On April 22nd, people everywhere celebrated Earth Day to appreciate our beautiful planet and help advocate keeping it clean. In honor of Earth Day and to help further protect our planet, HC Suffolk has decided to do a series of articles with small ways to make a difference. Now ladies, I’m sure you’ve never thought of your period being a contributing factor to the environmental issues we face, but in reality your menstrual waste is causing more harm than you think.
Pads and tampons can potentially end up in water treatment facilities or landfills and even worse, are composed of plastic. Together, we can help cut down on this waste by using these eco-friendly menstrual products. Here are three different options to consider trying:
Diva Cup
The Diva Cup is exactly what you’d think! It is a cup that you insert to collect your menstrual blood. It lasts for up to 12 hours of wear, and though inserting a cup may seem intimidating, the silicone material of the cup provides complete comfort. Best of all, it is reusable and therefore cuts down on waste entirely.
GladRags However, if inserting a cup is not your cup of tea, another option for you could be GladRags. Gladrags are cotton pads that extremely comfortable and are made to last for years. A potential con is that you do have to wash the cotton pad after each use, however, they are ultimately reusable and cut down on waste immensely.
Lunapanties
Lunapanties are similar to GladRag’s, but instead of having to insert and remove the cloth pad, it is inserted into the panties. Similar to GladRag’s you would be required for cleaning the Lunapanties however the sewn-in aspect prevents leaks from occurring, and most importantly, it reduces waste. Also bonus, there’s several designs and styles.