Beeswax Wrap Workshop

Description of Experience:

In this workshop, I will be learning how to make wax paper from scratch, which may be used in order to wrap food instead of using plastic and for other packaging purposes as well.

Date: October 6^th, 2019

Grade Level: IBDP II

Title of Proposed CAS Experience: Beeswax Food Wraps Workshop

Member(s): Caren Tohme

Type of Experience: (select all that apply)

- Creativity

- Activity

Experience Status (is this a new experience or an ongoing project)

- New 

Timeline: (location of the experience; how often; Time length of the experience)

This one time experience will be taking place on October 9^th, for around 2 hours.

Name of Supervisor and Organization: Rouba, EcoConsulting.

Telephone number: 01-971266 Email: rouba@ecoconsulting.net

Address: EcoConsulting, Nahas Building 4^th floor, Georges Haddad Avenue, Saifi Village, Beirut, Lebanon.

Personal Goals of the Experience:

Through this experience, I hope to be able to learn a new way to use less plastic in my house, and encourage my family to do the same. By creating beeswax paper for wrapping food, this would new skill acquired would help me to become more environmentally sustainable.

Intended learning Outcome (s):

LO3: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.

LO6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

LO7: Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.

How I intend to reach the identified Learning Outcome(s):

LO3: By contacting the organization and acquiring all the information needed for the experience, and reserving my seat.

LO6: Creating beeswax paper for packaging helps reduce the use of plastic, which is one of the main forms of pollution.

LO7: Recognize that even the most subtle choices I make in my everyday life, such as changing the packaging I use to take my food to school every day, would make an important impact on my health and on the earth.

Student Signature (s): Caren Tohme

How to Make Beeswax Wrap

(needs maintenance approximately 2 months of use since it is activated with heat, so after a while, it may dry and lose heat. This may render the wrap less malleable and foldable.) 

- jojoba oil

- dried sap resin 

- beeswax sheet

- cotton (100%)

- baking paper to place the materials on when making

- low steam iron 

- brush

for every 100g of beeswax:

- 20 drops jojoba oil 

- 20g dried sap resin 

- 6 100% cotton sheets 30x30

Steps:

1. cut the cloth into pieces 
2. melt beeswax in a bain-marie or normally on an electric heating plate in a kettle 
3. add resin and stir 
4. add jojoba oil and stir 
5. boil and make sure all of the wax is melted 
6. place the cloth on baking paper on a flat surface 
7. paint on the mixture with a brush (one side or both sides works) and make sure all areas are coated with the beeswax mixture evenly
8. when dry, place another baking paper on top of the cotton sheet and iron the surface to make sure all the wax is spread evenly 
9. peel the cotton sheet off the baking paper and wait for 30 seconds to allow the mixture to dry
10. the beeswax wrap can be washed using a soap bar and cold water (hot water may melt the mixture that has dried on the sheet)
11. after 2 months, iron cloth between two wax papers again in order to reheat the wax mixture to make the cloth more malleable again. 

Learning Outcomes Achieved: 

LO2: I learned the new skill of making beeswax paper that I could use regularly from now on instead of plastic wrap. 

LO5: I recognize that collaboration with others will allow a multiplicity of skills to develop as a result of combined knowledge. In this case, the workshop allowed me to work in a group of both beginners and people who have been making beeswax paper for years. They showed us their experience in this activity and gave the rest of the group some hints and tricks to make the process easier. 

LO6: The use of beeswax paper instead of plastic wrap targets the main global issue of pollution and the overuse of plastic. 

LO7: Choosing to replace reusable beeswax wrap instead of plastic wrap in the kitchen (also knowing that the procedure used to make beeswax paper out of organic materials is considered eco-friendly) would be considered an ethical and environmental decision that may bring a positive change to our environment.