Zero Waste Workshop

Wax Wraps

Beeless Vegan Food Wrap
Taken from this site.

Ingredients
• 100% cotton fabric, organic if possible
• 0.75 oz. sustainably sourced pine resin
• 0.5 oz. organic carnauba wax
• 1 Tbsp. organic jojoba oil
• Large popsicle stick or other compostable stirrer
• Parchment paper
• Dedicated paint brush

Directions
1. Wash and dry fabric.
2. Cut fabric into desired shapes and sizes.
3. Place pine resin, carnauba wax, and jojoba oil in a double boiler or glass measuring cup and set in a saucepan.
4. Add water to saucepan until the mixture inside the double boiler or measuring cup is below waterline. Turn burn to medium-high heat.
5. Preheat oven to 300° F.
6. Allow ingredients to melt and meld together, about 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Cover large cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper larger than your biggest piece of fabric.
8. Spread a fabric piece (or pieces, depending on size) flat on parchment paper.
9. Brush mixture lightly onto fabric. It might solidify, which is fine, as you'll be able to redistribute later. It’s easy to oversaturate, so remember that it’s easier to add more than take the excess away.
10. Put cookie sheet in oven for 2 minutes, or until fabric looks wet.
11. Remove from oven and look for any dry spots. Brush mixture over these uncovered areas, applying more coating as needed. If you notice unevenness after adding more, you can place it back in the oven for a few minutes to smooth.
12. Place the next wrap(s) you are going to make on top of the finished fabric to soak up any excess coating mixture. Work quickly, as you don’t want the wax to begin to solidify.
13. Once you’ve pressed any excess onto the new cloth, peel apart and hang your completed wrap(s) to dry. Drying only takes a few minutes.
14. Repeat steps with additional pieces of fabric until you are out of coating mixture.

Cleaning and Maintenance
• Hand wash with cold, soapy water only
• You can melt more wax mixture and repeat the process to reinforce the wax wraps after long-term use

Notes
• We used a school-friendly version of this where we melted the wax mixture together using the microwave
• You can also sew the wraps together to make zero waste Ziploc bags!

Crochet Produce Bags

Check out the link above for the pattern we used to make crochet produce bags. As an add-on, here is how you can make yarn out of plastic grocery bags: click here!

Veggie Scraps

Check out the link above for a PDF of how to grow your own veggie scraps!

Natural Deodorant

Natural Deodorant
Taken from this site.

Ingredients
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 20 – 25 drops lavender essential oil
• a small jar or container

Directions
1. Melt your coconut oil (if necessary) and mix with the corn starch and baking soda.
2. Add the essential oil.
3. Mix.
4. Transfer to a glass container.
5. Use up!
6. Will last 2 -3 months depending on usage.

*Notes: My batch has less baking soda and corn starch than some recipes I’ve seen because I experienced skin irritation from these ingredients at a higher ratio. If this mixture is not effective for you, you can increase the amount of baking soda and corn starch by about 2 teaspoons.

Also be sure to check out this zero waste travel blog post below!

More

Here you can find some more links to help you in your zero waste journey!