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Most women don’t think about the impact of their periods on the environment, but modern disposable products are actually leaving quite an impact on the plane.

 

• The average American women can expect to produce 250-300 pounds of garbage in pads and tampons over the course of her lifetime.  This adds up to about $1,6oo dollars.

• A women will produce the same amount of waste in sanitary products as she will in plastics and paper cups and plates.

• The plastics on pads, and tampon applicators isn’t biodegradable, meaning that they will just sit in landfills for several hundred years.

• The cotton in non-organic pads and tampons (what most women use) have been soaked in pesticides, which can pollute water.

 

Although these facts are alarming, there are changes you can make.

 

• Tampons without applicators.  It is estimated that tampons without applicators produces 58% less waste.  For more information see  http://www.obtampons.com/

• Green tampons and pads.  Green opitons are “chlorine-free” and organic.  Check out these links if your interested http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/lets-talk-period-why-were-talking  and http://www.maximhy.com/information/047-maxim-certified-organic-natural-cotton-products-chlorine-dioxin-synthetic-wood-pulp-free.html

• Reusable Pads. This is what woman have used for hundreds of years before the disposable product industry took off.  However products the products are updated check out http://gladrags.com/, http://lunapads.com/, and http://www.partypantspads.com/

• Reusable menstrual cups.  These last for 2-10 years depending on the brand and care.  They also can be worn while swimming and exercising like a tampon.  Some brands are www.keeper.com/, www.lunette.com/, www.divacup.com/, and www.mooncup.co.uk/mcuk.html

 

If you are interested in learning more about greening your period or some of the products listed above check out the links below.

 

• http://www.menstrualperiodcup.com/shocking-statistics-what-is-the-environmental-impact-of-your-period/

• http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2010/10/ladies-lets-talk-periods.html

• http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/01443610903572117

• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menstrual-cup/AN01770

• http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/10/whats-really-tampon-and-pad

•http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2010/03/greening_the_crimson_tide.html

•http://www.keeper.com/facts.html[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”energychallenge”][/vc_column][/vc_row]