Perhaps one of the most practical and environmentally sustainable ways to recycle newspapers is to use them to help keep our homes warm.

The main ingredient of cellulose insulation, a commonly used residential insulation, is post-consumer newspaper. You can actually see the bits of newspaper in the insulation.

Marshall Taylor, a department supervisor at the Langford Home Depot,  said cellulose insulation is a particularly good product for insulating hard to reach or hard to fill areas, such as an attic or a wall that is already drywalled. Cellulose insulation can be sprayed into spaces or installed by hand and rake, making it easier to work with than baton insulation.

B次元官网网址淗omeowners use a tonne of it,B次元官网网址� Taylor said. B次元官网网址淲e sell, letB次元官网网址檚 say, 70 bags a week, in our top season. Which is pretty good.B次元官网网址�

Another benefit of cellulose insulation is that itB次元官网网址檚 far safer to handle than pink fibreglass insulation or rock wool insulation. Taylor recommends wearing gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask when working with cellulose insulation, to be safe, but it generally will not cause irritation.

For these reasons, combined with the fact itB次元官网网址檚 a far more environmentally friendly product than other insulations, cellulose insulation is an easy sell, Taylor said.

B次元官网网址淓ighty per cent of the time theyB次元官网网址檒l choose this one, basically because of the product that it is, of what itB次元官网网址檚 made out of,B次元官网网址� Taylor said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l generally choose this one more often than not. And IB次元官网网址檓 happy to offer it. The fact that we have it available is fantastic.B次元官网网址�

Recycle as a fundraiser

A classic newspaper recycling program brings in big bucks for one West Shore service club.

Paper recycling is the major fundraiser for the West Shore Lions Club.

B次元官网网址淲e put drop boxes out and the guys volunteer to go around and pick it up and sell it to Cascade Recycling,B次元官网网址� said Lloyd Engelking, the clubB次元官网网址檚 secretary treasurer. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one of the major fundraisers.B次元官网网址�

The group takes pride in funding scholarships, families in need, the Goldstream Food Bank and Camp Shawnigan.

B次元官网网址淭he price fluctuates, so itB次元官网网址檚 hard to predict (how much it raises),B次元官网网址� Engelking said. B次元官网网址淚t usually raises between $10,000 and $12,000 a year.B次元官网网址�

Visit e-clubhouse.org/sites/westshorebc for a full list of recycling locations across the West Shore.