Making the switch to green living can feel overwhelming at first; it’s hard to know where to begin. When you start looking at the products you have come to rely on every day for most of your life, you realize that in addition to the convenience and efficacy of many of them, there is also an element of nostalgia. Even though almost everything else in my house is eco-friendly, it took me years to make the shift to an eco-friendly laundry detergent because the smell of my old one reminded me of my mother, who has passed away.
But nowadays, not only is it incredibly easy to make the switch to green living, thanks to many companies making incredibly innovative and environmentally friendly options, it may actually be necessary.
Plastic Crisis
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is actually two different masses of debris circulating around one another off the west coast of North America. These patches are mostly composed of plastics of varying sizes. Recent estimates predict the surface layer of this “trash vortex” to be twice the size of Texas, but that does not take into consideration how deep beneath the surface the collection spans. It is estimated that 1.15 to 2.4 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year.
And before you stop reading because these numbers seem overwhelming, let us first reassure you that at Shaklee, we are deeply committed to making a difference. This includes being the first company in the world to obtain Climate Neutral certification, totally offsetting our CO2 emissions!
You can make a difference too! Every choice you make, from the food you buy to the cleaning products you use and the make-up you wear, can make an enormous impact not just on your home but the entire world.
The Most Intimate Place to Make the Switch
As we become more conscious about using eco-friendly alternatives for what we put on our skin and in our mouths, let us not forget to include our feminine care and fertility products.
Single-use plastics permeate this industry. It is estimated that women will use about 253 boxes of tampons in their lifetime, costing around $1,700. That is just tampons. Did you know that it takes 500–800 years for a regular nonorganic pad to break down?
Just as we try to use less plastic in every other area of our lives, like getting rid of straws, buying in bulk, and shifting to multiple-use products, such as Shaklee Basic H2® Biodegradable Cleaner, our feminine care products may be one of the most important areas to try and be more conscious about.
It is definitely the most intimate.
Here are a few suggestions to help you Go Green, with feminine care products:
- Period underwear:A number of brands offer underwear that absorbs your period. They are not only functional and comfortable but super cute! With a wide variety of styles, including boy shorts, overnights, and even a line for teens and tweens, there is a pair for every occasion.
- Organic tampons: Many common tampons are made of chemicals like pesticides, rayon, and bleach, and to top it off, they are wrapped in plastic applicators, which never biodegrade. Thankfully, there is a wide variety of cotton and biodegradable tampons on the market to choose from. One of the more common concerns with natural tampons used to be the lack of applicator, but these days many brands use cardboard applicators, which are easy to use and safe to throw away.
- New Flushable Pregnancy Test: There is a new flushable pregnancy test on the market. When we were trying to get pregnant with our son, I used a lot of pregnancy tests. I had a stockpile in my closet. There are a lot of emotions that come with taking a pregnancy test. With the new biodegradable test, you no longer need to add environmental guilt to that list. They’re also much more discreet as you can flush them afterwards, so no one will be the wiser!
- Explore natural remedies for yeast infections: While most natural remedies are not clinically-proven to completely cure yeast infections, some studies do show that they can lessen the severity of symptoms, which may mean less days of over-the-counter products and less applicators and packaging to throw away. For example, the CDC recognizes boric acid as effective.
- Try FAM before purchasing ovulation kits: Did you know that many of us have an ovulation kit built right into our body? By mapping our cervical fluid, cervix position, and temperature, we can start to predict our ovulation and periods. This method of naturally tracking one’s cycle is called the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM). Of course, if you are struggling to get pregnant, you may still need to use ovulation kits. But if you are just starting to try to get pregnant, you may want to consider FAM before you jump to kits! Of course, discuss with your OB/GYN who knows you and your situation best.
Sarah Ezrin is a freelance writer, world-renowned yoga educator, popular Instagram influencer, and mama based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her willingness to be unabashedly honest and vulnerable along with her innate wisdom make her writing, yoga classes, and social media great sources of healing and inner peace for many people. Sarah is changing the world, teaching self-love one person at a time. For more information please visit her website www.sarahezrinyoga.com.
