Comments on: Wrangling newspaper recycling

By: NicoleS

NicoleS — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:53:29 +0000

To the posters who commented about reusing beer boxes: not everyone is allowed co-mingle their recycling.

Where I live we are not allowed to use “coated cardboard” to hold our newspaper.
Each type of paper/cardboard must be tied together in their own separate groups.
They will refuse to take it if it’s not.

We get a “free” local paper, and have tried several times to discontinue it – we don’t even read it.

This recycling container would do a nice job of organizing our newspaper mess, and the price is very reasonable.

By: bedardy

bedardy — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:01:56 +0000

On June 1, 2009 all bags (plastic and paper) are banned from our town’s (Ottawa) maybe even the province’s stores, so we can no longer get paper pags to collect our newspapers. Recycling is every two weeks, and this type of apparatus would be very welcome around our house. Somehow, once the various sections have been torn apart, not to mention the ads, junk mail and flyers in various shapes and sizes, the stack is just not manageable by hand. I had seen them for years, but now the need is real, and unfortunately the local store no longer carries them. I’m looking.

By: jamie kunz

jamie kunz — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:58:29 +0000

Hello from the farm,
I came upon this website as I was looking for a recycling thingie for the newspapers. We have a dumpster that is emptied once an month., no recycle, no trash pick-up. What’s up with all you haters? There are some of us that are still old school, like my hardworking husband who comes in after working a 14 hour day to read the paper and have a drink! And yes, it’s kinda akward with the string, people use things that are user friendly! this is something i would have in the corner of the family room…..

By: catmom

catmom — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:29:11 +0000

Luckily for us we are given 2 recycling bins per household from the county, one is for newspapers, cardboard and magazines and the other one is for plastics, glass and cans. We have curb pick up service once a week.

For those of you who don’t have the services that we do, I admire you for being creative with your containers and doing your duty for the environment!

By: Marc Rohde

Marc Rohde — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:41:49 +0000

Option 1 – Skip the newspaper and get your news online. Get rid of clutter and become more productive.

Option 2 – Use a paper bag to bundle the newspaper and recycle everything.

By: Brickerhaus

Brickerhaus — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:46:12 +0000

I absolutely love this product. My wife had this habit of stacking up our papers. She was busy, and I was busy. I think you know what happens next. Two months worth of papers. Normally I throw them away but since we have so many I just thought why not recycle. Bought the twine and started doing it. It is a little hard tying it your self and along comes this. Basket and tying contraption. I am buying one. Thank You.

I wrote this comment all excited, then read the other comments. Yes the ‘lush’ above has a point for using beer boxes but come on. A lot of people still use this type of method for getting news. I want you all to think, “would your parents or grandparents use something like this.” I think it is a great idea. I would agree this is kinda uni-tasker here but I will agree with Erin that this would help out a lot of people but hey instead of pulling out your kindle all the time. Why not pull up a newspaper and read the old fashion way. Something about spreading the day’s news in front of you.

Good post Cory even if some people don’t like it.

By: bobbin

bobbin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:37:23 +0000

Remember that recyclable does not mean that it will be recycled. Many municipalities will only take #2 plastic if it is bottles and jugs, not just any plastic product marked #2. As an environmentalist, you should be able to recycle paper without buying and eventually landfilling plastic items.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:15:57 +0000

Wow, if everyone can chill out with the judgmental attitudes, that would be appreciated. Just because you don’t have an issue with old newspapers piling up on tables and in magazine racks around your home, doesn’t mean others don’t. This website is about helping people to find order and clear clutter, so please keep helpful and supportive comments flowing. But, let’s hold off on the “I’m better than you because I have this one area of my life already managed” statements … We’re here to help people, not belittle them.

By: B

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:09:02 +0000

Seriously? You actually NEED this to do your recycling? I think this was supposed to be a Unitasker post. How about save the $12.95, earn some interest on it and just lift up the bundle of papers about an inch and put some twine under there. Better yet, lay down the twine BEFORE you start piling up the papers and save the exertion of picking them up. The best idea though would be to stop getting the paper delivered, read it online and quit killing the trees.

By: jeff parnes

jeff parnes — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:51:04 +0000

You’re right, my cardboard box doesn’t last anywhere near a year. But it’s always a pleasure drinking the brewskies in preparation for the next box that makes it so much fun. Here’s a toast to the New Year! Remember beer and sharp edges don’t mix!

Enjoy!

By: Doreen

Doreen — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:03:38 +0000

Isn’t this just another unitasker? Thankfully our recycling collector allows me to put newspapers in a paper bag from the supermarket.

By: m

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:40:42 +0000

We have one of these and love it. It lives right outside the garage door, and the paper goes in it the minute we’re done reading it. As for those complaining that you could make something similar out of cardboard: Knock yourselves out. But there’s no way that your DIY version will last the dozen years and counting that our plastic one has.

By: jkm

jkm — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:12:32 +0000

The fact that this container doesn’t get stolen on pick-up day tells us enough about its desirability, doesn’t it?
Can’t see the added value of this thing, unless tying up bundles is mandatory, AND you don’t have the full use of both hands.
Any cardboard box would do just as well, but we use brown paper grocery bags, which accompany the newpapers into the recycling bin. In cities in The Netherlands we usually have a huge paper-recycling bin within walking distance.

By: Rajan

Rajan — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 10:30:06 +0000

One more useless thing to clutter up your house.

What next ?… a mini fork lift to carry the bundle to the curbside ?

By: Hilde

Hilde — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:37:23 +0000

I could have used one of them when we still had curbside collection of paper! But in the region where I live now, every household has its own bin for all kinds of paper, which is emptied every four weeks.

By: wordwych

wordwych — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:42:07 +0000

Jeff Parnes, you expressed my thoughts exactly! As I was reading the description of this product, I thought immediately of using a cardboard box with slits in the sides.

By: ari_1965

ari_1965 — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:02:23 +0000

I just can’t see the need for this stak-n-tie crate. I understand tying up the newspaper into a bundle because that makes it easier to carry the bundle to the recycling bin. But I can’t understand why you would need this crate to do that? Wouldn’t you just lift up your bundle of newspapers, throw the twine around it, pull it tight, and head off to the recyling bin?

By the way, this type of plastic bin is not recyclable in my area no matter what the numbering system states. The only plastic that is recyclable in my area is bottles with a neck.

By: Another Deb

Another Deb — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:03:32 +0000

I use a large plastic bin repurposed from storage for my paper recycling. I live in a place that requires me to deliver my recyclables to a central area. A local school gets the paper as a fundraiser a block away, no string needed in their dumpster. The open crate in your picture would leak paper for me.

By: jeff parnes

jeff parnes — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:05:15 +0000

What a waste!

You want a box to recycle papers that is truly simple?

Buy a 24-case of bottled beer – Yingling, Miller, Utica Club, Bud, any type. Drink the beer. Recycle the bottles. Use a sharp edge to cut one-inch slots along the center of each slide of the cardboard box.

Take your string, hook it into one of the slots (leaving excess string the height of the box), drape it from one side to the other and then slide into the other slot. Then take the end of the string, and bring it from the center of that side to a slot 90 degrees on another side, leaving some slack. Now drape the string from that slot to the other slot, leaving excess string the height of the box. When the box is full, use the string edges to tie the paper. Redo.

Cost zero – 100% recyclable. Need two – buy another case of beer. Case gets worn or sides rip – see previous guidance.

For your friends who would be tempted to spend money on this wasted plastic device here’s an great holiday gift idea – give them a case of an expensive brand of beer and these instructions.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:36:45 +0000

I thought this was a unitasker post, then realized you were serious.