Let's face it: periods are neither convenient nor eco-friendly. Just imagine that one uses 15 tampons per cycle, and one has 35 years of menstruation. 15 x 12 x 35=6,300 tampons--and that does not account for packaging, production, shipment, etc.
This is all just too much to bare, so I decided to invest in a cup (it's actually called the DivaCup--but while I am certainly not embarrassed to talk about my period, I am definitely embarrassed to admit I purchased an item with the word "Diva" in it).
Basically, it is a reusable, latex-free, plastic-free, hypoallergenic cup without dyes or additives that you insert and empty/wash as needed. I was so excited to give it a trial run and blog about it--but I honestly could not work the damn thing. I have friends that swear by it...maybe I'll have better luck next time.
Anyway, this led me to 7th Generation organic tampons. If you were not already aware, regular tampons contain additives and other icky stuff not suited for your insides. I was happy to see that 7th Generation makes organic tampons that are 100% cotton--nothing else. Not even an applicator which, by the way, IS SUCH A WASTE OF PLASTIC. Without the applicator, the box is an eighth of the size of conventional brands.
As for the cup, I'll get back to you on that.
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Vanessa:
What a coincidence that you just blogged about the amount of waste that tampons foist upon the environment. At www.Keeper.com, we recently posted a new Comparison Photo Page, which actually SHOWS the amount of waste caused by tampon use in one month, one year, ten years, and forty years. (Our estimates were a bit different from yours: We based our photos on 18 tampons used per month, and calculated that most women menstruate for approximately 40 years.)
Please take a look on our Comparison Photo Page at http://www.keeper.com/photographs.html. I think you’ll agree that these 4 photos are worth AT LEAST a thousand words!
Good luck using your menstrual cup. As you know, organic tampons are definitely better for both you and the environment than are the synthetic versions. But even with organic throwaways, you are still disposing of an awful lot of waste. The best answer is still a reuasable menstrual product.
Thanks, Vanessa!
Julia Schopick
The Keeper, Inc.
www.Keeper.com
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