Ten years is a long time to spend messing with your hormones, but if it means a decade without fear of getting knocked up — not to mention less acne, bigger boobs, a more regular cycle and fewer cramps — most women will gladly overlook the potential side effects and start popping the birth control pill as soon as they even think about becoming sexually active.
I first went on it when I was about 16 or 17. My brand loyalties jumped around from Tri-Cyclen to Alesse and finally Marvelon, but I was fairly satisfied with all of them — they did what they promised to do, and as a result I’m most happily not pregnant (sorry, Mum).
But because I’m not in a relationship now, I figured maybe it was time to go off the pill, at least until I find myself with a boyfriend again. In the green scheme of things, this also means reducing all the packaging that inevitably comes with each prescription, not to mention the excess estrogen that ends up going down the toilet and into lakes and streams, where it turns poor little frogs into hermaphrodites.
Of course, swearing off the pill for the rest of the year won’t be very green if it eventually leads to my accidentally increasing the population by one, but there are alternative means of contraception — I think I’ll save that, however, for another post.
Think your blog is wonderful! Quick thought on the bc issue–have you ever considered an IUD? In terms of “greenness” they’re only inserted once every 5 to 10 years (depending on the type) so there’s not the prescription/packaging to deal with monthly. (Plus they’re more effective than the pill). I decided I was done messing about with hormones and so went with the copper version (http://www.paragard.com/paragard/index.php)–somehow the copper is effective and has been around for many, many years.
While IUD’s are used extensively in many other countries, they haven’t quite caught on in N. America. I’ve been quite happy with mine though & have definitely noticed the difference between being on constant hormones and not (and it’s great!)
Yey! Time for a green baby!
Dont forget to take the folic acid every day just in case!
Your mom is hilarious! You could also try the injections (like Depo Provera), although you have waste from the syringe and probably a band-aid. But, depending on the quantity of your, um, activities, it’s less than using condoms alone. Which you should be using anyway. But I’ll leave that for your next post on the matter
a green baby? Does she think you’re about to sleep with Shrek?
I’d prefer the Hulk personally…
in response to the post about depo – many doctors are now discouraging women from using it. the side affects are rather extreme, including loss of bone density. since osteoperosis is already an issue for women, this is an important thing to consider. not to mention, many women dont get their periods while on it, as well as various other extreme side affects which aren’t exeperienced on the pill.
there is still the diaphragm and the fertility awareness method. neither of which i can comment on, having had no experience with them…
good idea though vanessa; pharmaceuticals are both unnatural and wasteful. hopefully you can find a method which allows you to feel empowered while still being ‘green’
YAY! This is the best ‘green’ move you have made yet! In response to the previous post – How about natural family planning and charting your cycles? You learn SO much about your body, therefore empowering you. Charting your cycles will not only benefit you to understand more about how your body works, but in the future you can continue with your significant other and it is the MOST ‘green’ form of birth control (besides the 1 piece of paper you chart on per month – but you can use recycled).
My sister uses natural family planning, and she has 5 kids, so I’m not sure I’d recommend going that route. It seems to me that, unless you (excuse my being so forward) are having sex multiple times per day, condoms probably have the least ecological impact because they don’t introduce hormones into the environment. Or ask your future partner very nicely to get a vasectomy!
(Good luck with that one!)
I know we don’t know each other, but this damn internet does lead one to share senselessly, doesn’t it?
I got my IUD a few months ago and totally did because I have a fear of hormones AND because I wanted a greener method than condoms.
Results? My previously lovely cycle is whack, yo. I mean, no babies, no waste, so it’s sort of a success but at what cost?!?! I may need a support group. Anna, can you hook a sista up?
About the effectiveness of the IUD comment from Anna – HEE! Tell that to my mom, who managed to get knocked up with my little bro while on the IUD
I used to tease him about being a mistake – turns out he was! (albeit one we love very much).
I’m a huge fan of the pill (I can now actually get out of bed the first two days of my period!), but agree wholeheartedly about the overpackaging. Do I REALLY need a box, set of instructions, and carrying case for each package I get? Especially since I get them in batches of 4 months. I’ve been on it for over 10 years also – I’m pretty familiar with how it works at this point. I’m actually going to ask my pharmacist next time around if it’s possible to just get the foil packs. (As going off is, happily, not an option for me
I find many of these posts amusing. I’d like to offer another alternative: Just do it with an old guy (like me) who’s had a vasectomy years ago and is well past the younger generation’s STDs. So! Girlies,… cum on!!!!
I’m going to have to agree w/ kim on the whole depo thing. As someone who took the depo shot for about 6 years I now have osteopenia, which is the early stages of osteoperosis.
Depo is best used for short term usage. However I will say when I was on it, I totally loved it. Didn’t get a period, hardly any cramps, and the thing last for 3 months!
So for short term I’d do the depo all the way, but stick w/ the pill for the long haul if you get into a long relationship.
Or better yet get a man who has already done away w/ his baby making. Snip Snip boys! probably the most green thing you guys can do for the planet & us ladies!!
First time commenter here. Love your blog!
I second Anna’s IUD suggestion. I’ve had mine for 4 years now and getting one was one of the best decisions I ever made. My formerly debilitating cramps are not non existent, my flow has reduced to a trickle and I don’t have to worry about missing a pill! The new style Mirena contains a low dose birth control hormone so it is far more effective than the older style (that HellCat’s mom probably used). The best “green” outcome is using far less feminine hygiene products because of the reduced flow (although you mentioned you already use the diva cup so that isn’t really an issue for you).
Keep up the good (green work)!
Yay! There doesn’t seem enough people out there who think about the effluent discharge from wastewater treatment plants, and how laden it could be with pharmaceuticals that pass through our bodies.
My favorite form of birth control is my personality.
I’m new to this blog and haven’t scrolled back to see everything you’ve written about so far, but….do you know about The Keeper or The Diva Cup? Since everyone’s talking about menstruation, it seemed like an appropriate thing to bring up. If you haven’t, that’s a good, easy change to make.
I have two words for you: NUVA RING. The bestest, greenest, most reliable, non-invasive, wonderful birth control invention EVER! No effluent, minimal packaging, dramatically lower doses of hormones than even the lightest of bc pills. I swear the drug company isn’t paying me to write this (in fact, I can’t remember who makes it, but I think it’s from Germany). If you haven’t already, ask your GYN about it! It’s a tad on the expensive side, but so worth it.
hateration definitely try to stick it out–I’ve had the IUD since July ’06 and my cycle still fluctuates from 5 to 6 weeks. definitely irritating for planning but to me, it’s worth it. I would definitely recommend checking out the “aphrodite woman” forums (http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com/forums/ubbthreads.php) as this helped me make my decision. tons of women share their experiences on every type of bc which helps to see if your symptoms are typical and what you should expect.
good luck! (and if you want to chat outside this blog we could do that too)
The new IUDs are much more reliable than the old ones, although no method is foolproof. But trust yourself on the IUD … I had horrible cramps (almost fainting-level) and freakishly heavy periods. It doesn’t happen very often, so the doctor told me it couldn’t possibly be the IUD. I finally gave up and had it removed … and back to normal. Now use Nuvaring … way better than normal. We have talked vasectomy at our house — but I don’t really want my normal hormones back! Tough decision and a great post on the matter.
I used to love my cervical cap. No packaging, no synthetic chemicals, made of latex, just pop it in before a hot date and its good for 24 hrs. They’re a lot like the Divacup but smaller, smoother, rounded and my guy could hardly feel the difference. The only (kinda) drawback is that its recommended to be used with a dab of spermicide for extra protection, so there’s a bit of packaging there. I got snipped myself, so I don’t need the cap anymore, but highly recommended. Oh, and if you get one, when you wash it and let it air dry, keep out of reach of curious cats! Learned that one the hard way!LOL!
fawn pea — I was on the NuvaRing for a while, too, and loved it. But at least when I was using them, they needed to be refrigerated, which wouldn’t work for Vanessa, as she’s turned off her fridge.
The green question in relation to Birth Control must certainly be bigger than just the packaging, mustn’t it?
We’re talking about reducing the amount of food we eat that’s been pumped full of hormones, and at the same time using drugs that muck around with your body’s normal functioning through the introduction of synthetic progestins to your internal biological functioning.
I know that NFP was mentioned (and summarily dismissed in a following post) but something like Toni Weschler’s “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” is an invaluable resource for figuring out what your body’s telling you through her Fertility Awareness Methods.
It’ll also help you to be more in touch with what’s going on in your body generally, so something that might be worth further investigation…so far, one year and no babies.
A copper IUD has worked for me. (I Can’t take any kind of hormonal contraception because I’ve got aural migraines. )
Makes sense! Nice article! I’ll Digg right away….