In a Reddit forum dedicated to woodstove usage, one homeowner shared a creative hack for using household items that would otherwise become waste to start fires.
“I do this,” another Redditor shared.
The scoop
The homeowner shared that they save toilet paper rolls and stuff dryer lint into them to help start their fires.
Although some Redditors were concerned about the safety of burning dryer lint because most clothes are made with synthetic fibers that can contain plastics and toxic chemicals and could pose a health concern, especially when burned, many commenters were excited about the method and shared their own methods for starting fires.
How it’s helping
Whenever we can reuse, repurpose, or recycle something, it is beneficial to the environment. Giving items a longer lifespan helps keep them out of landfills, where they can contribute to air, soil, and water pollution.
One of the major concerns with landfills is the leaching of harmful chemicals such as PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” into the environment. Instead of breaking down, these toxic chemicals persist in nature, making them more likely to contaminate local water supplies and pose serious health risks for wildlife and humans.
Landfills are also a major contributor to air pollution, releasing methane gas that can contribute to the warming of the planet. When organic waste decomposes without oxygen, methane is generated, impacting air quality.
Whenever we can find an alternative to disposing of objects into landfills, it helps the environment.
What everyone’s saying
Many Redditors were excited about the original poster’s idea for reusing empty toilet paper rolls that often end up unused and discarded into landfills. They also shared their own ideas.
“I made my first fire starters this year out of old egg cartons stuffed with shredded penny saver flyers and added bees wax to each. Works great so far,” one shared.
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Another said: “Good tip. Thanks.”
The OP asked if anyone does what they described and found that they had inspired action.
One Redditor said: “Yes, now I do, after reading this.”
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