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“Bee” Kind to the Environment!

Plastics can release greenhouse gasses when they degrade. Reduce your plastic consumption by making beeswax food wraps that you can use instead of plastic wrap when storing food.

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Plan

  • What materials will you need?
  • How big will you make your beeswax food wraps?
  • What designs will you use?
  • How will you melt your bees wax?

Do

  • Start by cutting your fabrics to your desired size. You can create wraps of different sizes to use for different dishes or foods.
  • Cover your fabric with a thin layer of wax, then hang it up and let it dry!
  • There are many methods you can use to melt the wax. Do some research and figure out which method will work best for your section!
  • Use the beeswax wraps to wrap up left over food before storing or to wrap your lunch when you bring it to school! After use, wash your beeswax wrap with cold water and dish soap.
  • More wax can be melted onto the cloths if they start to crack. The wraps can last for months and can be composted when you are done with them!

Review

  • What would you do differently next time?
  • What challenges did you face during this activity?
  • What effects do you think single use plastics have on the environment?
  • What other changes can we make to reduce our use of single use plastics?
  • Remember to submit your activities on our Scouts for Sustainability Take Action Map

Materials

  • 100% cotton fabric
  • Beeswax pellets or beeswax and a cheese grater
  • A method for melting the wax, for example:
    • An iron and parchment paper
    • An oven and a baking sheet

Keep it Simple

  • If you don’t want to make your own beeswax food wraps, brainstorm other ways you can reduce the amount of plastic you use.

Take it Further

  • For an added challenge, you can turn your beeswax wraps into pouches. You can either fold your wrap into a pouch or you can sew it and add a button so that it can be opened and closed.