Is it possible to have a plastic-free period?

The zero-waste vibe seems to be spreading just now, and over on the BBC news, Chris Jeavans is attempting to live for a month without plastic. It's rather interesting and we're gripped by her struggles with non-disposable nappies and captivated by the idea of an old-fashioned picnic... but what we really want to know is: what about THAT time of the month?

[Via Dollymix]

Sanitary protection must be most women's 'guilty green secret', but most of us simply don't know about any alternatives.

According to Jeavans, women menstruate for about 37.5 years of using sanitary protection, which comes to about 12,000 tampons and towels per woman in a lifetime.

Most towels and tampons are pretty bad for the environment. Even largely-cotton tampons contain rayon and may end up in landfill sites. Jeavans mentions 'reusable options, such as washable sanitary towels that fasten into underwear with poppers or Velcro.' I'm not sure how I feel about that.

'After use, they are soaked and can be washed along with a normal load. Many stockists of cloth nappies also sell reusable sanitary towels such as the Minx Pad'. You can even make your own.

The Mooncup is another solution mentioned on Jeavans' blog, and you can learn about them here. The Diva Cup is another solution.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to give up your tampons/towels?

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