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Over the last decade, women all over the world have been afforded more product options to help manage their menstrual cycles. Products like reusable menstrual pads, menstrual underwear, biodegradable eco-friendly solution pads as well as menstrual cups have all become more mainstream options. For this campaign, BehCherished would like to further explore the option of menstrual cups. By simply switching from the traditional sanitary napkin or tampon to a menstrual cup, you will be making strides to bettering our planet for generations to come.

 

Close to 20 billion sanitary napkins, tampons and applicators are dumped into North American landfills every year [1]. Feminine hygiene products are made of plastic and can take hundreds of years to biodegrade. This leaves a huge impact on the planet long after her lifespan. The average woman will use over 1100-1200 sanitary pads or tampons over the course of her life. This is equivalent to over 330lbs of plastic within a lifetime. This may not sound like an over burdensome amount to some people but multiply that by every woman being born on the planet. This is a growing epidemic that will continue to perpetuate itself until we make a change.

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Sadly, enough the waste from these products isn’t the biggest issue at hand concerning the ecological impact of feminine hygiene products. Yet, the harsh chemical omissions and fossil fuel usage is a great challenge that is being faced [2]. Feminine hygiene products are made up of about 90% plastic materials. The top and bottom layers of sanitary napkins and the applicators used with tampons are all plastic. The soft cotton like material that is used for absorption is usually graded bleached wood chips and old newspaper, along with dioxins, rayon and other potentially harmful substances that are placed on a woman’s most sensitive area, potentially effecting her health in a negative way. Another issue at hand is when these products are disposed of, the chemicals that are in these products gets absorbed into the ground then contaminating the air and water sources. This process to make these products is also chemical and resource intensive.

 

 

 

So how do we play our role in being and change for our health as well as our environment?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Let’s talk MENSTRAUL CUPS!!!

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A brief history about menstrual cups. Though there have been various designs and prototype that have been made dating back to the mid 1860`s, the presences of the first modern day menstrual cup were designed by an American actress named Leona Chalmers in 1937 [3]. Her design was mad of latex rubber. World War II impacted the production of this product, due to the shortage in latex availability [3]. After the completion of the war a new design made its way to consumers through the brand name of Tassette[3]. Even though these advances were made in women`s wellness and hygiene. The thought of a menstrual cup being used amongst women did not resonate well within women`s wellness. It was looked at as scandalous. Menstrual cups were reintroduced in the 1980`s by a company called “The Keepers”. Many women with latex allergies were unable to use the device since it was still being produced with the latex just as the original design was. It wasn’t until 2005 when Heli Kurjanen, Lunette founder, launched a menstrual cup with improved design using medical grade silicone.

 

Today menstrual cups are more popular amongst young people, because of its enviormental benefits. Medical grade silicone is a special add on to the design of theses devices, because it is eco-friendly being biodegradable. In silicone, the primary ingredient is silica. This is a common form of sand. So, when menstrual cups are disposed, they begin to return to their original state. Not only can women purchase these menstrual cups for a price ranging between $15-$30, but they can use them for up to 10 years with proper care.

 

Now that you have a better awareness of the health and ecological effects that traditional women`s hygiene product have one our bodies as well as our environment, it behooves of us all to make a difference of ourselves, loved ones and our present and future wellbeing of our planet. Join us at BehCherised, were we are committed to making a difference in the world by aided women with knowledge and resources to aid in the betterment of our health, by eliminating our exposure to toxic products and doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint on earth.

 

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