This morning I told my friend and Green Du Jour reader, Jason, that I was trying to figure out how to talk about having a greener period but didn't know quite how to start, what title to go with, how to talk about the sitch. He proceeded to get squeamish at the thought so Jason, you can avert your eyes now *smile*
For those who are still with me, let's get down and dirty and to the point! I read somewhere that over 6 million tampons and over 13 billion sanitary pads (along with their packaging) end up in U.S landfills or sewers each year! That's pretty insane and to think I contribute to that pile. But no fear, ladies, because we have alternatives.
A few years ago my best friend, Karen, told me she visited a commune in Northern California where there was no waste. I thought about how cool that was then paused. "Well, what about the women and their periods?" That's when I found out about the menstrual cups like the Diva Cup. This palm sized cup is made of hypo-allergenic/ silicone and costs around $30 or so. These babies have been around since the 1930's, are economic, reusable, and environmentally friendly. 
There is also The Keeper, made from natural gum rubber that can last up to 10 years if car. They also offer a silicone version called The Moon Cup. I have yet to try the cups but many women swear by them so I may have to see.
Not sure you want to jump right into the cup usage? Not to worry. You can always use Lunapads which are washable pads and are too cute! And look! Kitty! They also make padded panties. A money saver and stylish. I know you may be wondering about what to do about changing when you're not at home. Well, they come with a free nylon carrying purse for ladies on the go and I will leave it at that.
But ladies, if you are going to buy tampons or pads, make sure they are organic cotton , chlorine bleach-free, chem-free, and sans applicator. You can readily find these at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or similar stores.
Eco-periods mean not cramping landfills, and extra money in your pocket. Ain't no shame in that!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Good 'Til The Last Drop
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comments:
I commend you on being green, and I trying to be more green. I was totally thinking about this exact topic the other day, "how will Liza be green when she's on her period?" To be frank the brown Keeper kinda creeps me out. If you do end up trying it out, let me know. I like the idea of the Luna pads. I was showing my co-workers the Keeper/Diva cup, and they too were a little "eh"?
Anyhow, I've been perusing the sites while I'm writing this and I don't think I can every graduate to the Divacup/Keeper, but will seriously consider the lunapad/liners. Let me know if you can convince other people to make the change since Lunapads has a deal where if you spend $300 or more, you can get 20 off. Either that will be a lot of people, or just a few buying a lot of stuff.
Post a Comment