Green Living Guide: Eco-Friendly Feminine Hygiene

Feminine hygiene products that are not eco-friendly pose a huge environmental problem. Nearly 13 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons get dumped in landfills each year. With non-biodegradable constituents like plastic and dioxin, the materials pollute the environment.

But by focusing on reusing and recycling, you can go green with eco-friendly feminine hygiene products. Here are some environmentally safe menstrual product ideas.

• Reusable eco-friendly sanitary pads - A few generations ago, women across the globe reused their menstrual pads by cleaning and drying them. Their pads lasted them for years. Reverting back to this lifestyle is one of the best ways to control sanitary napkin wastes from accumulating in landfills. You can make your own reusable eco-friendly sanitary pads and liners at home with organic cotton cloth which has high absorption and retention capabilities. Organic products use environmentally safe farming processes and do not employ synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that affect our health and pollute the environment. You can even recycle some of you old cotton clothes to make your pads - this is a common practice in the underdeveloped and developing countries.

You can also buy such eco-friendly feminine hygiene pads from manufacturers like Luna Pads and Glad Rags. They use 100% organic cotton for their sanitary napkins which are free from synthetic chemicals. The pads are cleaned by soaking them in water for a while and then rinsing them with soap. They are very comfortable and guard leaks efficiently. But cleaning and maintaining eco-friendly sanitary pads is not as easy as discarding the conventional disposable pads - only practice and willingness to change can help you adapt to a green lifestyle in feminine hygiene.

• Reusable eco-friendly tampons - Companies like Jade and Pearl offer eco-friendly tampons that are made from sea sponge which is obtained from the ocean-bed. The sponge is rinsed periodically and reused during the menstrual cycle. After each cycle, it is cleaned and dried. Each eco-friendly tampon could last up to 6 months.

• Disposable eco-friendly feminine hygiene products - For those who cannot adapt to reusable eco-friendly feminine hygiene products, a less green alternative is available in the form of fully natural disposable pads. They are made with 100% organic cotton and do not contain chemicals like dioxin, a byproduct of chlorine-bleaching that give the pads are a very white color. They do not contain plastic either. Natracare and Seventh Generation manufacture such products which can be bought at stores like Whole Foods.

• Menstrual cups - Menstrual cups use a different approach from pads and tampons that soak menstrual discharge. Instead, the cup is inserted in the vagina and collects blood which should be emptied periodically during a menstrual cycle. The cup can be reinserted and reused after a thorough rinsing. Made of rubber or silicone, the cups are very durable and last for several years. The Keeper and DivaCup are popular brands of menstrual cups.

With a little practice and awareness, it is easy to adapt to eco-friendly feminine hygiene products. Begin with disposable eco-friendly hygiene products and gradually adapt to reusable products.