The Green Parent
Raising kids with conscience
20 Jan 2009
Your natural cycle
Want to know more about your menstrual heath and the environment? The Women's Environmental Network have the following suggestions for greening up your monthly cycle:
- Consider using a menstrual cup – known as the femmecup or mooncup (check out the free lunar calendar for 2009) – or washable pads. You can prevent a lot of waste even if only used at night or home.
- Ask your local shop to stock reusable sanpro; many health shops and mother and baby shops stock reusables.
- Avoid lubricated and/or fragranced products – these are completely superfluous and generate unnecessary additional exposure to synthetic chemicals.
- Challenge negative social attitudes to menstruation by exploring your relationship with your menstrual cycle. Share this knowledge with men and women you know and especially young women you are close to.
- Make your own reusable pads. See here for a downloadable template for making your own sanitary towels.
- Record your rhythm, perhaps using a lunar calendar – developing familiarity with your cycle provides a useful indicator of your health and wellbeing, and a greater awareness of your body.
Image shows BOLD’s Red Tent in New York, where groups of women got together to talk about birth, their cycles and more.
Melissa Corkhill is the editor of The Green Parent magazine, mother of two and author of the book Green Parenting
The Green Parent is the UK's leading green lifestyle and natural parenting magazine. A truly inspiring read, TGP is like nothing else on the newsstand, with insightful intelligent journalism covering topics from babywearing and attachment parenting to home-education and alternative medicine. Each issue features regular columns on Organic Gardening, Seasonal Food and Drink, Green Travel, Ethical Fashion and lots more.
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