Japan Makes Biodegradable Newspaper You Can Plant!

Japan has set a new standard in sustainability with the creation of the Green Newspaper. Introduced by the publisher of The Mainichi Shimbun, this eco-friendly innovation uses biodegradable paper embedded with seeds. After reading, individuals can plant the pages, which grow into flowers or herbs. This creative approach not only reduces waste but also raises awareness about recycling and Climate change.

First unveiled on May 4, 2016, during Japan’s Greenery Day, the special edition focused entirely on environmental topics. Printed with plant-based inks, the paper encouraged readers to actively participate in greening urban spaces. Detailed instructions accompanied each copy, explaining how to tear and plant the pages. Whether sprouting pollinator-friendly flowers or culinary herbs, the result is a tangible contribution to the environment.

This initiative, developed in partnership with Dentsu Inc., one of Japan’s leading advertising agencies, has garnered immense popularity. The Green Newspaper boasts a daily circulation of over four million copies as of February 2024, earning over 80 million yen in revenue. Beyond its commercial success, the project has been instrumental in educating children about recycling, leaving a lasting impression on future generations.

Plantable paper is not a new idea. It blends recycled materials with seeds to create functional, sustainable products like greeting cards and promotional materials. These items provide a simple and impactful way to Support biodiversity and reduce waste.

Related Content:

•  How to Make and Use Seed Paper
• Awesome Trash to Treasure-Recycled Crafts to Gush Over (and Make Yourself!)
• 4 Ways to Green Your Thumb Without a Huge Garden
• 10 Environmentally Sound Party Favors/Goodie Bag Ideas

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Stand against fast fashion Pollution by supporting circular brands like Tiny Rescue, which create cause-based collections using recycled, zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill.
• Shop Sustainably for Your Home: Visit SustaiNOBLE.org, an eco-friendly and ethically sourced home decor store that will empower your home with luxurious fair-trade, and sustainable products made by global artisans. 
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!