18 NEBRASKAland • MAY 2017
By Jeff Kurrus
Some say the newspaper is
dead. I certainly hope not. Ever
since reading the transcripts to
one of Dick Turpin's "Turpin Time"
videos about newspaper uses, I have
been on a quiet, yet constant, quest
to see how helpful our dailies actually
are to the life of an outdoor enthusiast.
It started with using newspapers to help
eliminate smells from fish and game coolers.
After washing out a cooler with soap and water, then drying
the inside of a cooler with a towel, I found through the years
that the fishy smell would remain long after I closed the
cooler. However, by inserting one more critical step, tossing
a dry newspaper inside of the cooler and closing it again, the
gamey smell soon dissipated. Turpin was exactly right.
Since hearing about this tactic and seeing it in action, I
began using newspapers with all of my coolers, then I went
and told my friends. They returned with their own list of
newspaper functions, including, but not limited to, using
newspaper as a boot dryer, an insulator for cots, a firestarting
aid, an excellent headlight and windshield cleaner, and even
something to wrap frozen meats in while transferring them
in a cooler. You can also place layers of newspaper on top
of your cooler contents to add insulation and make your ice
last longer. Or go a step further and fill all of the airspace
between the contents and lid.
And I'm always looking for more uses, so if you use them
for a particular reason that's not listed here, drop me a note
at Jeff.Kurrus@Nebraska.gov. ■
Don't Just
Read the
Paper
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
