The Keeper
For about 5 years now, I’ve been using a product that I highly recommend to all women. I’ll warn you now that I’m about to get into something very personal, sensitive, and even a little bit gross – menstruation. If you’re a man who gets squeamish when a tampon commercial comes on TV, you might not want to continue reading. But for those brave enough, this is worth it.
The Keeper is a menstrual cup that is used internally (like a tampon) but rather than absorbing, it collects. It can be left in for longer than tampons, there is no associated risk of toxic shock syndrome, it is easily rinsed and cleaned, and there’s no waste! The Keeper is made of rubber, but silicone varieties by the name of The Diva Cup or The Moon Cup are also available. I bought mine at Earth’s General Store on Whyte Ave in Edmonton, but I’ve also seen them in health food stores. They cost in the range of $40, which at first may seem like a lot, but it’s worth it when you consider that it can be used for 10 years, and the price of other feminine hygiene products for 10 years amounts to much more. It takes some commitment and some time to adjust and learn how to use it, and for anyone still squeamish, consider the other alternatives of reusable or organic cotton pads and tampons.
I originally bought it before I went to Kenya and didn’t know what bathrooms and plumbing and garbage there would be like, but it’s also a way to practice the 3 R’s and actually reduce and reuse instead of only recycling pop cans and cardboard. The order in which we practice those 3 R’s is important. It’s also fulfilling to know that because of this choice, my footprints are a tiny bit smaller in my walk toward sustainability.
Website links:
http://www.keeper.com
http://www.thekeeper.com
http://www.mooncup.co.uk
http://www.divacup.com
http://manymoonsalternatives.com
This post was written by Rebecca Ellis, alumnus of The King’s University College, who currently attends graduate school in Australia.
Posted: May 12th, 2009 under Ellis, King's Alumni.
Tags: feminine hygiene, garbage, menstruation, the diva cup, the keeper, the moon cup
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Pingback from Menstration not Procreation | The King’s Green Pad
Time July 4, 2009 at 7:29 am
[...] Ellis’ post, The Keeper got me thinking. Here is a woman committed to using less each and every month by simply switching [...]