Author: Alice Fuller (she/her)
The one thing that should never hold you back from adventure is your period.
Getting outside is important for both your physical and mental health. Often, we can feel embarrassed about discussing our periods. However, since it is a completely natural thing, it’s something that we should always support each other on and not shy away from.
Having spent most of my free time in the outdoors, I have come to appreciate the importance of carrying an emergency tampon or two. I can’t tell you the amount of times they have come in handy, whether for when I get that early surprise, to help out a grateful friend, or even for starting a fire. That’s right, set fire to the tampon whilst it's amongst your kindling of small sticks and leaves...ta da! It’s a perfect starter! Check out our friendly-for-the-environment organic tampons here.
Luckily, during my most recent years of outdoor adventuring, I have spent a lot of time with other enthusiasts who menstruate and understand the importance of an emergency tampon. However, due to the disproportionate number of cisgender male members in outdoor activities, the possibility of being caught without backup is pretty high.
This is why my biggest tip for adventurists would be to always have a tampon or two in your rucksack. Even if the chance of you needing one may be slim, you never know!
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However, before you add your emergency tampons to your must-have list, there is still the question of single-use waste. The most important rule when spending time in the outdoors is that we should leave no trace.
Leave No Trace Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. Their basic lesson that everyone should adhere to is;
‘Pack it in, pack it out.’
In recent clean-up efforts, studies have found that there is often an increasingly high amount of single-use period products found on mountains, in bushes, and even in water sources! Packing a trusty zip lock bag is always beneficial during our time of the month so that we can work together to maintain the beauty of the outdoors for others in the future.
Luckily, with the ever-growing importance of sustainability and the environment, you can now opt to choose many waste-free products that are beneficial for you and the environment. Whether that’s a DivaCup or period pants, there is a range of options for you to comfortably spend as much time outdoors as possible!
I have been lucky enough to try out period pants from hiking to mountain biking and I for one will not be looking back, a game changer!
To learn more about the leave no trace campaign – for menstrual products or otherwise – have a look at Leave No Trace Canada.
Author: Alice Fuller (she/her)
My name is Alice. I am from the North West of England, but currently living in Glasgow, Scotland. I write a blog documenting my travels, adventures and time spent outdoors.
I enjoy experiencing new and exciting things. My most recent trip took me to the East Coast of Australia to experience living in a van for 3 months. In the summer months, I love mountain biking on local trails, bagging munroes and white water kayaking - if there has been enough rain. My goal this year is to learn to ski, where I can make the most of the Scottish highlands!
Learn more about Changing The Flow and our menstrual equity efforts here.
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