Have you ever thought about how much plastic goes into packaging tampons and pads? How many you use per cycle? Well, you should consider reusable alternatives.
Period.org is an incredible foundation that aims to provide underprivileged women with feminine hygiene products in schools, shelters, and impoverished communities across the globe.
I partnered with Period.org to create a club at my high school, in Virginia, United States, to bring awareness to this issue. While brainstorming how to fundraise, we thought, is providing impoverished communities with one-time-use tampons and pads going to benefit them in the long run? The answer is no. We needed a sustainable solution.
We sewed over 100 reusable pads and used the excess money from the fundraiser to provide one-time-use materials for back up and convenience only. We personally delivered these products to orphanages and schools in Kampala, Uganda. The girls were beyond happy with this donation since it meant they would no longer fear leakage or inconvenience and could focus on attending school without people judging them for normal bodily functions. Reusable pads can be cleaned and sanitized easily and quickly with soap and water, and typically last a very long time if taken care of properly.
Sustaining our resources doesn’t have to be difficult. It is important to conserve with the little things, because the buildup of waste occurs exponentially when 7 billion people are unaware of their effect on the environment. Alone, we are hopeless, but together, we can sustain the environment.
Writer: Ellie Newman
