My take on the whole thing is this:
I have friends who are environment freaks.
My old girlfriend used to sulk whenever I threw old newspapers on the fireplace... My neighbors divide all their cans, papers, bottles etc....

Blah.... I personally don't give a crap. I save up all my old paper and cardboard... frozen food containers...scraps etc.... and toss em in the fireplace.

when I make a sandwich, I use a sheet of printer paper to cover the counter.
I make the sandwich and use a towel to wipe the dirty knife.
I use the sheet of used print paper to hold the pickles or whatever and then transfer that to the table...or living room if I'm watching a movie. I use the same piece of paper to hold the pickles.
When I'm finished, I screw up the paper and thow it in th fireplace.

After a few days, I light up crap in the fireplace to warm the room (haven't used the heat yet this year)

Same thing goes for anything else in the room... Old boxes magazines...whatever. It all goes on the fireplace.

I haven't turned the central heating on at all this month.
In fact it's so warm right now I have the fan going.