We recently took delivery of a very interesting contraption with which it is possible to make 'logs' out of old newspapers.
Since we read a lot of newspapers in this house, and our blue bin is consequently groaning on a Tuesday morning when Babergh comes to collect it, we thought this could be a good idea.
Well, here are the results of Nick my husband's efforts sitting on the top of our little stove in the sitting room. If look closely you can see that the logs are a pretty combination of black white and pink, reflecting the fact that Nick has still not kicked the habit of buying the Financial Times on a daily basis despite the exorbitant cost!
I hope that this approach to waste is suitably 'green', although I'm not entirely sure. When I worked on Scandinavian forestry companies as an investment analyst years ago I was told that newsprint could only be recycled once or twice due to the fact that the length of the wood fibres in the paper shorten and weaken every time it is processed. How the recyclers know whether the paper has already been processed or not I have no idea.
Anyway, the logs burn very well and last for about an hour, helping to eke out more expensive fuel, and we are quite satisfied with them. Nick says that there isn't much work or strength involved, although you need to work somewhere where you can get the floor wet!
If you want to buy a log making machine you can get one on the web from Natural Collection (Green and gorgeous since 1999). Just Google the name and you will find the site. Details of how the device works are given on the page.
