How can you save your small area of the planet and the money in your pocket too? Armley-based community reporter Susan Denton’s first regular column has some answers …
We would all like to save and cut down on single use plastics.
By adapting the way we use things and adopting changes to the way we do every day things we can do this.
Each week I would like to suggest ideas to help reduce your use of plastics and chemicals that potentially harm the planet and save you money.
Instead of using plastic to wrap /cover foods in fridge, why not try pieces of reusable waxed material?
Materials for project:
- Scraps of cotton or poly cotton material. Smallest size approximately 6×6 inches
- Scissors (optional pinking shears)
- Greaseproof paper
- Iron
- Bees wax (this can be bought locally at: Out of this World health food store, LS1 6DG)
Method:
- Cut the material into various sizes. Useful sizes are 6×6, 6×6, 10×10 inches.
- Place your pieces of material onto a sheet of grease-proof paper.
- Grate the bees wax onto the material, just enough to cover it.
- Put a second piece of grease proof paper on top to make a “sandwich”.
- Using the iron on cotton setting iron over this sandwich, gently pushing the wax over the material as it melts.
- When covered (you can see through the grease proof paper) allow cool then peel from the paper trim the edges.
To cover food; as you handle the wax sheet it will become tacky from the heat of your hands; fold as a parcel pressing the wax sheet together. Place in fridge.
When finished using wash in very cool water and air dry. Remember slight heat will make the sheet tacky.
When covering a bowl, cut circle material 2 inches larger than the bowl. Wax in same way.
If you have any questions or tips of your own to share, drop me a line here: news@westleedsdispatch.com.
More next week…
