MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS FOR THE FRUGAL, ECOLOGICALLY-CONSCIOUS WOMAN
Did you know that the average woman spends approximately $4.00 a
month on menstrual products? From the ages of 12 to 52, she
would therefore spend up to $1900 in her lifetime!
And if she is more health-conscious, her costs will go up
significantly, because very likely, she will decide to use
organic cotton tampons and pads, rather than those made from
less expensive synthetic materials, such as rayon. The reason
these women choose the organic cotton versions of these products
centers around the fact that the synthetics have been linked to
potential health hazards, such as Toxic Shock Syndrome and
exposure to dioxin.
As you might imagine, the cost of organic tampons and pads is
significantly higher than the cost of non-organic disposables.
In fact, these organic disposables cost an average of $5.50 a
month, with an approximate lifetime cost of $2600!
One option that is often left out of such discussions (as well
as media programs and articles) is REUSABLE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS.
The truth is, before tampons and throwaway menstrual pads came
on the market in the 1930s, women used rags, which were kinder
to the environment because they were washable and hence,
reusable. It wasn't until the '30s, and in the years since then,
that more and more women began to discover they had cause for
concern.
After all, they hadn't been considering the environment -- and
it is extremely wasteful to use a product for just a few hours
and then throw it away. According to most estimates, the average
woman will use nearly 12,000 of these disposable products during
her lifetime. That's quite a lot of garbage!
Whether you flush a tampon or pad down the toilet -- even one
made from organic cotton -- or throw it in the garbage, it is
going to be problematic for the environment. If flushed down the
toilet, these throwaway products can clog the sewer line; or
they can go on to play havoc with the water treatment plant. (It
has been reported that, in 9 out of 10 plumbing problems in
apartment buildings, homes and offices, the culprits are
non-reusable menstrual products!)
In addition, when you throw them in the garbage, these
disposables end up in landfills, where they probably won't
biodegrade for many years, because they lack light, water and
circulating air. (Did you know that people have dug into
landfills and found newspapers from 50 years earlier that are
still readable?) And experts estimate that plastic tampon
applicators may actually take 300 to 500 years to biodegrade.
So what's the answer for the frugal, environment-conscious
menstruating woman? REUSABLE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS, of course.
Unlike tampons, women can use the earth-friendly, reusable
menstrual cup, called THE KEEPER( (www.thekeeperinc.com), made
from gentle rubber (similar to the rubber that is used to make
baby bottle nipples). Besides being easy on the environment, The
Keeper is easy on the pocketbook, costing an average of 29 cents
a month for 10 years. With proper care (for instance, not using
harsh chemicals to wash it), one cup should last up to 10 years!
The Keeper is also convenient, and comes with a drawstring
purse, so it is easy to keep with you so you'll always be
prepared. And since it is made of rubber, rather than of an
absorbent fibrous material, such as rayon, it can be worn up to
12 hours before being emptied. On heavy days, you may want to
change it more often. The fact that The Keeper is not made of
rayon, or any other synthetic material, also reduces the
potential for Toxic Shock Syndrome and eliminates dioxin
exposure. (Are you aware that the FDA does not require
manufacturers of tampons or pads to list their products'
ingredients in or on the box?)
But some women want a reusable - but not an insertable -
menstrual product. The answer: reusable menstrual pads, such as
GladRags (www.gladrags.com), made from organic cotton that, like
The Keeper, can be used for years and will be friendly to the
environment and the pocketbook. In fact, women should have
choices -- a drawer full of several different reusable products
for various times during their periods.
For these reasons, reusable menstrual products are THE MOST
ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY OF ALL!