by Carly Foubert, CFICE Communications RA
Today is the winter solstice, signifying the official first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. To get you through the longest night of the year, light up some candles and celebrate this fantastic season with your friends and family. To keep with our environmentally and sustainable theme of the month, lets use soy wax candles.
The majority of candles are made of paraffin wax which is a petroleum byproduct from refining crude oil into gasoline. While many people argue whether there are serious health risks to burning paraffin wax candles, soy candles are a sustainable alternative and equally effective.
Soy wax is produced from the oil harvested from soybeans. The oil undergoes a process that converts the fatty acids in the oil from unsaturated fat to saturated which alters the melting point of the oil and therefore makes it a solid at room temperature.
©CandleScience
It is renewable source. The only limit to the supply of soy wax is determined by the amount of soy grown. Soy candles also burn cleaner and slower than paraffin candles, therefore lasting longer.
Beeswax candles are also a sustainable alternative to paraffin candles. Beeswax is hypo-allergenic so its okay for people with allergies and sensitivities to burn.