*This article has been written by guest writer Linzy Rosen, Colby ’22*
Let’s face it: periods are rough. They come with physical—and sometimes emotional— stress, along with cravings and much more. They’re also expensive. Using HuffPost estimates, one year of tampons can cost the average menstruator around $42, which adds up to over $1,700 over a lifetime. Factor in panty liners, new underwear for those inevitable stains, heating pads, Midol, and birth control (which many menstruators take to regulate their cycle), and the total lifetime cost of periods can easily reach $18,000. But our periods don’t have to cost this much.
They also don’t have to have a giant environmental footprint. According to National Geographic, 5.8 billion tampons were sold in the U.S. in 2018 alone. The applicators, made from plastic, are not recycled due to sanitary reasons, and the accidental flushing of tampons down the sewers can clog pipes and present risks to wildlife in and near oceans. Tampon applicators have notoriously been found in beach cleanups. Throughout our lives, we, as menstruators, will use roughly 5,000-15,000 pads and tampons. That’s a lot of waste going into our landfills and, often, directly into our environment.
The solution? A reusable period product. Colby students now have the chance to get a free menstrual cup from OrganiCup, a sustainability-minded brand based out of Copenhagen. The cups, which may stay in for up to 12 hours at a time, can hold 3 times more of your flow than a “super” tampon can. With the CampusCup program, all current Colby students (even remote students that will be back in the fall) are eligible to get one free OrganiCup. Normally, each cup would cost $28, plus shipping and tax.
The best part? The OrganiCup has been tested to last up to 10 years. Imagine not spending another cent on a menstrual product for the next decade.
In 1921, Kotex released the nation’s first mass-marketed disposable period product. 100 years later, let’s show the industry that we’re catching on to their damage—and taking a stand.
Your wallet will thank you and so will the environment.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up HERE between March 1 – March 14, 2021 using your Colby email to get one free cup and try out this sustainable alternative with no strings attached. Check out more information on the three choices of cup size HERE. Stay tuned for more information on how to use your cup and where to pick it up after sign up. Be sure to tell all your period pals what’s up! Contact Linzy Rosen at linzy.rosen@colby.edu with any questions.