A free screening of the film “Period. End of Sentence.” features giveaways of menstrual cups, products that can save ̽̽ students a bundle while reducing the university’s waste stream.
The event is sponsored by the ̽̽ Women’s and Gender Equity Center (WAGE) and the Office of Sustainability Eco-Reps. Erin Adams ’22, a graduate student who works part time in ̽̽’s Women & Gender Equity Center, is the main organizer of the event. It is part of an effort to give out as many as 1500 reusable menstrual cups to women on campus this year.
“The cups are made of soft silicone, worn internally like a tampon,” explains Adams. “They can be worn up to 12 hours at a time and are completely reusable, so it saves money while saving the planet.” The cups are provided by Saalt, a BIPOC female owned company.
Menstrual cups aren’t cheap—they can run $20-$40 online or in drug stores. Adams wrote a successful Sustainable Campus Fund proposal last year, receiving a $15,000 grant to purchase the cups. WAGE also received an additional $1000 from the Office of Student Life. Adams said they were motivated by their internship with Off Campus Student Relations where data from a study revealed that 41% of students are facing food insecurity.
“I know how difficult it can be for some students to make ends meet. Having access to food a few times a week through Rally Cat’s Cupboard (̽̽’s free food pantry for students and local community members) can make a big difference in diet and academic performance,” they said.
In the proposal, Adams points out that financial barriers also exist with female hygiene products—especially for low-income, first-generation students.
Giving out free cups has a multiplier effect—properly sanitized, the product can be reused for years. Adams had done the math: each of the approximatley 10,000 menstruating students, staff and faculty at ̽̽ will use between 130 and 260 pads or tampons in one year.
Those numbers point to a second big advantage of menstrual cups—keeping menstrual waste products out of landfills. Applicators and packaging of tampons and sanitary pads are often made of thermoplastics which require fossil fuels to manufacture. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics estimates that in North America nearly 20 billion pads and tampons are sent to landfills every year.
“It’s a big selling point for students,” says Adams. “They want to save money, but they also want to reduce waste. It’s a win-win.”
Adams educates students when distributing mensrual cups, interpreting the ecological and financial advantages and providing tips on how to properly sanitize them. Since April Adams has already distributed 1000 cups.
If you’re interested in learning more and receiving a free menstrual cup, join Adams for the screening 5-7 p.m. at WAGE at 34 S. Williams Street in Burlington.