For 10+ years, I never really questioned the standard of disposable menstrual products, other than some vague curiosity when reading historical fiction. My lack of questioning was due, at least in part, to the fact that for most of those years, I never bought any tampons or pads because my bargain-hunting mother stockpiled a lifetime supply (or so it seemed). Between coupons, sales, and rebates, she never paid anything near full price for said items, and our bathroom cabinets were overflowing with feminine products. (Hi Mom, I love you!) I’m not complaining, because my mom’s savvy shopping and generosity no doubt saved me a lot of money, but it may have delayed my exploration of alternatives.
But four females can go through A LOT of tampons, pads, and liners, and the supplies eventually dwindled. Plus, oh hey, I haven’t been living at home for more than 8 years now. I’m an adult, maybe it’s time I bought my own tampons. So I’m buying my own, halfheartedly looking for coupons and sales, experimenting with the cheaper generic options, all while trying to reduce my environmental impact, and I start to wonder, “What did women do before we had disposable menstrual products? There have to be some alternatives out there. What are my options now?”
Forty or so years of tampons and pads adds up to quite a bit of trash, but this, as with most “disposable” products of various types that cram store shelves today, represents a relatively new phenomenon. Today we have non-disposable options that are just as convenient as disposables and more technologically advanced than just using a rag.Continue reading “Diva with a party in my pants”
