the goan I network
PANAJI
For most young women in their twenties who first started menstruating over a decade ago, using sanitary napkins and/or tampons was a lifesaver. Turn the clock to 2019 when the world is reeling under the effects of climate change, and environment-conscious humans are desperately trying to convince everyone to switch to eco-friendly products.
Of all the waste human beings produce, synthetic sanitary napkins and tampons are far from being bio-degradable. In fact, sanitary napkins are in the category of things that cannot be recycled or reused... and mostly find their way into landfills, with the Goa government having no solution in mind on how to deal with this waste.
Hence, for several reasons starting with the environment, but not ending there, eco-warrior Saritha Sudakaran, held a session in the capital city on Thursday to try and convince women to switch to the cup.
Menstrual cups, made of medical grade silicon, have now become the “in-thing” as far as women’s hygiene is concerned.
So while Sudhakaran, who has been using the cup for a couple of years herself, encourages women to make the switch, she also warns of being cautious on what brand one chooses. “Before switching to the cup, I researched on which cup to choose for two months. This is research each woman must undertake herself,” said Sudhakaran.
The cup, which must be sterilised before use, does not generate any waste, as experts say it can be re-used by the user for upto 10 years!
Further, women also save on cost, as a cup costs between Rs 500 and 800 (for ten years!) whereas napkins, whether synthetic or bio-degradable, would end up costing much more.
“Once you have the cup on, it’s as though you’re not wearing anything,” said Sudhakaran, adding that it only needed to be changed once in six or eight hours in the beginning, and 12 hours by the third day.
Sudhakaran urged women to try the cup for at least three cycles before giving up on it. For college going students or unmarried women who may hesitate to use the cup for traditional reasons, Sudhakaran advises, “Well your hymen is going to tear someday, so might as well use the cup. It is life-changing,” she adds.
