A Lesson in Rendering Beeswax by RIC Environmental Studies Major

Senior Cate DeWolf became an environmental studies major because she’s passionate about sustainability.

Along with being a member of the student-run Environmental Club, DeWolf works as an assistant for RIC’s Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations for Sustainability and Logistics Jim Murphy. That job includes maintaining RIC’s beehives.

The college has four beehives that house up to 50,000 bees each. This summer, she made use of the honeycombs in the hives to capture beeswax.

“Normally the excess material on the frames of the hives is thrown out,” DeWolf says. “For me, it was a matter of sustainability. I didn’t want anything to go to waste.”

From the wax, she makes candles, lip balms, salves and hand creams, among many other uses.

Watch DeWolf go through the process of rendering:

Want to try your hand at it? Click here for more detailed steps written by DeWolf, with images.