61: Zero Waste Menstrual Care — Finding What Works for You

Curious about zero waste menstrual care, but overwhelmed by the options? Between menstrual cups, discs, reusable pads, period underwear, and conflicting information about materials and safety, figuring out where to start can feel like a project of its own. After ten years of using a menstrual cup—and recently trying period underwear for an unpredictable perimenopausal cycle—I’m sharing firsthand experience with comfort, fit, and getting comfortable with reusable period products. From the waste and recurring costs of disposables to PFAS concerns and product testing, there is plenty to consider beyond absorbency. Access matters, too—upfront costs, clean water, laundry, and privacy all affect which options are practical. Explore ways to reduce waste through period care that fits your body, budget, and routines, with room for both reusable and disposable products. A practical place to start with low waste living, one period product at a time. Next episode, I’ll be joined by Cherie Hoeger, co-founder and CEO of Saalt, for a closer look at reusable period care. Takeaways • What makes menstrual cups and discs different • Why fit matters when choosing a cup • Getting comfortable with reusable pads • How period underwear can fit seamlessly into your monthly routine • PFAS concerns and questions to ask about product testing • Disposable options with made eco-friendly materials • How affordability and access shape period care choices • Organizations working to address period poverty One Small Shift Choose one part of managing your period that you’d like to make easier—overnight protection, spotting, comfort, recurring purchases, or waste—and explore one option that could help. Some links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Related Blog Posts Period Care Overview (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/p...) Menstrual Cups/Discs (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/z...) Cloth Pads (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/z...) Period Underwear (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/z...) Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/e...) Related Episodes 47: Eco-Friendly Bathroom Swaps to Reduce Waste and Save Money (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/p...) Resources SHOP: All my period care picks! (https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/36...) Put A Cup In It: Menstrual Cup Quiz (https://putacupinit.com/quiz/) The Period Purse — Canada (https://theperiodpurse.com/) Moon Time Connections — Canada (https://truenorthaid.ca/project/moon-...) PERIOD. — United States (https://period.org/) Research and Further Reading David Suzuki Foundation: Eco-friendly menstrual products (https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/...) Women and Gender Equality Canada: Period costs and access (https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender...) Women and Gender Equality Canada: Menstrual equity and the 2023 survey (https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender...) UNEP: Menstrual products and their alternatives—life cycle assessment review (https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/l...) US EPA: Understanding PFAS and health risks (https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-...) 2025 research: PFAS in reusable period products (https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspa...) Support the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2501019/su...) Connect With Me Website (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/) Newsletter (https://sustainableinthesuburbs.com/n...) Shop (https://shopmy.us/sustainableinthesub...) Instagram (  / sarah.robertson.barnes  ) Support the Show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2501019/su...) Sustainable in the Suburbs is mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio (https://cardinalstudio.co/) If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love it if you followed the show, shared it with a friend, or left a rating and review. Every little bit helps more people find Sustainable in the Suburbs — and live a little greener.