— Having fewer kids just got greener with the eco-friendly birth control methods
Having fewer kids is good for the planet, but so are green birth control products. Make your birth control more eco-friendly with these greener alternatives to the pill and conventional condoms.
1. Reusable Cervical Cap
Get a reusable, eco-friendly birth control method with a reusable cervical cap. This option includes a rubber cup that can be used for up to 2 years, so it cuts down on the waste associated with condoms and other diaphragm-style birth control methods. And It’s also hormone-free. Simply insert it into the vagina with spermicide just before having intercourse.
2. Natural Lambskin Condoms – Latex-Free Condoms
Traditional latex condoms are made from petroleum byproducts and are therefore non-renewable and won’t break down in nature very quickly. You can choose a greener condom alternative like these Natural Lambskin Condoms made from biodegradable ingredients. Just don’t flush these (or any other condoms) down the toilet as they can pose hazards to wildlife and aquatic life.
3. GLYDE Condoms
GLYDE offers a vegan condom option for those wishing to avoid animal products altogether. Most latex condoms are made with a milk enzyme, making them unsuitable for true vegans. But these are free of animal by-products.
4. French Letter Condoms – Fair Trade Natural Rubber
This company is one of the first in the world to make their green condoms out of Fair Trade latex rubber that comes from trees! These condoms are also biodegradable because they’re made from plant-based ingredients, and they’re vegan as well.
5. Try a NuvaRing
This method is not hormone-free, but it does cut down on the waste of condoms and diaphragms. These long-lasting rings work by delivering targeted hormones to your body. Insert once every month and remove after 3 weeks to have hassle-free birth control.
6. Have a Hysterectomy
Birth control pills are far from eco-friendly, though of course they do help you prevent unwanted pregnancies. Nevertheless, they are made with hormones (progestin and estrogen) that when excreted (through your urine) into the environment cause hormonal problems for women and men alike.
That’s because all of these hormones end up back in our drinking water. One of the surest ways to prevent pregnancy is to have a hysterectomy once you’re done having children. It’s permanent (or at least the closest thing to it), so you’ll never have to worry about those little pills again!
7. Have a Vasectomy
Aside from hysterectomies, there are always vasectomies for the male half of the partnership. This surgery is usually done in a doctor’s office with the man walking out without one hour of the procedure (albeit a little sore). Not only does this help you avoid the eco-challenges of birth control pills, it also means saving money on condoms and other male-oriented birth control options.
8. Use an IUD (Intrauterine Device)
You could also opt for an implant like the IUD which is nearly as effective as having your tubes tied or cut. There are a few health risks with this option (talk to your doctor), but the IUD offers no-fuss birth control that’s low on waste and high on effectiveness. It’s also cheaper and hormone-free.
9. Natural Family Planning Option
One final option among the eco-friendly birth control methods is natural family planning or the fertility awareness method, which involves planning sexual intercourse only for those times when you know you cannot get pregnant by monitoring your menstrual cycle.
Although you have to be fairly disciplined about watching your cycle, this method is waste-free, hormone-free, packaging-free, surgery-free, and pain-free! Once you’ve got the hang of it, this method works very, very well. Use a product like CycleBeads to help track your menstrual cycle easily and without missing a beat.
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