Our bathroom cabinet is almost as green as it can be, between the recycled TP and natural fiber washcloths, chemical-free cleaners, and all-natural shampoo. There's one thing, though, that could be even greener. Last year, when this women's-only topic came up, there was an overwhelming response advocating the use of one very green product...
An overwhelming number of comments on the post I wrote about switching to unbleached organic cotton tampons instead supported something else: the menstrual cup. (For a general explanation, head to Wikipedia.)
Though I'd read all the comments and been mostly persuaded last year, I was a bit nervous about switching and hesitated; in the meantime, I forgot all about this option, honestly, until seeing DivaCups at our local food co-op in the toiletries aisle, and then again at another natural foods store in town. Not to mention, we brought up the topic again on Re-Nest just last week!
Needless to say, I've been doing more research and it adds up: the amount of money spent (and waste created, regardless of whether or not it's organic) buying and using tampons or pads each month instead of an alternative like the menstrual cup or reusable pads makes a significant difference.
We're talking $150 or $200 annually, especially when you factor in the extra cost of buying green feminine products. Consider this: the menstrual cups made from latex, silicone, or TPE are made to last for half a decade or more. At 12 cycles a year, the math is a no-brainer.
Then there were all the helpful tips from readers' comments; here are a few highlights from women who have used them:
• More comfort (There's less drying because the cups don't absorb)
• They can be used at night
• Getting used to wearing them is like learning to wear contacts
• They're an option with more freedom than a pad
• No health risks have been found (Ever been worried about toxic shock syndrome? Not with these...)
• They produce NO trash
I don't know about you, but those factors alone make me want to swap out my organic unbleached tampons for something even more eco-friendly. Not to mention...they sound a bit more comfortable (see point number one).
Anyone else convinced?
Here are a few of the manufacturers (note that not all are available in the States):
DivaCup (US)
The Keeper and Mooncup (US)
Instead Softcups (US)
Lunette (outside US)
MoonCup (UK)
(Image: Flickr member Linda N. licensed under Creative Commons.)
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Emi & Nathan's Natural History
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Sprout Side Table
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
Got the diva cup a couple of years ago. Best thing ever. No garbage, more convenient (you can wear them a lot longer between changes than a tampon), no health risk, cheaper.
I'll never, ever go back to anything else. They're just to good.
COMPLETELY convinced.
i've been using the keeper for about eight years now.
as wrenagain says, it's the best thing ever.
the keeper is the best thing ever.
especially if you travel... many undeveloped countries also don't have tampons available and you don't have to bring any with you--just the cup!
sometimes i can't believe people don't use one!
I switched a few years ago, and I LOVE my Mooncup! My sister is creeped out by it, though. I think a lot of women think this is a really kind of "icky" option, but if you're using tampons sans applicator, this isn't any different, really. If you only use pads, this'll take some getting used to, but it is SERIOUSLY worth it.
My sister gave me a divacup for my birthday and honestly if she hadn't I wouldn't have tried it. It works well after you figure out how to put it in so that there's a seal. I only wish there was a more discrete way to clean it in public. : ) Oh well, if everyone used it probably wouldn't be as awkward.
LOVE the diva cup, never going back!
tampons and pads have been linked to HPV, or at least thats what i recall reading. non-organic tampons and pads, that is.
It takes a few times to get used to it, but really, far superior!
If you have had TSS, do not use a menstrual cup. As with any gynecological concern, please consult your physician.
I haven't used disposables since I was 17, 12 years ago. I had a keeper for about 8 or 9 years and then bought a Diva Cup. I also use washable cotton pads, mostly at night. I'm still on my first set of those. I doubt they will ever wear out. And it's really not a big deal to was them.
~MrsFoss
"tampons and pads have been linked to HPV, or at least thats what i recall reading. non-organic tampons and pads, that is."
That makes no sense - HPV is a virus. You can't possibly catch it from a tampon or pad unless someone has wiped a wart on it.
One of my fellow nurses brought me up to speed on the Diva cup thing. I tried it, and loved it. It took a couple times inserting it to get used to it, but it's really way more comfortable than tampons.
I don't think, as the other poster indicated, that TSS is any more likely with that or anything else. Common sense being the rule here. I have found my docs don't know what they are, and I end up educating them.
What I like the best about it, is that after I learned how to use it, it was really more comfortable. By a large margin.
I absolutely love my Divacup but I have to say that, after 18 months or so, I STILL have not mastered the technique completely...
i started with a divacup two-and-a-half years ago and now have a mooncup and i'd never go back to my pre-cup days. they're amazing.
My medical history form asked me if I used pads or tampons-- I had to draw a box for neither! I also got to explain to my gyn why I use the Divacup (she may have already known, but I was happy to do so). Thank you Re-nest for making this post!
My knitting group recommended the Diva Cup to me about a year ago, and I couldn't be happier. We're all ridiculously enthusiastic about our cups in my knitting group. :)
I got one of these about 10 years ago and was never able to use it--I found the process of putting it in very uncomfortable and difficult (the brand is Keeper, if I recall). I have tried it several times over the years since I got it, always with the same results.
hyzen, from what i understand you might want to try a divacup instead. the keeper is made of a less flexible material as i understand and its rigidity makes it more difficult to use??
I love my Diva Cup and would never go back. Learning to use it was comparable to learning to use tampons for the first time. And although I am a generally squeamish person, I find this far less icky than pads.
For cleaning it in public-- you don't have to clean it with water every time. The instructions that come with it say that you can clean it with toilet paper, then wash it thoroughly the next time you empty it. Just wash your hands before handling it. I have done this several times with no problems. Since you can wear it for up to 12 hours, though, I rarely have to change it in public unless it's maybe day 1 or day 2 of a very heavy cycle.
My mother used to tell me about the trials of the "belts and pins" days. After using the Diva Cup I feel that way about tampons and pads. They are antiquated and uncomfortable, and this is a much better solution.
And by "in public" I mean in a public restroom. Cause, uh, anything else would be very disturbing.
I have one and I love it. Women need to get over the "gross" factor of having a period.
I tried the Instead soft cup when it first came out. I liked the idea of it, but it was disposable (and messy), so it was really no better than using tampons. I've been thinking about trying the Divacup, but I keep going back and forth. I'm ok with the ick factor involved, but I'm concerned about using it at work. I teach and my classes are 90 minutes long, with 5 minutes in between. There's really no room for flexibility if something goes wrong or it takes a few minutes to clean in the bathroom. As much as I hate them, I just feel safer with tampons.
It's been five years now that I've switched to organic cotton washable pads. They are still all in great shape, and I can't imagine using "regular" products.
I started using those sea sponges, but they weren't ideal. When I saw a DivaCup on sale at Whole Foods, I grabbed it. It works perfectly for me, and I switch between that and my LunaPads.
I guess some people are grossed out by that idea, but I think bleached dri weave who knows what in a box with adhesive strips is gross.
@LitNerd. I don't think you have to worry about your classes. Unless you have an exceedingly heavy period, you shouldn't have to empty the DivaCup more than every 8-12 hrs. I just switched to the large cup (being now over 30) and find that I can easily go from wake up to bedtime without leaking, even on my heaviest days.
I urge you to try the DivaCup. It is silicon, soft and flexible, and I love it. I've been using it for almost 6 years and would never go back.
YES to the DivaCup!
It's the best whether you're at home or traveling. And my suggestion is to get it well before your next period and practice inserting it a few times until you get the hang of it. You'll be an expert in no time.
The...Best...Ever!
I wish I could use the DivaCup, but I have an IUD. (Can't use the cup with an IUD.) The benefits of the IUD far outweigh the benefits of a DivaCup. Instead, I use washable pads that I made myself from an old flannel crib sheet and an old towel. They're wonderful - far more effective, and comfortable, than the disposables. I'm amazed at the amount of money women throw away every year using disposable feminine products.