paper & cardboard

Paper and cardboard are the browns hiding in plain sight — a steady, free carbon source that most households throw in recycling without a second thought. Plain corrugated cardboard, newspaper, paper towels, and egg cartons all compost well once torn up. The judgment calls come from coatings and chemistry: glossy stock, plastic-lined cups, thermal receipt paper, and heavy inks each change the answer. A useful rule of thumb runs through this whole category: if paper is clean enough to recycle, recycle it; if it's food-soiled or shredded, compost it. Each item page spells out where that line falls and how small to tear things for a pile that actually breaks them down.