Last week, I got to do something fun. OK, I did a lot of fun things, but perhaps the highlight of my week occurred Friday when I got to learn about composting.

MSU Extension Agent Anna McCain hosted a talk in partnership with Martin’s at Midtown as an early ode to Earth Day.

Now, I love agriculture, and I grew up with a compost bin in my own backyard, but I learned a ton of interesting facts Friday that I can’t wait to put to good use.

One of those lessons left all eyes on me when McCain said newspapers were a great source for composting. What a great way to extend the life of an already great product — just make sure you read it first.

This got me thinking: Newspapers really are multifunctional. Through the years, I’ve used them in a ton of ways and I’ve heard of a lot more.

This week, I’ve compiled a list of how to stretch the utility of The Vicksburg Post long after you’ve read all the content. That is, assuming you haven’t gone all the way digital.

• Art. When my fiancée Allison moved into her first grownup apartment, I knew her walls would be bare. I took the opportunity to make something sentimental. I made a stencil of a man and woman embracing under an umbrella, which I used to cut out articles we had written in college. I applied the result to a canvas painted to look like a storm for a truly unique gift.

• Gardening. I haven’t used this hack myself, but I’ve been told by a few with greener thumbs than mine that newspapers can be layered to create a weed shield. The key here, I’m told, is to make sure the layering is thick.

• Crafts. One of my more fond memories of elementary school involves the paper mâché creatures we made for Halloween. Blow up a balloon, cover with glue-soaked newspaper strips and wait. By the end of the project, we had goblins, ghosts and ghouls filling the room.

• Training. Anyone who’s had a new puppy knows, accidents happen. Fortunately, the effects of those accidents can be minimized with strategically placed newspapers. Likewise, I always used newspapers to line the bottom of my birdcage, and they seem to work well for litter boxes too.

• Props. Although Westside Theater Foundation skipped their traditional production of Rocky Horror Picture Show last October, they still showed the film, which mean an audience still needed a copy of The Plain Dealer — er, The Vicksburg Post — to shield them from the rain.

• Packing. In the past six years, I’ve moved nine times. That’s a lot. Luckily, I’m young, and I don’t have a lot of valuable, breakable stuff. For the glasses and dishware I have accumulated, I’m thankful newspapers have been able to soften the blow of frequent moving.

• Gift wrap. Call it tacky, but hey, I’m a journalist. I know how to stretch a buck, and I know how to be resourceful. Tip: using the Sunday comics section makes for a much happier recipient than legal ads.

These listed are just a few of many ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of your 50 cents at the rack. If you know of other ways to prolong the life of a newspaper, send them my way.

 

Austin Vining is a staff writer at The Vicksburg Post. Email comments to austin.vining@vicksburgpost.com.