Can you cut 1 Tonne of carbon pollution out of your life?
Take the challengeToday I'm here to discuss a potentially delicate subject: how can we green that time of the month ?
Lets say that the average menstruation span is roughly 40 years per person (11-51). During that period (pun intended), on average a woman may use up to 20 tampons a cycle (240 tampons a year)... that's a total of 9,600 tampons in a menstrual lifecycle.
20 billion tampons and pads are being dumped into landfill each year. The polyethylene plastic in pads can take hundreds of years to decompose. In fact, conventional pads can contain the equivalent of about four plastic bags!
The process of making and disposing of tampons and pads is polluting out waterways and animal habitats.
Okay, that's terrible.. but what can we do about it?
1. Choose products which are not bleached
Most manufacturers bleach rayon, (a main ingredient in most tampons and pads) by using the disinfectant chlorine dioxide which in turn creates trace amounts of a toxin called dioxin. Dioxin is known to cause reproductive and developmental impairment at certain levels.
2. Invest in reusable pads
Two great brands in Australia to check out are Pleasure Puss and Moon Pads
3. Choose organic feminine hygiene products
This video shows what happens when an organic vs. conventional sanitary pad is burned.
Check out our friends at Tsuno for great organic and sustainable sanitary products.
4. The Menstrual Cup
Don't be afraid, it's really not that bad! The Menstrual cup is the unsurpassed ultimate product for greening that time of the month. You just insert, go about your businesses, remove, wash, repeat.
Some websites and brands to check out are: Mooncup , The Keeper and the Diva Cup .
Still worried? There are some really great reviews here that will help to put you at ease with the idea of menstrual cups: Squeamish? Five Women Tell All.
Do you have any questions or tips? Let us know in the comments below!
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