LADIES deal with that time of the month in eco friendly style!
Men, this is a thread for the ladies! You're more than welcome to read but if the red text isn't enough to send you away just know you're getting fair warning hehehe. This will be totally full of TMI.
So ladies, you may not realize it but in addition to being painful and annoying your time of the month can be pretty gosh darn hard on the environment! Sanitary pads are made out of similar things as diapers and then some. They dont break down in landfills, and we go through a LOT of them. Tampons can break down faster depending on what their made of and where they are disposed- but the stuff they're made out of can sometimes induce toxic shock in women and they can also leave an awful lot of bad plastic waste around.
I wanted to share with you some of the research Ive done on this topic, suggestions for alternatives you may not know about, and start a conversation on a bit of a taboo subject! Everyone woman in the world will go through this at some point in their life and North American society has us conditioned to think we shouldn't ever talk about it, it's all very dirty, and should be dealt with in private. I say, no way!
So pads. Like I said- an awful lot of plastic waste, not only in the pad itself but the wrapper. Most of them come in cardboard boxes. Those can be composted, put in a green bin, collected with cardboard recycle, or even if you throw them out- they will break down. We have many more options for pads than the ones you see on TV and for most instances you actually DONT have to go to a special store or order online (though I'll share those options)
Most grocery stores these days have all natural food and product isles. They carry several brands of eco-friendly and all natural/organic pads. They work just as well, have less packaging, and are made of products easier on your whole area down there (no bad chemicals!). Women who find themselves struggling with allergies to pads should find the organic ones cause no issues. You can read more about organic pads in books like "Gorgeously Green" as well as a lot of other natural alternatives for women for EVERYTHING. See more info on this topic specifically here: http://holisticbeauty.net/sanitary_n...d_tampons.aspx did you know asbestos has been used in pads and tampons :O it encourages bleeding. Ahhh, do not want! Organic and natural pads are just as affordable as other ones. Sometimes in my experience they've been cheaper! Buy them at grocery stores in the natural food isle, I've seen them at drugstores, and you can buy online.
(you can also get pads for women with bladder issues from this same brand)
Reusable pads are a new trend! They aren't as gross as they sound, in fact they're adorable and a modernized version of what women used before disposable pads. Now a days you can get them in many styles and cute fabric. They're starting to be carried in more main streamed stores but you can usually ALWAYS get them at sex stores and online! http://lunapads.com/ Believe it or not, my university actually had a workshop for making them and you can find and buy tutorials online for doing so. No chemicals, no need to worry about breaking down, and a lot more sanitary than you'd believe. You'll save a LOT of money, and they aren't gross to clean. If you buy them from a dealer you'll get all the instructions you need- or you can look it up online. This company I've linked also sells period panties with these pad built in for over night use. No more worrying about ruining your cute panties by sleeping in a pad. Give them a try- you may never change back and mother earth will thank you for not pumping her ground full of plastic that will never go away!
Tampons! Many women use them because they're easier, less fear of leaks and ruining clothes, and they can wear a variety of clothes and swim without fear. Like the organic pads you can also get organic tampons. Even if you can switch to tampons that are cardboard applicator based instead of plastic you'll all ready be helping the environment. Also, you should NEVER flush an applicator! Even if they say "flushable". Those of us in Halifax will tell you the harbour is FULL of tampon applicators- the ocean is not going to break those babies down for you. You can buy these online, at health food stores, and in most grocery stores in the natural food isle. I've seen them at Shoppers Drugmart too.
If you really wanna be ambitious consider the Diva Cup. The diva cup is a reusable silicone vaginal insert. It goes in just like a tampon though you dont need an applicator. Once inside you it spread out the same way a tampon does but instead of absorbing all that stuff it collects it. You take it out the same way you do a tampon and you feel it no more or less than a tampon. You can wear it for longer than pads or tampons (12 hours), can be worn over night, it's a one time purchase (though good to replace every few years) so it'll save you so much money, cleans very easily, less chance of leaks, and comes in different sizes if you're a woman who's had a baby! I haven't used it but I know many many women who have and swear by it. And think, just like the reusable pads you'd be totally stopping all that plastic pollution! You can purchase online and it's carried in many sex shops. http://lunapads.com/divacup/divacup-kits/diva-cup.html
You should know sex shops are so much more than sex shops! They tend to be HEALTH shops especially for women! Most carry books about reproductive system and urinary system health- not everything has to do with sex! As women we have a LOT going down in that area. They have all these amazing books and guests speakers and have workshops. In fact, I got most of my help while in the process of being diagnosed with my illness from going into one of these shops and talking to someone. They got me the right books, helped me come up with the right things to say and ask the doctor, and even alerted me to a workshop going on about my illness! So don't just assume these places are for bedtime fun
I hope you've found this helpful and informative. I hope some of you will have the courage to try some of these ideas out! I can try and answer any questions you have on the topicThanks for being brave enough to read.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks