On having 'green' periods

So this may be just one for the girls out there, but I think it's an important topic for lots of us for many reasons, not least potential avoidance of TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome (largely attributable to tampon use)) as well as reducing our exposure to chemicals in contact with our bodies and environmental motives.

I went 'green' in this regard years ago. Probably about 15 years ago or so I think, when I bought my first mooncup. I loved it and did buy a second after I'd had my baby, although reverted to the first after all that. So really that's a huge investment, even with the two of them, of £34 I think. For 15 years of periods (albeit there was a 19 month absence during pregnancy and breastfeeding and then a 6 month absence whilst I was eating fully raw), on average one a month, I've made a fair financial saving. But that wasn't really my primary aim behind doing it.

I read an article via a friend today from the Guardian about how individuals can't make a difference to the greater green movement, or at least to climate change due to the corporations making such huge impacts in the opposite direction. However I'm still all on board with trying, and this is a part of it. Less tampons out there, less disposable waste which can clearly not be recycled. Less landfill. I always have this image of tampons floating around in the sea. Yuck. Less yuck out there. I like that.

And less toxic nasties, which has to be a good thing, especially in direct contact with our skin. So it's good in many ways. Maybe not the optimum, some would say we're supposed to have a flow which should not be halted by mooncups or the like. In which case the next paragraph may work for you...

Then my sister told me she'd got some reusable sanitary pads. Which I left at that for ages, then realising it could be anytime when a little person in our house needs them (my sister was years ahead of me starting her periods and someone takes far more after her than me), I thought perhaps that was the way forwards. So I ordered some for us both. And am really impressed with them too. Hence my sharing here, in case it helps anyone else to investigate further if you'd been thinking about it.

So full steam ahead on the green period train...

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