According to the UN, we only have about 11 years left to prevent irreversible damage from climate change. Yikes! Thankfully, there are lots of little things we can do daily to help our beautiful home planet.
A little can go a long way in reducing your carbon footprint. One of the things we can do is cut out single use plastics. We’ve heard a lot lately about cutting out things like plastic straws, grocery bags, water bottles and coffee cups. But what we often don’t talk about is the plastic waste from disposable period products like pads and tampons. Ready to make a change starting Earth Day 2021? Let's go!
What makes periods bad for the environment?
Stay with me here, it's time for some math!
The average amount of days someone will menstruate in their lifetime is 2400. And a single menstruator typically uses up 15,000 disposable period products during that time. According to National Geographic, that adds up to 5,800,000,000 tampons used in the United States in 2018 alone. Uh oh!
Disposable menstrual products have been filling up landfills since the first disposable pad was invented in 1888. This build up is pretty scary when you also consider that most pads contain harmful polyethylene plastic on the sticky part of the pad. And most tampons contain a whole bunch of dangerous chemicals like chlorine, rayon and dioxin. When these chemicals sit in landfills, they eventually get soaked up by the Earth and cause water and air pollution. So what can you do to help?
How to make your period eco-friendly
It's easier than you think. You can make your period eco-friendly the same way you make a lot of things eco-friendly: by swapping out disposable products with reusable pads or more sustainable options. Here are some ways you can make your period greener and better for the environment.
Period Underwear
Leakproof, absorbent period undies are a great thing to have if you want to tackle your period and climate change. Kt’s Period-proof underwear have a built in liner that absorbs up to 3 tsps of blood and can be worn and washed over and over and over and over again. These are great to replace a panty liner with. Instead of wearing a liner or pad on light days, you can just wear these undies solo!
Looking to wear period underwear even on your heaviest flow days? We got you covered too! Super Leakproof Period Underwear absorbs up to 8 tsps (8 tampons!) These are perfect for completely eliminating pads and tampons from your period routine.
Shop Super Period Underwear Now
The best part? These undies are now included in Kt's Period Kits! With everything you need for every kind of flow, they'll make your period a breeze.
Double Duty in the Shower
Period undies are really easy to wash (throw them in the washing machine with cold water and lay flat to dry), but some people prefer giving them a good rinse before doing so. If this is the way you flow, we recommend rinsing them when you're in the shower! As you're letting your conditioner sit, wring out your undies in the water. When the water runs clear, you're good to throw them in your washing machine!
Switch to a Menstrual Cup
Cups might seem a little intimidating at first but Earth will love you for it! Instead of using all those individually wrapped (and chemical filled) tampons, cups are made of high quality healthcare grade silicone. Not only does that make them super safe and reusable, but super comfortable and flexible as well! If you’re intimidated by the cup, that’s totally normal. It might take a little practice to insert, but you’ll get it! Here’s a handy guide:
If you need more details on how to insert a menstrual cup, you can check out our super handy guide here!
Try Out Organic Tampons
If you're new to having your period, you might have already decided that tampons are your go-to method of period protection. (If you need a refresher, here's a handy guide on how to insert a tampon.) If this is you, you’re in luck! Brands like Lola, o.b, and L.Organic all have tampons made from 100% organic cotton. The best part? These options either have no plastic applicator, or applicators made from non-toxic or plant-based materials!
Download an App!
Period and health apps like Clue and Flo are great for predicting exactly when your period is coming to town and how long it’s going to last. This is a cool environmentally conscious tool because knowing exactly when things are happening will cut out the guessing game! Not knowing sometimes leads you to wear period products too early or late just to be safe.
Further reading: Does caffeine help period cramps?
