Shredded paper in the lasagna garden

Caryl asks:

I really was inspired with your ideas on the Larry Meillor show this morning.  I have a question about shredded paper.  I have a good source for bags and bags of this stuff and I'm wondering what your opinion is for using this as a layer in the lasagne garden.

Caryl,

Shredded paper is a fine ingredient in a lasagna garden.  It comes from trees and would be a carbon ingredient.  It should not be the main ingredient.

Concerns:  glossy paper and print is not recommend.  Staples are fine, they will rust away.  Plastic windows from envelopes could be a mess.

2nd concern:  It takes a lot of work to refine wood to paper.  Paper can be easily recycled, so from a sustainability/resource use standpoint--I prefer to not add lots of paper to the lasagna garden, but to keep the paper being recycled in the already refined paper cycle. 

The cardboard from food is great o compost or bury in a lasagna garden, as it is not supposed to be put in the recyclables in most places.

There are lots of carbon materials around, that are raw, from nature and not already refined.  Read my handout on Composting for some more carbon ingredient ideas.

Final answer: shredded paper is fine, but there are other options that I prefer.