Cloth pads are a better choice for the environment than single-use disposable pads. Particularly if you are also washing them with minimal impact.
If the environment is an important concern for you, here are some points to consider.
Cloth pads are good for the planet.
The average woman will use 12,000 to 16,000 disposable pads, party-liners, and tampons in her lifetime. Most of them contain chemicals, toxins, additives, and synthetic materials such as plastic. Plastics, first of all, take a very long time to break down. Second, they also end up leaking into nature and polluting our rivers, lakes, streams, and world.
That’s a lot of waste!
Plus, think of the manufacturing, shipping, and packaging impact over the years. Plastic pollution is a serious problem and not one that should be treated lightly. Pads and tampons are made mostly from cotton but do contain plastic components. Some tampons use plastic applicators; even OB tampons that don’t use applicators are wrapped in plastic packaging. Pads use plastic for the waterproof backing, as well as for the part that goes next to your skin.
Here are only a few of the negative effects that plastic has on our environment:
- Implications for animals
- Implications for human health
- Land, air, water, and groundwater pollution
- Interference with the food chain
- Economic losses and tourist distraction
Plastic is hard on our Earth, and reducing this kind of waste goes a long way to making it a better place for everyone.
Cloth menstrual pads last for years, helping you reduce your impact on the environment and saving you from monthly trips to the store. Make sure to choose a brand that’s plastic and nylon free, and uses only natural fibers.
The environmental benefits of these products create a significant, applaudable, and positive impact on the planet, where every woman’s contribution to this transition from disposable to sustainable menstrual products matters.