With a goal to live intentionally this year, last month February I planned to start to make do on that it and even started on my strategy layout.
One of the things that featured in the layout was how I can contribute to the efforts aimed at lessening Global Warming, and improving the possibilities for my children to have a better chance at enjoying the earth and it’s flora as I am.
After doing some reading about Global Warming, I aimed my target to lessen it on polythene bags. These bags are so many in our economy that even the least of things like a packed in one. Almost everything is wrapped in a ‘Kavera’ or packed in one.
With that depth realisation, I designed methods and tactics to enable me to fulfil my goal. The main one was that whenever I was to do my shopping I would reuse the old plastic/polythene bags I have stored away, and not get new ones on every trip except if necessary. Then I stated that I would burn all the none reusable one alongside dropping non-reusable pads for my bloody days.
Global Warming and Plastic/Polythene
Plastic bags are made from ethane (C2H6) which is a byproduct from the production of natural gas and oil. Ethane has a global warming potential 5.5 times that of carbon dioxide according to the IPCC.
Ethane has a high heat capacity and makes natural gas too unstable….
By the second week of February, my house was polythene free and I had even got some reusable pads for my next period. It was tough adjusting to the idea that on my period I was to wash out blood from the pad, dry it and then reuse it. I sort out the AfriPads offices to get a good understanding of their product and how less harmful or no harm it was than the ordinary pads.
AfriPads Uganda with their commercial brand So Sure is a Ugandan organisation making sure women spend less on pads and are comfortable while on their period. The So Sure pad is wrapped in pink polythene packaging( I burnt this pack to ashes and mixed the ash in the soil with rotting banana peeling, it’s will add to the garden manure). Inside the pack are two pieces of soft cloth-y pads. These pads are available in Maxi Pad and Super Maxi Pad with 20ml and 30ml absorption, 6 to 8 and 8 to 10 hours of use while both take 2 hours to dry after washing.
During my first two days of use, the pad was odd even with its comfort. This was because I was accustomed to the usual ordinary pads. They used to burn, sometimes I could move and hear the rubbing polythene noises in between my legs. But this time around there was this soft and quiet thing in my legs. It was new!
The only problem I found with these pads was the heaviness after the flow has gathered itself in it. It felt like carrying 500mls of water between my legs. I also found out I wasn’t the only one who had that particular issue with the pad, but most of the women who responded to my MAMA TENDO post on Facebook had too.
I would like to advise every lady who doesn’t fear washing their own body to try out these So Sure pads. You won’t regret it.
“There are really good things about plastic bags—they produce less greenhouse gas, they use less water and they use far fewer chemicals compared to paper or cotton. The carbon footprint— that is, the amount of greenhouse gas that is produced during the life cycle of a plastic bag—is less than that of a paper bag or a cotton tote bag. If the most important environmental impact you wanted to alleviate was global warming, then you would go with plastic.” (Source)
The eco-fad of discouraging or banning use of plastic bags may have the unintended consequences of increasing global warming and producing more ozone smog. It seems that “saving the environment” is complicated.
