From recycling to bringing reusable bags to the supermarket, many of us are doing our bit to reduce the amount of plastic we use because we're aware that the stuff can be damaging.
Yet, we often overlook the plastic in our period products. This is because it's often hidden, doesn't seem like plastic and we aren't aware of the alternatives. That's where plastic-free period products from Organic Mondays come in.
They're made of organic cotton and are free of perfume and plastic. They're worlds away from the other period products which can contain up to 90% plastic.
From protecting whales to making your coffee healthier to drink, there are a range of benefits that come with switching to non-plastic period products like those from Organic Mondays.
Here are some of the great benefits of making the switch to plastic-free period products...
You may not know it, but the vulva is one of the most absorbent areas of the body. Having plastics around this area every month has been recognised by doctors as causing thrush, infections and allergies - not pleasant!
If you haven't yet made the switch to plastic-free period products like those from Organic Mondays, there's a likelihood the period products you're using are full of plastics.
That's because regular sanitary pads can contain up to 90% plastic. They're often hard to detect, are sometimes bleached white, highly processed and don't seem like plastic at all.
Plastic has been found everywhere in the world's oceans, from the Pacific to the Mariana Trench. It can cause great harm to sea life and has been found in the guts of sea creatures like turtles, sea birds and whales.
Plastic is toxic for these creatures and threatens their extinction. To top it off, menstrual products have been found to be the most common single-use plastic found on European beaches!
Switching to plastic-free products can be a simple and easy way to help and make a difference.
Almost all of plastics are created from burning fossil fuels like gas, coal and oil. As we all know, these contribute to global warming.
Not only is plastic damaging when it's created, but also when it's burnt to be destroyed. In the burning process, climate-wrecking gases and toxic air pollution are released into the air.
These things threaten the future of our planet, so we should do what we can and switch to plastic-free alternatives like those from Organic Mondays.
When plastic doesn't end up in the oceans, then it tends to end up in a landfill. When broken down, the plastic contained in period products seep into the ground below and join our planet's natural water cycle.
That means that plastic becomes an element of our water. It becomes part of everything from the coffee we drink to the water we fill our baths with.
With that plastic included, everything becomes a bit more toxic. We'd rather have our morning coffee without the added plastic - thanks!
People create a lot of waste, but plastic is a particularly bad kind of waste as it isn't biodegradable. It can survive some of the harshest conditions, such as the frozen arctic and blistering sunshine.
This means that more and more plastic builds up and causes more and more problems for wildlife. Do what you can to reduce this problem by opting for plastic-free alternatives.