This month in Creative Course Club, we explore how to make your own beeswax wrap. Beeswax wraps are a fantastic sustainable alternative to plastic wrap in the kitchen – you can re-use it again and again, it’s made of all-natural ingredients, and once the wrap is no longer working well, you can compost it or use it as a fire-lighter. It’s a truly waste-free product!
Making my own beeswax wrap was easy and fun, and it got me thinking about other small changes I can make at home to live more sustainably. Some simple ideas to be a more eco-friendly consumer include shopping locally at farmers markets, donating used goods rather than throwing them away, and buying “new-to-you” items at second-hand or thrift stores. You can also reduce your plastic waste by using reusable water bottles, coffee cups and shopping bags, by purchasing items that are not heavily packaged, and by recycling wherever possible. This collection from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh showcases lots of ways, great and small, to reduce plastic waste, live more simply and self-reliantly, make your food budget go further through reducing waste, and detox your cleaning supplies.
If you’d like to explore some more eco-conscious craft ideas, why not take a look at these video tutorials on Creativebug (access is free with your Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh card!). You might like to try making your own environmentally friendly gift packaging – if so, check out the DIY Painted Gift Wrap or the Creative Wine Wrapping classes. Maybe your environmental efforts will be culinary – Creativebug has several classes on how to can fruits and vegetables, including Canning the Best Blueberry Jam and Canning Basics: How to Can Tomatoes. Finally, if you’d like to reduce the plastic waste that comes from personal hygiene products, why not try Make Soap Three Ways or Make Hand and Body Salve to learn how to make your own luxurious versions of these personal care staples.
And of course, don’t forget to check out the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh YouTube channel @clpvideo where you will be able to watch a demonstration of how to make your own beeswax wrap. This month, we even have grab-and-go kits for adults with all the materials you’ll need to follow along! Grab-and-go kits are available at all Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh locations while supplies last.
