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After children's drawings and paintings have been displayed for a while they can be used to wrap presents - this also makes the present special.
Discarded A4-sized paper can be cut and stapled together to make notepads. Alternatively, if you save five reams, it will cost you about $5 to get a print company to convert this paper into 'proper' notepads.
'Use the envelopes you receive in the mail a second time by placing a new address label over the last address. I call this the OMT System ("One more time system"). Old envelopes can also be used for scribbling down shopping lists, to-do lists, and notes.'
Resealable envelopes can be reused many times: 'My daughter takes one to school when she orders her lunch. The envelope has all details written in felt on the front and the money sealed inside. She brings the envelope home and we use it again until it gets too shabby.'
Old calendars, colourful pictures, etc. can be used to make your own envelopes. You can unstick a used envelope and use it as a template for making envelopes.
Old rolls of wallpaper can be used for childrens' drawings.
Junk mail can be used as scrap paper, or as bedding for pets.
Cardboard cartons can be used to collect paper for recycling, instead of plastic bags (even breakfast cereal cartons are good).
SPCA and pet shops appreciate old newspapers.
Toilet roll centres can be recycled - they're made of cardboard.
To fill in a rainy day get a paper recycling kit and get the kids to rip up old used paper to make recycled paper, it can be great fun.
Old magazines are appreciated by:
- Doctor and dentists' surgeries
- Motels
- Friends

Ideas for recycling household waste in the garden:

Aluminium trays from pies and cakes make ideal 'drip saucers'to put under pot plants.
Old tyres can be used outside for plant pots - especially good for plants that like warm soils as they trap the heat.
The following waste items can be modified and used for planting seedlings:
- Egg cartons
- Tetra-pak cartons
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic containers for cherry tomatoes
- Old boots and shoes
- Plastic containers for takeaways
- The cardboard centres from toilet rolls
- Plastic icecream containers.
Lawn clippings can be used to cover weeds and keep from growing in the garden through winter.
Broken crockery can be used as drainage at the bottom of pot plants.
Tin cans can be used as:
- Water reservoirs for new plants and trees. Tape a piece of hose pipe in a can and fill the can with scoria or pumice. Then, when you plant a new tree or plant, bury the can below the root level and leave enough hose poking out of the ground. You can water the plant in summer by pouring the water into hose pipe. If the hose is short enough it can be mowed over on a lawn and does not look obtrusive.
- Pot plant holders. Decorate the outside of the can to your liking, put some soil in it and plant away. (Make sure you put some drainage holes in the bottom of the tin before you start potting the plants.)
Old newspapers (including those gathered from your friends) can be used to mulch and weed control the garden. Wet newspaper and place thickly on the garden. Cover with bark or stones.
Plastic milk bottles can be used to hold snail bait and are pet proof.
Old stockings can be used to tie up plants in the garden.

Plastic icecream containers can be cut into strips for seed labels. Description: This box provides convenient and practical compact item storage suitable for hardware, arts & crafts, sewing, hobby and school supply items. They offer a variety of interior compartment configurations. Lids snap securely to separate compartments come with flip lids. The hand-woven seagrass material works well with any bathroom decore Features:

3 useful compartments in one small container.

Attractive seagrass build.

Recovery and Recycling, please go to:

We like our paper white and bright and ready for anything but, have you ever thought of the problems this could be causing for the environment?

Everyone in Britain uses about 6 trees worth of paper every year.
This is six times more paper than fifty years ago.
Every fifth tree world-wide is used to make paper.
Most paper in the UK has been imported, which adds to transport pollution.
Making paper uses lots of energy; producing a tonne of paper requires the same energy as producing a tonne of steel.
New paper is often white, not because this is paper's 'natural' colour but because it is bleached. The bleach used in making white pulp can cause appalling water pollution.
Toxic wastes such as dioxin are amongst the other wastes discharged from pulp mills. Yet until recently there was little control of the waste being discharged.
Additionally, although we can recycle paper, and the amount being recycled has increased, more than half of all paper used is still thrown away.
That means that if you check out your own dustbin, on average 30% of it is paper and card.
That is two trees' worth of paper waste each year just for you!

So what can you do?

People believe we could cut the amount of paper we use world wide by about a half. If we did this it would save us all money and it would be better for the environment. But how can we do this? Below are a few ideas. See if you can think of extra ones.

Reuse pieces of paper, make sure you use both sides of the paper.
Only cut enough paper for your needs.
Waste paper can be shredded, reconstituted or easily treated to use as
- animal bedding
- fuel logs and pellets
- insulation in the home.
Why not try making paper mache or make your own recycled paper?

It is also important that we always try to use unbleached, recycled paper. Recycling Paper

Currently less than 50% of paper used is recycled. By increasing the volume of recycled paper we could help to reduce the pressure on the world's valuable timber resources.

Interesting things you should know about recycled paper

The manufacture of recycled paper uses only half the amount of energy and water used in making new paper.
Recycled paper has to be de-inked and then chemically treated to separate the fibres.
Different grades of waste paper have different recycling values: waste paper from offices, which is high-quality paper and only lightly inked, is particularly valuable.
Recycled paper tends to be slightly grainy and grey or light green. There is no need to use bright-white paper when a high quality recycled paper could easily be substituted for most uses.
The more recycled paper we want to buy, the more cost effective it becomes.