Matt Gardens (@matt_gardens) shared how he composts a common household waste item with his TikTok followers. In the video, he shows how old toilet paper rolls serve a purpose once the toilet paper is gone.
@matt_gardens Before I started composting, I use to just toss these things away in the trash can. Same thing with my paper towel rolls. But not anymore! In our household, these rolls now go into the composter! Before I add it into the composter, I usually like to break it down a little bit just by cutting it up with some scissors just into some tinier bits. So, let's stop throwing away these paper towel rolls and creating waste and let's start composting them! #composting #compost #compostable #recycle #garden #gardening #gardenproject #gardening101 #plant #zone8a #gardentok #gardeninghacks ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
The scoop
"Before I started composting, I used to toss these things away in the trash can," he says in the video while holding up a toilet paper roll. He reuses paper towel rolls as well.
To help things break down faster, Matt says he likes "cutting it up with some scissors just into some tinier bits."
How it's helping
Those toilet paper rolls are a great addition to compost, which can amend soil and provide organic nutrients for your crops. If you're growing your own food, it helps you do so chemical-free.
Speaking of food, composting allows you to repurpose food scraps like egg shells, fruit peels, and coffee grinds, along with inedible but biodegradable materials like paper products. Then, you can keep your trash can lighter and add less to overcrowded landfills. Those landfills already mostly contain food waste, which accounts for 24% of it, per the EPA.
Toilet paper is something everyone uses (unless they rely on a bidet), so it's a common trash item at home. Understanding how cardboard can fertilize the soil and enhance microorganism activity, such as earthworms, can inspire people to use other paper or cardboard products on hand.
If someone doesn't feel like breaking boxes down for recycling, they can use them for lasagna mulching. With lasagna mulching, you alternate layers of green organic material, like grass or produce scraps, with layers of brown organic material, like cardboard or twigs.
Even if you don't use toilet paper rolls for gardening, understanding your recycling options for cardboard reduces the strain on the environment. According to Integrity Recycling, cardboard recycling uses about 75% less energy than creating new cardboard from virgin materials.
Don't forget about reusing other materials, from textiles to plastics to shoes, through organizations like GotSneakers and ThredUp.
What everyone's saying
Others in the comments love the idea, and some are using it already.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Not enough time ⏳ "My Worms love them," said one user.
Another gardener stated, "I use them for seed starts!"
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
