Stop Ya Whinging !

A Nelson women's group, the LUNA Collective for Women's Wellness, believe all the fuss about paying more for sanitary products in Australia once GST is introduced is completely unnecessary. That's because the Collective peddles a far better idea !

Its a bloody awful subject for some but Ange Palmer, a Collective member, says women can save themselves plenty of money by using a reusable, washable product. The group markets a range of cotton cloths which are slim, brightly coloured and long lasting. "Based on the most budget pads or tampons available, a woman will spend about half as much money if she chooses a washable option. But of course that's just the financial cost. No one seems to consider the huge environmental impact of manufacturing and disposing of this stuff.

As the reality of the environmental breakdown hits us and awareness grows about the way in which our personal consumption contributes to this, more and more women are drawn to the virtues of cloth. Disposable products will increasingly become unacceptable and we're proud to offer the only NZ-made, women-made, non-corporate solution !"

The collective says that thousands of women in western countries are returning to washable products, joining the millions of women who still use them in many areas of the world.

"There's just so many good reasons NOT to use disposable sanitary products. Women bleed for a total of about six and a half years of their lives and during that time use between ten and twelve thousand menstrual products . The world's population is increasing by the equivalent of New Zealand's population every fortnight so it doesn't take much to realise the amount of resources used and waste generated by disposable products. We must take responsibility for our consumption and this product offers the perfect opportunity for women who are concerned about the environment and their health."

The LUNA Collective feels that women's menstrual health is not a highly regarded issue despite the fact that many women have menstrual 'problems'. Some of these can be overcome by being more aware of menstrual cycles and learning to work with them. Generally this is totally disregarded within a patriarchal society. When women feel good about their menstruation they may have more confidence, better health, and be better prepared for pregnancy, birthing and menopausal experiences.

Contact for comment : Ange Palmer phone 03 571 6071(messages) or number below.

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