Waste-Free Wednesday: Greening Aunt Flo
Waste-Free Wednesday
It’s Waste-Free Wednesday again, and this week’s edition is For Ladies Only as we look at ways to green that oh so lovely time of the month that for various reasons we all either love or hate (or sometimes both!)
We’ve all seen the warnings on tampon boxes about toxic shock syndrome (TSS). It’s occurrence is pretty rare these days, but it still does occur in women who use super-absorbent and synthetic tampons. But guess what, TSS is not the only thing you need to worry about when choosing your monthly supplies. Most feminine products are made with a slew of synthetic chemicals and disposable materials that wreak havoc on a woman’s body and on Mother Nature.
For starters, the tampons and sanitary pads on your store shelf have been bleached with chlorine to make them look “clean,” but in the process that chlorine releases dioxin, a known carcinogen and pollutant. In the body, dioxin accumulates in fat cells where it can cause damage to other cells within the body.
Then there is the disposable factor of typical feminine supplies. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that this is one area that I have been hesitant to tackle in my own life. I’ve washed countless numbers of cloth diapers, but when it came to my own products, I was a little too squeamish for reusables. But a few weeks ago, I decided to put my preconceived notions aside and give it a try. And you know what? It was really no big deal. If anything, I have to say that I really felt great in knowing that the products I was using were so much gentler and healthier for my body and for the planet.
It’s time to go green. Period. Here’s how it’s done:
Lunapad Pantyliners
Reusable Pads: Moonpads and Lunapads both offer beautiful, soft, reusable menstrual pads made from 100% cotton (in some cases, even organic cotton.)
The Diva Cup
Menstrual cups: Menstrual cups can be used as an alternative to using tampons and sanitary napkins, therefore reducing the amount going into landfill and saving yourself money in the process. The Moon Cup and The Diva Cup are silicone-based menstrual cups whereas The Keeper is made from rubber.
Organic Cotton Tampons and Pads: If you’re still squeamish on the reusable front your best bet on going green is to look for unbleached 100% organic cotton tampons and sanitary pads like those made from Seventh Generation.
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Thank you for a very informative post! I think women tend to be squeamish about resuable products ‘down there’, but hopefully educational articles like this will help dispell the phobia. My mother says she remembers my grandmother asking her why in the world she would use something as crazy as a tampon! Forty years later it is common and menstrual cups are the strange newcomers!
I do have a word of caution about the Diva cup. I wrote a post about it a couple of months ago: http://myweboflife.kuzuka.com/2009/01/14/my-cup-runneth-over/
The update is that I am still struggling with the size and inflexibility of the cup.
http://menstrualcups.org/ is a fantastic resource and on it I have learned that Diva can be a tricky cup for beginners. The Ladycup is smaller and the silicone is softer and more flexible. I will be trying that one soon.
Basically, one size does not fit all. Diva and Mooncups are the most well-known, but I worry that someone may try it, experience problems and then give up altogether. Please use the message board at menstrual cups if you are experiencing any problems or have any questions. It is extremely helpful!
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