Made of finely shredded newsprint and chemically treated to resist mold, fire and pests; cellulose is considered, “greener” largely because of its high recycled content. One typical product, manufactured by Applegate Insulation, is “85% recycled content with a minimum of 80% post-consumer paper fiber. The remaining 15% is fire-retardant chemicals and other additives.” The manufacturing process also helps make it “greener” – it’s made in electrically-driven mills at about 750 BTUs per pound, whereas manufacturing fiberglass insulation consumes from 6,000 to 15,000 BTUs per pound.