Approximately half of the earth's population (give or take a few percent) will experience menstruation throughout their lifetime. While this, in itself, is a very natural process, the materials most commonly used during this time are anything but natural. There are, of course, menstrual cups available, but not everyone enjoys using them as they can be a bit hard to position properly. That's why the use of reusable period pads is an excellent alternative to disposable pads and tampons, as well as menstrual cups! What are reusable menstrual pads?Most people know what a menstrual pad is. Bluntly said, it's a...

  Starting at a young age, we are taught that we need to brush our teeth every day using a toothbrush and toothpaste. However, since the uprising of protests in the name of climate change, people's views of toothpaste have changed as well. Why is toothpaste targeted, and how bad is it really for the environment?   What's in toothpaste? Now, different brands of toothpaste have different ingredients. Some of these ingredients seem logical, like cellulose gum to make it a gummy substance. Others, like copolymers and titanium dioxides, seem very threatening and don't ring any bells with us. If...

Currently, the zero-waste movement, and slowly the rest of the world, are trying to eliminate as much plastic as they can. This includes disposable options such as sandwich bags and plastic wrap, packaging, etc. People are starting to use alternatives, both store-bought and homemade, but what if plastic had never been invented at all?   The perks of a plastic-less existence Let's start with the perks of a plastic-free world. First of all, plastic is produced using oil. If plastic had never been invented, oil would have been less desirable than it is now. This would've reduced its contribution to climate...

The experts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have been exploring our oceans and have taken a look at the plastic levels of the deep sea. They have found that microplastics are as deep as 600ft below the surface. The creatures at this level survive on the small particles in the water include the microplastics. These deep-sea creatures then become food for other fish, who become food for other fish, who eventually become food for land animals and humans. What can we do to help? First, we need to reduce our use of single-use plastics in order to stop...

In August 2018, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg of Sweden took climate change into her own hands. She sat outside the Swedish parliament every day during school hours for three weeks protesting against the lack of action toward climate change. Specifically, Greta wanted the Swedish government to reduce carbon emissions to fall in line with the Paris Agreement. Through posts on Instagram and Twitter, Greta soon gathered a following and many other students began striking for climate change. #FridaysForFuture was born and has become a worldwide initiative. All over the globe students and adults have been striking for action to be taken...