Eco-Friendly Fire Starters

With grilling season upon us, I thought I'd show you how to make these eco-friendly fire starters. My mom used to make these for personal and Girl Scout use when I was little. It reuses a lot of headed-for-the-trash items to make something useful.

You will need:
cardboard egg cartons
paraffin unscented wax
dryer lint
shredded paper scraps
sawdust

Melt the wax using a double boiler. *Do not melt wax over an open flame because it is flammable!* Use unscented paraffin wax so it burns cleanly. Do not use leftover candles or crayons because they may have scents or chemicals you don't want burning near food.

Using flammable items such as dryer lint, shredded paper scraps, or sawdust distribute them into the cups of cardboard egg cartons. I used dryer lint from cotton loads, such as towels, sheets, and jeans. Cotton is a natural fiber and will burn cleanly, so avoid using lint from man-made fabrics. Also be careful in choosing your paper scraps, selecting those without glossy finish or harsh dyes and inks.

Once the wax has melted, carefully pour just enough to cover the material in the egg cups. Allow to set for a few hours and then rip the egg cups to separate. You can now use one or two of these to start a fire safely without the use of harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment!