TamPontification

I learned about this effort last year and emailed it on to one or two femministas...but that was before my new blogging life. A reminder came in an email today from my SIL, who got it from her sister, Beth in New York City, and so I pass the information and the opportunity on to you:

Seventh Generation is a company that sells, among other earth-friendly things, organic and bleach-free personal care products. Although I am a rather loyal advocate of the Keeper, I know that not everyone can or will use it, and Seventh Generation has made a commitment to provide fairly-essential-but-oft-overlooked products to women in need:

Women’s shelters in the U.S. go through thousands of tampons and pads monthly, and, while agencies generally assist with everyday necessities such as toilet paper, diapers, and clothing, this most basic need is often overlooked. You and I may take our monthly trips down the feminine care aisle for granted, but, for women in shelters, a box of tampons is five dollars they can’t spare. Here’s some good news: you can help us contribute to rectifying this situation by making a virtual donation below! For each virtual donation, Seventh Generation will send a pack of organic cotton tampons or chlorine-free pads to a shelter in your state.

Click here to make a virtual donation.

And, for some slightly gross entertainment, check out their list of reader-submitted euphemisms. (You can submit your own at the bottom of this page.)

They also have a sort-of blog, written last fall by their mission-fairies--"think Betty & Veronica meets Cagney & Lacey meets Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton".

The mission-fairies spent 30 days (October 13th - November 12th, 2006) touring the West for Seventh Generation, talking to women (and men) about menstruation, hand-delivering product donations to area shelters, and spreading the good word about the importance of natural feminine care while blogging.

It IS advertising for Seventh Generation, but a by-product of the propaganda is more awareness regarding healthier choices and, I hope, less use of chlorinated, super-absorbent products. You can read their trip here; the photos seem to have gone offline. :(