I never knew how much single-use plastic I had in my fridge until I started using . Made withsheets of organic cottoncoatedin a thin layer of beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin, it’sdesigned to store half-eaten food. Items like bell peppers, avocados, and partially used cans of black beans, which I used to shove in plastic baggies or shroud in plastic wrap, Inowcover with reusable Bee’s Wrap.
The wraps come in a variety of sizesthat can cover everything from half an apple to abaguette. There’s also a collection with button and string closures designed for packing a sandwich.The tacky coating softens under the heat of your hands, so you can form it around your food, then hardens in seconds to hold its shape. It also cleans off easily with the wipe of a sponge.
Just be carefulwhen cleaning them: use only cold water. I made the mistake of scrubbing a sheet too hard in hot water and the beeswax coating began to disintegrate. For this reason, I don’t use the wrapsfor raw meat or otherextra-messy foods.Still, since I began usingthem for produce, cheese, and lunchtime sandwiches, they’ve put a massive dent in my single-use plastic consumption. I’ve even brought some campingto coverbowls of leftover dinner.
A set of three (two small, one large) costs $18, and a variety pack (two small, two medium, two large, one bread-loaf size) costs $42. This is significant compared to a roll of plastic wrapbut undoubtedly comes out cheaper when you consider how many times you’ll use each piece over the course of a year. The company says that each wrap lasts up to a year with regular use. When theystartto wear out, cut them up and stick them in the compost bin, where they’ll degrade naturally.
Frequently, making the sustainable, environmentally friendly choice is either expensive or time-consuming. Bee’s Wrapisneither, so it’s a no-brainer.