colored stuff)
I really need to invest in another paper shredder. The chepie one I had broke after about a month. Thanks for the tip!
Just a note, a lot of those “plastic” peanuts are now biodegradable stuff made of corn or soy. (My cats always want to chew on those.) Not saying they are “good” but not as bad as the plastic.
Your suggestion is better, of course, & i wish more companies would adopt it.
Many are, but it is only biodegradable if left out in the open with oxygen. Most landfills are in the earth, meaning there is no air – thus, no biodegrading at all.