Most women are beginning to notice the rise in women owning their blood. Some find it over the top, gross, something that should continue to be private and toned down.
Others, me included, find the power in knowing how my cycle influences me throughout the month. And more so how my way of living influences my cycle. It is our feedback system if we dare to listen. It tells a lot. And whether you feel like claiming it publicly or not, I can only recommend beginning to explore your cycle.
This is not only the bleeding time, but the full cycle from pre ovulation all the way around to the days you bleed.
Tuning into emotions, mood, physical sensation, energy. In this post I share a little more on tracking your cycle. Take a read…
For this post I wanted to bring attention to the less-waste approaches I’ve made when it comes to my cycle.
It is very simple actually, I stopped buying pads, tampons (only used those when I was a teen) and have invested in 6 fabric pads and a luna cup. That is all I use.
It is easy. I have a little wet bag for used pads. Wash them with towels etc. No smell or a bloody mess… haha.
But the thing that brings me true joy is what it saves me money wise and Earth wise.
The Numbers
Meet Jaluna Red ;) . She’s 50 and just had her last period. She had her first when she was 12. She has 2 children and with both kids her cycle began again 10 months after giving birth.
The past 2 years her cycle has been a little irregular. So taking all of this into calculation, she has had around 408 bleeds in her life time.
Jaluna used to bleed 5 days on average and used 4-5 pads or tampons a day. (You can do your own calculation. I have 3 girls so I will experience fewer.)
Jaluna has used a whopping 8160 pads/tampons in those years!! That’s a lot going down the drain or in the trash!
She used a common brand, non organic etc. 1 pad cost her around 20cents.* So in her life time she spends roughly 1600USD on pads/tampons alone.
It’s a lot really.
My calculation
So let’s say I have to buy three cups in my bleeding years. Each cup lasts around 10years = 17USD per cup.
And then 3x 6 cloth pads (those who can make them themselves can save even more) = 25USD for a 6pack.
All together it has cost me roughly 126USD with the zero waste version.
A lot of math, but worth doing!
So there are a few motivation pointers to look at when it comes to choosing what you use. And more and more are coming up: underwear was recently launched for example, so you don’t need any of the options above, sponges and more.
Glancing at these numbers it gives me the sense of the scale of our choices.
Little me may not make a big difference… we think. But let’s say that I get 4 friends to join me. We’ve already saved the world from 32640 pads/tampons. Each of those 4 inspires 4 more etc. and all of the sudden we are making an impact.
Numbers will vary no doubt. Cost will vary no doubt. But the amount of trash we generate continues to rise. Where it goes. What it means to our Earth will also be discussed, for me my consumption and consumer habits is in my power and worth looking at 1 million *little me* actions is no longer insignificant!
I hope that this post will inspire you to do your research and what is out there, and maybe find a way to bring the number down of what we throw away or flush out into our water.
With Love
Cx
For inspiration on zero waste action in your business check out this post...
*I ran it through Google and these are prices on average in Europe. See links below. It will vary from country to country. But the amount of pads being thrown away is the same, regardless of the price.
