Most of us don't stop to inspect and ultimately salvage our old dryer lint for more creative uses, but TikToker Erin (@outdoors.over.30), affectionately self-dubbed the "Outdoorsy Millennial," recently shared a way for camping enthusiasts to repurpose their laundry scraps. 

The scoop

Due to the tiny, dry fibers that make it highly flammable by nature, dryer lint can prove to be an effective fire starter. In her video, Erin constructs homemade fire starters from various household pieces we might typically dismiss as garbage, such as empty toilet rolls, old newspapers, and dryer lint.

@outdoors.over.30 Replying to @Celesteabellemickabelle 🔥Here is a super easy fire starter you can make at home! 🔥Keep in mind that you may want to use unscented wax if you're in a place where wildlife is likely to wander into your campsite! 🔥We use the scented ones at home! #outdoorlife #campingcouple #carcamping #campinghacks #bonfirenight #bonfireseason #campfire ♬ Upbeat Energetic & Fun Pop Rock - Aleksei Guz

To create an easy, portable fire starter for your next camping trip, per Erin's recommendation, simply stuff a small handful of dryer lint inside a toilet roll, padding the inside with newspaper shreds. Then, close the open ends and drizzle some melted-down candle wax over the sealed tubes for extra burntime.

"Keep in mind that you may want to use unscented wax if you're in a place where wildlife is likely to wander into your campsite!" Erin captioned. "We use the scented ones at home!"

Each fire starter lasts for about five minutes, according to the video, which is a suitable replacement for lower-end commercial alternatives.

How it's helping

If you're a regular camper, making your own fire starters out of your household waste can help you save money and simultaneously declutter while you plan out your next outdoor adventure.

It's easy to overlook the household scraps we dispose of every day, but with billions of people making the same daily choices, the wasted dryer lint — as well as the wasted paper and cardboard — adds up considerably. Lint, in particular, takes years to degrade organically in landfills, and certain synthetic textile particles, produced from petroleum, ultimately never break down.

The result is unnecessary landfill overflow, which contributes to climate change through the release of planet-warming gases like methane, and facilitates the contamination of our soil and groundwater. Finding ways to reuse and repurpose waste — in addition to consuming more mindfully to begin with — is key to mitigating the landfill crisis.

What everyone's saying

Responses to the original TikTok video were generally grateful and supportive.

"I am going to try this! Great tip!" one commenter wrote.

"You can also do this with cardboard egg cartons," another recommended.

What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste? Not buying food I don't need 🧐 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲 Composting my food scraps 🌱 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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