ZERO-WASTE PERIOD is a thing!
Updated: Aug 30, 2019
We women are made to believe that we need to be using disposable pads and tampons (I never felt comfortable trying the latter) which must be changed at a deadline at-least thrice a day to maintain hygiene and stay healthy. Why? – because “we are taught that every time we bleed we are unclean. They tell us, that makes us untouchable on our period, because blood! They tell us our period blood is disgusting and that our period is a secret to be kept”.
Gah! All these age old taboos and years of sticking single-use pads as the method to collect my period blood make me feel anxious.
“It was Day-1 of Class-8 that my lady hormones hit me and I got my first ever period. That was me 14, receiving the first bunch of single-use pads from my mother.”
“It was Day-1 of Class-8 that my lady hormones hit me and I got my first ever period. That was me 14, receiving the first bunch of single-use pads from my mother.” Although my only go to pads were ones made of cotton due to sensitive skin they were never completely bio-degradable. Over time I realised the waste I had been generating had to be stopped or decreased atleast. But time also made me accustomed to using these pads that were so easily available – If I try to remember, I only heard of menstrual cups and reusable cloth pads when I stepped into college (I wish I knew about these earlier).
Back in school days I actively volunteered to spread awareness regarding various social issues such as Global Warming, Saving the Girl Child, Saying no to Child Marriages, took part in Cleaning Drives — this was since 2005 and these acts inculcated the habit to Say no to Plastic (bags) in me. It has been over 3 months that I consciously started to reduce single-use-waste from my daily needs. Not just that but I am a Paleo-Vegan since July 2018 (about this some other day). I’m soon to be 24 now (Happy Birthday to me on April 24), awaiting my next period from which I pledge to go ZERO-WASTE switching to a menstrual cup. With this I would not just be going period-waste-free but the cup could be worn until 12 hours straight without a problem depending upon my flow and has a life of at least 5 years!
10 years! 120 cycles! 2,250 non-biodegradable pads! (at least/approx.) 1 woman – me! Multiple that to the waste created in the lives of more than 3 billion women on this planet. It's a lot of math to be done but, I assure you it's an intimidating number!
I would like to wrap up with the fact that, it was 1932 when the first ever menstrual cup was patented but surprisingly, 2018 that we started to talk about them out loud! I think it’s time we women take up the torch yet again and this time, contribute in reducing period waste and do our best for the mother of us all – Mother Earth.
I would love to share my first experience with a menstrual cup so stay connected as am looking forward to hear from all you women that are here. Power to us. Share this if you'd like more women to know a menstrual cup is just a scary thought at the first sight of it but, a friend indeed when made a habit in life.
Disclaimer: This post in not sponsored by any of the brands shown in the pictures above.