How To Have An Eco-Friendlier Period
The crimson wave, the red tide, our monthly visitor, code red. A recent menstruation study has found over 5000 slang terms for the word period.
Whatever you choose to call it, your period requires attention by way of sanitary protection every time you have it. According to the website Healthy Women, “The average woman uses about 10,000 sanitary products in her lifetime. Products that end up in our landfills or as trash, in our water system, hurting sea animals and wildlife in the process.”
If you’re an aspiring eco-mama like myself, and this fact hits your guilt sensors somewhat, then read on for environmentally-friendlier solutions. Let’s talk eco-friendlier periods…
How can I have an eco-friendlier period?
There are several great options available to you:
Menstrual cups
My colleague and Lush Life reporter Lex wrote here about Why Menstrual Cups are a Greener Alternative to Tampons and Towels. One pad/tampon uses the equivalent of four plastic bags in the making of it. She works out that 4 (plastic bags) X 16,800 (tampons) = 67,200 plastic bags. Using a menstrual cup drastically minimises the wasteful use of plastic through manufacture and purchase, and it’ll save you plenty of money along the way!
Here are some menstrual cup reviews for if you’re interested in trying one out. I also love Hannah Witton’s review of her first ever moon cup. She’s wildly relatable and funny with it too.
Biodegradable tampons and pads
If you have the means to compost your used period products then biodegradable sanitary products like those Natracare make are a fantastic option. Even the box they come in can be recycled — winning!
The incredible Brie of Precious Stars Pads has reviewed several Natracare products, here
Cloth sanitary pads
Like most of the options in this article, washable pads save you money in the long run, as well as reduce your landfill waste. They’re breathable, come in a plethora of colours and can even be made yourself! Still need convincing? Find a full list of cloth sanitary towel pros and cons here.
I enjoy Nadia Kour’s extensive YouTube review of reusable sanitary pads.
Period-proof pants
These are, as you’d imagine, pants with period protection built into them. They come in lots of different styles (thong, boyshort, hiphugger, etc). One drawback, if finances are tight, is that they’re a little pricey (these Thinx hiphuggers hold 2 tampons worth of blood and cost $34).
Hello Giggles have reviewed a bunch of different period underwear brands so that you, ideally, don’t have to buy and try too many before finding your ideal pair.
I’m also really digging this frank Safiya Nygaard review of Thinx period underwear!
And there we have it! I hope this has inspired you to pursue your quest for an eco-friendlier period. Let me know your thoughts on any of the products mentioned here, or others that I’m not yet aware of. If we each transition to eco-friendlier period protection then the positive environmental impact will be massive.
Good luck experimenting, friends!
“If we each transition to eco-friendlier period protection then the positive environmental impact will be massive”