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thefinchez · 2 months

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hey so the other day i compiled a bunch of sources to donate / aid the countless palestinians displaced, harmed, and suffering from the genocide in gaza. i figured i should send it here. please do the best you can to help, speak out, and never stop talking about palestine.

urgent relief + child support: https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

child/family support:

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/west-bank-gaza

https://www.unicefusa.org/what-unicef-does/emergency-response/conflict?form=FUNPUTLWGMA

https://irusa.org/middle-east/palestine/

urgent relief:

https://crisisrelief.un.org/opt-crisis

https://donate.unrwa.org/gaza/~my-donation

https://www.anera.org/where-we-work/palestine/gaza/

https://www.womenforwomen.org/palestine

animal rescue:

https://sulalaanimalrescue.com/donate/

menstrual products/hygiene:

https://support.anera.org/a/pads-4-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/providing-sanitary-providing-to-palestinian-women

purchase e-sims (allows people in gaza to connect to the rest of the world electronically):

https://gazaesims.com/

for those who do not have money available to donate, this website let's you click once per day to donate to gaza urgent relief. i don't know exactly how it works, but i think it used ad revenue. either way, it's been confirmed as a reliable source of donation:

https://arab.org/click-to-help/palestine/

if you do not have money to donate, you can also do the following to raise awareness and demand a ceasefire.

contact local congress officials:

https://fcnl.quorum.us/campaign/51886/

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-ceasefire-now

ceasefire petitions:

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/do-everything-you-can-to-stop-all-loss-of-life-now?source=ceasefirenowebsite

https://www.oxfam.org/en/open-call-immediate-ceasefire-occupied-palestinian-territory

find a protest near you:

https://samidoun.net/2023/10/calendar-of-resistance-for-palestine-events-and-actions-around-the-world/

and of course, it is always good to stay informed. these are some sources that i think are pretty good for explaining what's happening:

israel-palestine conflict timeline:

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-hamas

what is hamas?:

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-hamas

#palestine #free palestine #palestinian genocide #gaza #gaza genocide #donate to palestine #from the river to the sea palestine will be free #i stand with palestine 🇵🇸

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purgeturbia · 3 months

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@fartscutely hey man. ive been a big fan of you and your content for four or five years now, so understand that this does not come from a place of malice. but the way you are handling the strike right now is doing more harm than good.

nobody is expecting you to be an expert on the genocide in gaza. nobody wants that from you. while it’s not advised, you can stream this week. you can provide for your kid and that’s okay. but what isn’t okay is pretending like you, with your hundreds of thousands of followers on both twitch and twitter, can’t do any good just because you aren’t an expert.

look at your friends! ranboo, aimsey, tubbo, cellbit, just off the top of my head. some of them aren’t streaming this week at all. tubbo is streaming and actively raising money and encouraging his community to engage with resources and other ways to help. but even your friends who aren’t streaming have been spreading information and places to donate on twitter, their most public platform where links and text-based info, which are super important for raising awareness, can be effectively shared. i actually originally saw this link for donating menstrual and hygiene products because sniff tweeted about it (and it would be a good link for you to share as well, by the way)!

i will say it again. nobody wants you to be an expert. none of your fans are experts. we just want you to understand that your platform matters and your refusal thus far to even retweet anything related to the fact that thousands of people are being systemically displaced and murdered is unacceptable. you have over 400k followers on twitter and if even ONE of those people learns about what’s happening in palestine or donates in support because of something you’ve posted, that is a huge victory. and all you have to do is press one button on a post made by someone who DOES understand what’s happening.

i want to reiterate here: i am not saying this because i think you’re a terrible person. i am not trying to cancel you. i am only, as someone who is passionate about your content and about doing whatever i can to stop the continued escalation of a genocide, doing my best here to help you understand that what you do or do not know is not important here. what is important is that you have the ability to uplift the voices of others, and you cannot ignore that. you cannot explain your way out of that. as a human being you have a responsibility to do something with that. not as a content creator or a person with 400k twitter followers but as a human. your platform just happens to be an important tool to use.

if ever you see a single one of my posts, i hope to god it’s this one. thanks for reading.

#sneegsnag

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hardynwa · 11 months

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44% of women, girls in Nigeria experience menstrual poverty - Expert

A Public Health Physician, Dr Nkiru Ezeama says that about 44 per cent of women and girls in Nigeria are experiencing menstrual poverty as they can not afford N500 sanitary pads. Ezeama made the ascertion at a symposium for schools girls organised by Zobam Charity Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day, on Thursday in Awka. Menstrual Hygiene Day is marks every May 28, to highlight the importance of menstrual hygiene and raise awareness of issues faced by women and girls who do not have access to sanitary products. She said that menstrual poverty made many women and girls resort to unhygienic materials to absorb menstrual blood which could cause reproductive infections, urinary infection among others. Ezeama described menstruation as the monthly expulsion of blood and cellular fragments from the uterus that starts at puberty. According to her, menstruation is a normal biological process and part of a woman's life and not something to be ashamed of or to be stigmatised. "It is sad that many women and girls have their confidence eroded for the mere fact that they menstruate. They feel ashamed when they are in their periods which most times causes mental stress and could lead to anxiety and depression. "Approximately 1.2 billion women and girls across the world do not have sufficient access to menstrual hygiene products due to poverty. "Several are deprived of facilities where they can treat menstrual pain, change their pads and access to dispose pads in good facilities. "According to statistics, one in 10 girls in Africa miss school because of their periods and about 44 per cent of women and girls in Nigerian are experiencing period poverty, they cannot afford N500 sanitary pads," she said. The Public Health physician said that poverty, gender inequality, cultural abuse and lack of access to basic services contributed to why menstrual hygiene needs were unmet. Ezeama urged manufacturers of menstrual hygiene products to consider biodegradable friendly, hygienic and cheaper products that could be easily absorbed in the soil, as a way of addressing menstrual poverty in the country Also speaking, Prof. Stella Okunna, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Paul’s University, Awka said that menstruation was not a taboo or abomination. "In rural areas, many women grew up believing that menstruation is a taboo or something unclean and till date they still feel embarrassed when in their periods. "Menstruation shows you are developing appropriately as a young woman and you should be happy because you are on the right part to adulthood," she said. In her remarks, Mrs Chizoba Okolieukwu, the Convener, said the symposium was to sensitise students on importance of good menstrual hygiene to restore the confidence of the girl-child. "We need to sensitise our girls on personal hygiene, how to make reusable pad as an alternative way of procuring menstrual pad as most of them were from low income families and can not afford disposable pads. "This is also an avenue to donate sanitary pads to girls in about 30 secondary schools in the state under the 'One Girl One Pad Initiative'. We are calling on government, individuals, and foreign donors to key into this project, " she said Read the full article

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egcdeath · 3 years

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aunt flo

summary: your monthly friend decides to visit you while staying over at steve’s.

word count: 1.5k

pairing: steve rogers x reader

warnings: periods (so blood as well), awkward situations

a/n: this is definitely inspired by the *ahem* cycle that is currently plaguing me. it also hasn’t been thoroughly edited as this was the first time in a while that i’d written something, and i wanted to share it with you all as soon as possible! i hope you enjoy <3

Sleeping over at Steve’s apartment was never a bad experience for you. He seemed to always be completely prepared for what the night would entail, whether it be a plethora of snacks, or your favorite scent of lotion.

However, when you woke up in what felt like a pool of your own blood, saying you were alarmed was a bit of an understatement. You mentally cursed at yourself for not realizing ahead of time that your cycle was set to start any time that week, and the fact that you’d bled all over your boyfriends sheets.

You attempted to slip out of Steve’s grasp and out of bed to assess the damage done in both your underwear, and on the bed. Once you were finally standing on the floor and gawking at the red spot in bed, you rubbed your forehead exasperatedly. While it wasn’t as bad as you’d expected, it certainly wasn’t good. The quarter sized blood stain seemed to be glaring back to you, and you decided to glare back at it before heading into the en-suite.

Before plopping yourself down on the toilet, you searched through cupboard upon cupboard for some sort of period product. Behind the mirror: aftershave, Advil, bandaids, a random bar of soap, nothing you could use. Under the sink: Epsom salt, your favorite body wash, an extra bottle of shampoo, but not a tampon in sight. Above the toilet: a few rolls of toilet paper, yet nothing even resembling a pad.

Seeing as Steve seemed pretty prepared for anything related to you, you were more than a bit surprised that he hadn’t considered that you were a menstruating human. You huffed as you sat down on the toilet, then assessed the damage control you’d need to do. First and foremost, you needed something to protect the rest of Steve’s apartment from your uterine lining. After you figured that out, you desperately needed to get that stain out of your boyfriend's sheets before he’d notice.

Maybe you could order some pads from a grocery store to his apartment. That seemed like a safe bet, but Steve would probably become concerned if he realized you’d been in the bathroom for 45 minutes. Perhaps you could just leave without a word to Steve. But that raises the issue of a random blood stain, and possibly, an upset Steve.

“Think, Y/N, think,” you muttered to yourself. You attempted to brainstorm more options for yourself, but ultimately ended up dozing off, and waking up to the soft rapping against the bathroom door, along with the sound of Steve’s voice.

“Sweetheart, everything okay in there? You’ve been in there for a while, and I saw some blood on the bed. Did you hurt yourself?”

You mentally cursed at yourself, at least now you’d only have to worry about obtaining a pad, and not addressing the mess on the bed.

“Oh yeah, I’m completely fine. Actually, I should probably head home,” you attempted to sound convincing, but didn’t exactly hit the mark.

“Are you sure? I thought we were gonna get brunch together this morning.”

You could’ve sworn you heard the frown in Steve’s voice. “Oh, uh, I’m not super hungry right now.”

“Okay, that’s fine. But about that blood, what happened? Are you alright?” He questioned.

“I’m fine, Steve.”

“Did the headboard scratch you? Did I sleep fight you or something? Did you hit your leg on the nightstand again?”

“Jesus Steve,” you scoffed a bit at the overload of questions. “I just started my period. And you have nothing I can use here, so I need to go home. That’s why there’s blood in your bed, and that’s why I’ve been in here all morning.”

“Doll, you should’ve told me! I’ll go get you something, okay?” He opened the door just a crack, and blew you a kiss. “Just stay right where you are. I’ll be back quicker than you can say period. There’s medicine behind the mirror, and I can grab you my heating pad before I go. Maybe taking a shower would help t-“

“Steve,” you giggled. “That’s plenty. Now go get my shit so I can stop bleeding all over the place.”

“Got it. I love you,” he smiled warmly at you before closing the door softly, and heading out.

—

Steve basically sprinted to his nearest convenience store, getting lost in the feminine hygiene section, then finding himself completely at loss with what he was supposed to buy. There were just too many options. He considered calling you to ask what you need, but he didn’t want to bother you more than necessary. Plus, you could be standing in the shower right now, and what if you heard your phone ringing, tried to get out of the shower to answer, and slipped? The thought of you hurting yourself made Steve shudder.

He ended up settling on three different varieties of pads and tampons. If you didn’t need them, he could always donate them to a local shelter. He then stopped by the candy aisle to grab you some dark chocolates (he’d heard in passing that it was good for menstruating women), along with a package of panties that looked like they could be your size, before hopping in line at a register.

In the midst of Steve’s menstruation mania, he failed to notice a random customer snapping a photo of him with the over abundance of women’s hygiene products. He was much more busy with checking out and getting back to you as fast as humanly possible.

——

Once Steve made it back to his apartment, he found you still in the bathroom, surrounded by a light mist of fog from the shower, and clad in an oversized sweatshirt with a faded SHIELD logo.

“I didn’t know what to get you, so I got you everything,” Steve blushed at his own unpreparedness, then passed you the bags of period products. “I’m gonna go change the sheets. When you’re ready, just meet me in bed, okay?” He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead before leaving the bathroom, letting you handle your business.

——

A breakfast-in-bed and movie marathon later, you were still cuddled up in Steve’s bed, his massive body giving you an extra level of warmth that was soothing your cramps like nothing you’d ever witnessed before. You were probably more comfortable than you’d ever been. Except for the incessant vibrating of your phone on the bedside table.

You’d finally reached out for it, and were pretty shocked to see all of the messages you’d received. You opened the first message from one of your closest friends, and your eyebrows raised as you read it.

LMAO read this right now bitch

enews.com/caps-pad-problem

Curiosity got the best of you, so you opened up the article.

#Padgate?

If you've been anywhere on the internet in the last few hours, you’ve certainly seen the word “padgate” trending. The reason why is more interesting than you’d think.

Early this morning, Captain America, America’s sweetheart was spotted buying out the entirety of the feminine hygiene section of his local convenience store.

From this, a huge question rises. Is he donating? There’s certainly enough pads and tampons to keep an army of women satisfied for a year. Is he seeing someone? She must be some lucky gal. Either way, when we thought this man couldn’t get any more lovable- he did!

You blushed while reading the article, not exactly sure how to feel. After letting it simmer in your brain for a second, you began to giggle, deciding that more than anything, it was pretty damn funny. You texted a quick message back to your friend who’d sent the article, then finally began to speak to Steve, who was giving you a bit of a confused look at your giggling.

“Steve, you goof. Someone took a picture of you buying all of that period stuff, and now the internet has gone wild.”

“What? Let me see,” he reached for your phone, and you gladly passed it to him. He skimmed over the article, then furrowed his brows. “Tony and the PR department are never going to let me live this down,” he groaned.

“Don’t be so dramatic, maybe something good will come out of this!” You chided, giving him a mischievous grin.

——

As it turns out, the word good is subjective.

It’d been about a month post-padgate, and you’d been strolling through the store with Steve, working on getting your groceries for the week.

As you entered the wellness aisle, you looked at the shelves containing menstrual products, knowing that you needed to restock sooner than later.

When you first saw what you saw, you had to do a complete double take. Your eyes must’ve been deceiving you.

A Tampax box stared back at you, a logo with a shield containing a star clearly defined on the box, along with the text ‘Captain America approved!’

“No way,” you actually laughed out loud at the sight. “Steve!” you grabbed onto his sleeve, and pulled him in the direction of the box so he could see what you were seeing.

“No way!” He reprised. “Oh my God. I’m really never gonna live this down, am I?”

#steve rogers x reader #steve x reader #steve rogers x you #captain america #captain america x you #avengers x reader #captain america x reader #chris evans x you #chris evans x reader #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #hey i wrote that lol

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mynamemeanscute · 3 years

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i’ve realized over the past few months that leaving this corner of the internet untouched for the better part of this year has left me a bit overwhelmed and a lot uncertain of where and how to pick back up. while i recognize this blog isn’t monetized, i don’t have a huge following, and there is literally zero obligation to regularly post random tidbits about one’s life for all to see, i have genuinely enjoyed logging my life in such a way that i’m able to scroll through what is essentially the last decade of my life and have a pretty decent clue as to what was going on at any given point. i have decided to jump back in here by highlighting a meaningful project my partner and i have taken on over the past few months.

back in september, there was a post going around showing how much $43 amounts to in school supplies in iqaluit. it got a lot of attention and many supplies (an excess, in fact!) were sent to inuksuk high school. recognizing the high costs of many items in the north affects more than the budget of a single school, we got in touch with vice principal of the local high school in cambrige bay, nunavut .

kiilinik high school is able to provide school supplies for their students from the school's budget (!!); however, their vice principal explained period poverty is very real for their community, as it is for many menstruating individuals in the arctic. it is not uncommon to pay upwards of $15-$18 for a small box of tampons, and the lack of menstrual products can lead to, "missed school and work days, health problems and a decreased sense of self-worth" (source). in response to this need, we decided to ship three flat rate boxes filled with tampons, pads, and reusable cups to the school with the hopes of helping them to better support their students and their community.

in an update from the vice principal, we learned the students were incredibly excited to open the packages and went about setting up a “room of requirements” (yes, this is a HP reference) in the school for whomever needs clothing, shoes, and basic toiletry items. we were graced with a photo of the “period shelf” (below). the high schoolers also took the initiative to put together a presentation to educate the junior high students about good period hygiene and product use, and to make sure they all knew they can go to any of the seniors if they need extra support.

in november, the students of kiilinik high school collaborated and gave our project a name: “pijitsirniq, period”. the first part of the name is one of a number of inuit societal values and means, “serving or providing for family and/or community.” the second part speaks for itself. we are both honoured and excited to have been given this name.

once we had a name, we created a GoFundMe page, in an effort to increase the legitimacy of our project and to reach a wider audience. the goal of $6,000 is the approximate amount it will take to support kiilinik high school, with three flat rate shipping boxes shipped monthly, for the next school year. we are please to announce we have already successfully collected enough funds to support the school for the remainder of the current school year and into the next.

this past week, we spent the better part of four days baking, decorating, and delivering assorted holiday cookies and treats, as a fun and festive way to raise money that wasn’t just, “hello, money please.” we managed to raise over $500, and only sacrificed one spatula in the process. needless to say, we are very done with cookies for the next while and the celebratory bowl of kale was probably the best decision i ever made.

i did the big shop for the december shipment yesterday, so i’ll be getting that boxed and to the post office asap. we have some future plans for our little two person organization and i may have a particularly exciting phone meeting next week, so sit tight (and thank you for following along... if you read this mini novella here, you are fully up to speed, and i am so jazzed you stayed). if you are able and willing to donate, please check out the GoFundMe page. if you can’t or just don’t want to (both valid), please consider sharing, chatting about what we’re doing, generally spreading the word. we are (and will be) all the grateful.

#pijitsirniqperiod #periodproject #menstrualproducts #north #Canada #Arctic #Nunavut #links #project #community #personal #return to blogging #snapshots #tampons #pads #menstrualcups

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bigbrosbarbershop · 4 years

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Hello, dearest clients!

Wow, COVID-19 has REALLY thrown us for a loop this year. We've got commercial rent to pay, we're occasionally shut down by the province, and when we are allowed to be open, we're fitting clients in between extensive disinfection routines and trying to protect ourselves and our own physical/mental health challenges.

These limitations mean that we cannot work much harder, and I think we are already working smarter. Raising prices would price out a large portion of our marginalized LGBTQ2SIA+ clients, defeating the purpose of our inclusive, trans-centred community space.

Because of the circumstances of 2020, we are humbly requesting help! We understand that many folks are scrambling for cash right now - we are not at risk of an immediate shutdown, but our future is precarious. If you can safely afford to throw a monthly donation our way, big or small, it would really help us maintain our presence in the city.

Do you want some form of digital content in exchange? Newsletter updates? Trans Q&A videos? Let us know! We're trying to get creative. --

If you've never heard of Big Bro's Barbershop, here's our intro blurb!

On September 1, 2015, Jessie Anderson opened Big Bro’s Barbershop for business on a budget of roughly nine thousand dollars, all crowdfunded from community members. In exchange, he had promised a brick-and-mortar space dedicated to the wellness of the trans community, created by a member of the trans community. Big Bro’s Barbershop would be a place where trans people could receive hair services without hassle, purchase gender-affirming products that are rarely available on store shelves, and have access to resources that are often difficult to find or afford.

For the first eight months that the business was open, Big Bro’s was located in a 300ft² windowless art studio in an industrial Franklin Street warehouse. Clients would ring a doorbell on a discreet sign hung on the front gate, and Anderson would run downstairs to escort his guests up to the shop. However, this original location was surprisingly well-received – queer folks in Vancouver were hardly strangers to community events and resources being hosted in odd affordable corners of Canada’s most expensive city.

Rapid-fire press coverage declaring Big Bro’s Barbershop the first business of its kind generated enough hype for Anderson to win Best Emerging Entrepreneur at the 2016 Small Business BC Awards, as one of only ten SBBC Awards winners selected from 535 province-wide nominations. This momentum carried Big Bro’s into its current location, an 800ft² storefront on Nanaimo Street, shared with independent queer hairdresser Zed Payne.

Since first opening its doors, Big Bro’s Barbershop has hosted a number of projects, fundraisers, and independent contractors, including: - two trans (and trans-friendly) tattooists (who later became owners of their own tattoo studio, Sticks & Stones) - several trans (and trans-friendly) service providers, including two makeup artists, a body piercer, and a tailor-slash-bootblack - a monthly-rotated gallery of work from local visual artists - an afternoon of beautification services for a group of current and former sex workers, via PACE - trans health surveys - fundraising sales for by-trans-for-trans projects, including locally-produced sitcom The Switch - financial contributions to the Trans March, Black Lives Matter, the Compassion Club, local schools and events, crowdfunding campaigns for cancer patients, and more - community consultations with Vancouver-based medical providers and non-profits - a free, recurring clothing swap for community members - double-discounted haircuts for folks on welfare and/or disability - free access to harm reduction supplies (safer sex supplies, menstrual pads, hormone injection supplies, safer drug use supplies) Big Bro’s Barbershop continues to serve its community as one of the few physical spaces dedicated to enhancing the lives of Vancouver’s trans community beyond the context of medical transition.

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2k30-blog · 5 years

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40 Small Things You Can Start Doing to Save Our Planet

You don’t have to pack up and live in a van or a tiny house and start a zero waste life (although you totally can if that’s your jam!) to reduce your CO2 emissions. There are plenty of things you can start doing right now that will help.

1. Turn off your water while shaving or brushing your teeth. Seriously, you should already be doing this.

2. Carpool, take the bus, take the train, bike, or walk where possible. Yes, I know walking home from work in the summer sucks, but it will suck a whole lot more when the earth is 2 degrees hotter. If your school or work is too far away to do this regularly, try finding parking further away from your destination and park there for the day. Not only will this help cut down on your fuel usage, but you get in some exercise as a bonus.

3. Shop locally sourced products. Did you know that the majority of resources involved in making a product go to the production and distribution of it, and not the final product itself? Buying locally sourced products not only helps boost the local economy, but also cuts down on the energy and resources needed to transport the product to its destination.

4. Speaking of shopping, bring reusable bags! According to the Center for Biological Diversity, it only takes approximately 14 bags for the equivalent of gas to drive 1 mile, and only 1% of plastic bags are returned for recycling. Not only do single use bags use fossil fuels for production, but they also end up as toxic waste and landfill. Reusable bags can be bought for as little as 99c each, and can be used hundreds of times. Many are even biodegradable to ensure they don’t end up as long term landfill.

5. Use the 4 R’s. Many people believe in the 3 R’s, but did you know there’s a fourth? Refuse. Refuse to use unnecessary products that create single use waste, such as single use grocery bags. Reduce the amount of products you buy and waste you use, when it’s impractical or impossible to eliminate them entirely. Reuse whatever you can, such as jars and cans. I’ll have an article soon about 50 household items that can be easily reused. And finally, recycle whatever you can’t reuse any further.

6. Read up on the recycling rules for your municipality. Chances are, that pizza box might not be recyclable after all. Many areas have rules regarding items that were used to store food, such as chip packets and pizza boxes, as the oil may be in the cardboard. Read up on the rules so you know what you can actually recycle, and whether you should be washing and taking apart bottles before you toss them.

7. Replace leaky taps and pipes. If you have a single leaky faucet that drips once every 6 seconds, that’s 347 gallons (almost 1,314 litres) a year dripping out your tap. Replace or seal them where possible.

8. Turn off appliances at the wall when they aren’t in use, and turn off lights when you aren’t in the room.

9. Cut down your meat intake. Don’t get me wrong, I love meat. However, meat agriculture takes up a gross amount of land, water, and resources. The emissions from the meat industry outweigh the emissions of all cars, trains, boats, and planes combined. You don’t have to go cold-turkey (pun fully intended), but cutting down your meat consumption to only a couple meals a week can greatly help. According to earthday.org, if the entire U.S. did not eat meat or cheese for just one day a week, it would be the equivalent of taking 7.6 million cars off the road. Try going meat free for one or more days per week.

10. Use a reusable water bottle. Stainless steel and aluminium water bottles (such as Hydroflask or Kathmandu, not sponsored, I just like the brands) are great as they have a long life cycle, can be recycled, and you don’t risk BPA and other chemicals leeching into your water from plastic. If you don’t live somewhere with good water, buy an under sink filter or even a Brita. I prefer under sink filters as they’re easy to install and in the long run they’re cheaper and produce less waste, but both options are better than buying cases of water bottles.

11. Put a bucket or old ice cream container in your sink to catch runoff. My grandma, who was raised during the depression, has always done this. Use it to collect any water that doesn’t have contaminants or soap, so you can pour it on houseplants or in your garden.

12. Use non-toxic biodegradable laundry and dishwashing products so that you aren’t washing toxic chemicals down the drain.

13. Bring a reusable thermos or coffee cup to get your coffee. If you don’t make coffee at home, try bringing your own thermos or coffee cup to your local coffee joint. Most stores will be happy to make your drink in there, and some stores even offer discounts for you doing so!

14. Wash your hair less. Not only is this good for your hair, but it also means less toxic waste getting into the sewer. Many people (including me) are ditching shampoo altogether and just using conditioner, but if you can’t go without your shampoo, try to reduce your hair washing to once a week.

15. If it’s yellow, let it mellow! If you’re just doing a Number One, you really don’t need to flush every time. An average toilet uses 1.4 gallons of water for a flush (but if you have a toilet dating before 1995, you may be using up to 7 gallons per flush!), if you pee 10 times a day, that’s 14 gallons of water. If you flush every second pee, you’ll save 7 gallons of water per day, or 2,555 gallons per year.

16. Air dry clothes instead of using the dryer. My dryer is strictly reserved for emergencies. Even in the smallest apartment, you can find a foldable clothesline that suits your needs. Place it next to a vent or radiator for maximum drying abilities.

17. Have a baby? Use reusable cloth diapers. One child can use anywhere between five to eight thousand diapers. That’s a lot of landfill.

18. Plant a tree. Did you know that the average person would need to plant almost 9 trees per month for their life to offset their carbon emissions? The good news is that even planting just one tree will help. Read up on what trees and native plants are goo for your area.

19. Use cruise control when in level areas. Cruise control can seriously help reduce your fuel consumption, but it works best in level areas. If you’re driving in a hilly terrain, it’s best to use your old fashioned gas pedal.

20. Getting a new car? Consider an electric, or at least a hybrid. The electric and hybrid car markets are expanding, and now you can even get hybrid 4WD’s. Obviously not practical if you’re happy with your current car, but if you’re in the market, check it out. Compare gas mileage and make an informed decision.

21. Buy secondhand and thrift. It’s cheap and you can find some great deals and gorgeous things. Need I say more?

22. On the same note, regularly donate anything you don’t need instead of throwing it away.

23. Try reusable menstrual management. Reusable cloth pads and period cups are a lot better than they sound. I was a skeptic, but after switching to a cup, I’ll never look back. Not only am I saving money, but I’m also saving an estimated 437 tampons per year.

24. Recycle clothing hangers. Many clothing hangers aren’t actually recyclable, but as it turns out, some dry cleaners will gladly take your old hangers to use.

25. Reduce your junk mail. Get bank statements emailed to you instead of mailed, and contact any junk mail services to tell them you no longer want their mail. Unsubscribe from mailing lists.

26. Get rechargeable batteries. While we’re at it, did you know there are battery rechargers that can recharge non-rechargeables? Life. Changing.

27. Don’t run the dryer, washing machine, or dishwasher unless it’s full.

28. Replace all your bulbs with energy efficient LEDs.

29. Maintain your car. If, like me, you do have to regularly drive a non-electric car, you could be wasting a considerable amount of fuel due to your car not being maintained.

30. Reduce the weight of your car. I know it sounds stupid, but added weight really does change your fuel efficiency. I’m not suggesting you rip out your spare tire and back seats, but you should remove roof racks or storage pods when you’re not using them.

31. Use both sides of a piece of paper when printing or taking notes.

32. Wash your laundry in cold water when possible. Unless your garment tag specifically advises against it, your fancy blouse can probably be washed cold.

33. Use matches instead of lighters. The wood of a match will degrade long before that plastic BIC.

34. Dim your screen and turn off data when it’s not needed. You’ll save on your phone or laptop’s battery usage, and in turn, need to charge them less.

35. Put less on your plate and go back for seconds when needed. No, this isn’t a diet tip. Approximately a third of what Americans put on their plate will go in the garbage. Put less on your plate, and only go back for more if you’re still hungry. Put leftovers in an airtight container and eat them the next day.

36. Ease off on your heating and AC. There’s no shame in wearing jackets around the house, but even if you’re not that extreme, you could save a lot of energy by changing the temperature by just 1 degree.

37. Buy paper stick cotton tips (Q-tips) instead of ones with plastic sticks.

38. Eat more raw foods. This will either reduce your propane or electricity usage, depending on your oven or stove.

39. See some trash on the sidewalk? Pick it up.

40. Check your home for drafts and air leaks. It will make your heating and cooling system more efficient.

I know these all sound like small or useless things, but if we all take a few seconds and try out a few of these methods, it will make a difference. Every bit helps.

#climate change #climate crisis #ecofriendly #sustainability #environmetalists #environment #environmentally friendly #global warming #warming #paris climate accord #climate #earth #nature

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wsuhighprogram · 5 years

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Let’s Talk About Homelessness and Menstruation

March is Women's History Month, which means it's a perfect time to discuss an issue faced by homeless women that often goes without consideration and many shy away from talking about due to stigma — menstruation and access to menstrual products while homeless.

The 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that on a single night in January, 39% of the homeless population consisted of women. Fewer than 1% identified as transgender or gender-nonconforming, and a percentage of those individuals likely deal with menstruation as well. Though we think of menstruation of a strictly female issue, not all women menstruate and not everyone who menstruates identifies as a woman. All of the individuals reported this night ranged in age from under 18 to over 24; on average, a person who menstruates will do so from the ages of 12 to 51, making it safe to assume that a significant number of those reported homeless deal (or have dealt) with menstruation.

All things considered, it's safe to say that there are far, far more individuals who struggle with menstruation while homeless than we talk or perhaps even stop to think about. A quick glance at Walmart's website shows that sanitary products are priced between $4.00 and $15.00 — while the lower end might seem like pocket change to someone who's even somewhat financially secure, that $4.00 could be the difference between a cheap meal or going hungry for the night. "The difficulty was I then had to make decisions on what to spend the money on," a formerly homeless young woman by the name of Taylor said in her interview with Teen Vogue. "Do I want to eat and be full, or how can I ration my menstrual products so they can last the duration of my period?"

Additionally, government assistance programs do not cover pads or tampons. According to the paper Menstrual Hygiene Plight of Homeless Women, A Public Health Disgrace by Allegra Parrillo MD, tampons and other sanitary items are classified as "not qualifying as 'treatment or prevention of illness or disease in human beings'" and therefore are considered a luxury. "The result is that benefits available to the homeless, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), cannot be used to purchase these items," writes Parrillo. "That state legislatures could consider sanitary products as a luxury instead of a necessity is ludicrous."

With nowhere else to turn, these individuals are forced to turn to less-than-sanitary options. This leads to an increased risk for health issues, from urinary tract infections to potentially deadly toxic shock syndrome. They can miss out on opportunities such as job interviews for fear of bleeding through their clothing, not being able to properly clean soiled clothes, or because they aren't able to properly treat their cramps (or any number of ailments that can accompany a period). For transgender individuals who menstruate, not having access to sanitary supplies and private bathrooms can be downright dangerous in another way; these situations can make it difficult to "blend in," opening up the potential for violence against them.

How can you help? In the Wayne State community, the W Food Pantry helps students in need with sanitary products along with food. Although a student can access the pantry every two weeks, receiving only these products does not count against a students' visit limit. The W accepts donations of these (and other) resources — more information on how and where to donate can be found on their website. We here at the HIGH Program also provide our recipients with sanitary products when needed and appropriate, and although we don't take direct donations of these products, all donations help us to assist our most vulnerable students in several ways (menstrual products included). Find more about what we do and how to donate on our website!

Looking to help your local community? Donate pads, tampons, or other sanitary supplies to a homeless shelter or organization near you. As a consequence of lack of awareness, pads and tampons are among the least-donated supplies to shelters despite being one of the most requested items. Find shelters around you (the Homeless Shelter Directory as a great place to begin) and make sure they accept these sorts of donations. Finally, if a financial or supply donation isn't doable for you, there are still ways to help. Learning more on the topics of homelessness and menstruation and raising awareness is an excellent way to help; even volunteering at shelters can do a lot of good.

Tackling an issue that's hardly talked about can be intimidating, especially when there's a good deal of stigma surrounding it. Just opening the conversation is a huge start, and together we can do this!

#women's history month #homelessness #homeless #signal boost #college

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nonbinarypastels · 7 years

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Feeling clean and comfortable during your period is something a lot of women take for granted and a lot other women wish they could take for granted. For far too many women menstrual supplies are simply not accessible. They're either: 1. Expensive or 2. Hard to find if you don't live near a proper grocery store. This is especially true if you are a student at any of our area high schools or middle schools, all of which are classified "high poverty" and with many attendance zones in verified food deserts (areas that do not have access to full-service grocery stores.) If you are a young woman with special menstrual needs like heavy flow finding the right products can be even more of a challenge as quality pads and super absorbancy tampons are hard to find even if you do have transportation. My goal with this fundraiser is to raise money to purchase tampons and pads in various sizes to donate to our two high schools and three middle schools so that they will be available to whomever needs them so that every young woman can feel clean and comfortable and ready to take on the day regardless of her personal situation. Every woman has been stuck somewhere without a tampon or pad at the moment we need it most. It's a desperate feeling and one a lot of us experience only occasionally. For a lot of women though, this is a challenge faced every single month. I believe that reproductive health is a basic human right. I believe that all young women should have access to the same educational opportunities available to everyone else and that our biology should never impede us. I believe in the sisterhood that we've all experienced when we are in a bathroom stall in our time of need and call out "hey, anybody got a tampon?" and everyone starts rumaging in their bag. I believe we can do this for our girls.

Hey y'all! This is a fundraiser for a project that I saw on my local news and thought was incredibly important as it's addressing a rather pressing issue that doesn't really ever get talked about, so I wanted to share it here where I could get it some extra attention. If you're able to donate to this or even just reblog it I'm sure it would be appreciated.

#donations #fundraisers #menstruation #poverty #virginia #periods tw /#cissexist language tw /#casual cissexism tw /#(tagging as such bc the post equates period with women when #not all women have period and #not all people who have periods are women #and i don't want anyone to be triggered by that language #but wording aside this is still a worthwhile cause that deserves support!)

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jeramymobley · 4 years

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Hey Girls launches UNsanitary product “period poverty” campaign

New UNsanitary pads campaign highlights shocking reality that unsanitary products such as socks and newspapers are being used in place of period products

Social enterprise Hey Girls, adam&eveDDB and The Big Issue have come together to launch a national campaign to raise awareness of the shocking extent of period poverty in the UK.

Research undertaken to launch the initiative reveals that 1 in 6 UK women or members of their family have been affected by period poverty, and therefore not been able to access sanitary products.

This supports previous research which showed 1 in 10 girls and young women aged 14 to 21 in the UK are unable to afford sanitary wear, yet 45 percent of the public remain unaware of this enormous problem. Meanwhile, 52 percent of UK adults say they are unaware that some girls and young women in the UK use unsanitary items in place of period products due to their expense, including loo rolls, newspaper, socks and leaves.

Reflecting a need for greater awareness and action, the latest research shows 49 percent of Britons say they are ‘ashamed’ period poverty exists in the UK and 38 percent are ‘appalled’. Four in ten (37 percent) say the nature of the problem makes them now fear for girls growing up in the UK.

The UNsanitary range, created by adam&eveDDB, encompasses real products, and was available at pop-ups in selected ASDA stores on Saturday, 15 February.

At first glance, the UNsanitary range resembles authentic products that follow the normal category cues. However, on closer inspection, shoppers see that they contain items representing some of the real unsanitary items girls are often forced to use — socks, newspaper and loo roll. The products were not actually for sale.

The UNsanitary brand, Hey Girls’ biggest campaign to date, is being supported by a consumer campaign in partnership with 3 Monkeys Zeno and Clear Channel.

3 Monkeys Zeno — working with some of its partners, Markettiers, Run Ragged and Opinium, created a full PR launch plan comprising influencer social media support from people such as Georgie Swallow and Sheri Scott, broadcast, and full media announcement. In collaboration with Clear Channel, the campaign, including some of the influencer content will be displayed across full-motion digital advertising screens in shopping malls nationwide and on their Storm site in London.

To help drive awareness and education, The Big Issue have created a ground-breaking special edition, which includes a 24-page special mini-magazine about periods, menstrual products, poverty, activism, the environment – and what we can all do to make a big difference by taking little steps.

The exclusive edition is a UK-first in the publishing world, the first of its kind, dedicating an entire publication to the issue of period poverty. For many years The Big Issue has championed organisations that tackle period poverty, and through social investment arm, Big Issue Invest, they have supported Hey Girls in their remarkable growth.

In addition to the national distribution from The Big Issue vendors, Hey Girls have recruited their own community partners, who are getting behind the campaign by distributing the publication. For every copy sold through their community partners, Hey Girls will be donating a product to someone in need.

All of the communication links through to the UNsanitary website where Hey Girls and the UNsanitary launch story is revealed.

Celia Hodson, founder of Hey Girls, said: “We created ‘UNsanitary’ to provoke awareness about the shocking extent of period poverty in the UK. Progress is being made, but we knew we needed to do something drastic for large numbers of people to take notice of what so many women and girls are going through. We hope the campaign will rally businesses and the government to instigate more radical changes.”

The mini-magazine, which will be included within the regular The Big Issue edition, has been on sale from vendors across the UK since Monday, 17 February.

The campaign features a new range of stylishly packaged period products, but they are not what they seem. The packs in fact contain UNsanitary items such as loo roll, newspapers and socks – representing what thousands of girls and young women resort to as they are not able to afford period products.

The article Hey Girls launches UNsanitary product “period poverty” campaign appeared first on World Branding Forum.

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myplasticproject · 5 years

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living a healthy, hygienic, sustainable life🧼

one area of my life i knew i would struggle with making plastic free was my hygiene. at the start of the summer i couldn’t think of a single item in my bathroom that wasn’t made from plastic, covered in plastic, or a single use non-biodegradeable product. i knew this had to change

so here’s how i got around a plastic infested bathroom;

1. Soap.

luckily for me, my family have always preferred bars of soap to soap dispensers or any other form of plastic bottle containing hand gel. the issue here was finding one not wrapped in plastic. once again, very fortunately, there was a market in town selling soaps, so we stocked up on those

if you’re struggling to find plastic free soap/shampoo/conditioner the shop Lush, very proudly have a “naked cosmetics section” where you can get a range of products entirely plastic free. in addition on this page, there are several articles explaining the situation our plastic usage and waste has led us too.

https://uk.lush.com/plastic-free-packaging/all-naked-products

2. Toothbrushes

possibly the one of most common and easy things to exchange for a non plastic version. my sister has been using a bamboo toothbrush for years and when my plastic one broke*, i bought myself one too

(*i must stress here that even though i wanted to go plastic free, i didn’t just throw away my plastic toothbrush, i waited until i could no longer use it first. one of the most important things about living sustainably is using what you already have, and reusing until you can’t anymore- and then investing in a sustainably sourced and ethically produced version that is either biodegradable or will last you forever)

the brand i bought my toothbrush from is called The Humble Co. they’re a swedish brand that started in 2013 who are “leading a small revolution in personal care products”. they recognised the true horror behind the fact that 3.6 billion toothbrushes are consumed by the world every single year, all of which will continue to exist somewhere in eithe landfill or the ocean, for thousands of years

the company also fund a project called the Humble Smile Foundation, where a group of “dedicated dental professionals and academics, develop models whereby volunteer teams work together with local school staff to promote specific behaviour-based preventive oral health initiatives that include dietary interventions, monitored toothbrushing and clinical procedures” they work in countries across the world and the work they do is incredibly important

to find out more about this company here is their website- https://thehumble.co

3. Makeup, Makeup remover, Wipes

i found it rather difficult to accumulate any sort of information on the amount of plastic packaging used in the beauty industry and according to Amy Ziff (the executive director of Made Safe) it’s because “it’s just an area that’s been less scrutinized in beauty than other industries,”

however i did discover an informative article by Teen Vogue who’s global data on plastic packaging in the beauty industry, shows that in 2017, 76.8 billion units of plastic packaging were produced

(here’s a link to that article) https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.teenvogue.com/story/the-beauty-industry-has-a-plastics-problem/amp

okay, so i don’t really wear that much makeup, sure i wear mascara and some concealer but for me- that’s it, and as i said before i’m not going to throw away perfectly good products and waste them- so unfortunately i didn’t need to buy any new makeup over the summer and so myself, don’t own any non plastic makeup, but i did my research anyways-

from what i found there are a range of incredible brands (for example- Zao, River Organics Beauty, Nudi Goods, Boobalou, Alma Eko etc) that sell beauty products/makeup and more, entirely plastic free! almost all are small, independent companies, that i quickly discovered via instagram- it’s incredibly easy to make the switch when necessary as there are endless options available, they just aren’t from mainstream brands

i did, however, over the summer, invest in reusable makeup wipes. as these increase in demand, you can get them from a multitude of different places- i got mine from the Source Bulk Foods right at the start of summer, but they’re easily bought online.

4. Toilet paper🧻

now this one, at first, i didn’t think there was much of an alternative than the toilet paper wrapped in plastic packaging with some sort of cuddly puppy/elephant or koala on the front. that was until i discovered the brand Who Gives a Crap

they’re an australian brand who donate 50% of their profits to non-profit organisations like WaterAid Australia, Sanergy, Shining Hope For Communties, and Lwala Community Alliance- all organisations who aim to bring sanitation projects around the developing world

so far, they’ve raised $1.8 million (in australian dollars- which is over a million pounds) and if you switch to using there toilet paper, not only are you reducing your plastic footprint on the world but you’re making somebody else’s that bit better too

https://uk.whogivesacrap.org

5. Deodorant

a daily product you may not have considered either- but hey an essential part of your day that once again is smothered in plastic. if you, like me, didn’t think you’d be able to find any plastic free deodorants, think again- and pick your fancy from this list

https://www.peacewiththewild.co.uk/product-category/skincare/plastic-free-deodorant/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2K3rBRDiARIsAOFSW_6wtGgOD1T8z6x3Jj5wfg3wEWLxnUFtI7ONXpYirnQtW2X_C4GxSJIaAl6aEALw_wcB

6. Period Products

both pads and tampons are (almost always) mostly made from non biodegradable plastic. according to one article i read, a conventional pad is 90% plastic and that a pack of menstrual pads is the same as 4 plastic bags moreover tampons are made from polyesters and disposable applicators are often plastic too.

luckily there are alternatives, women can use menstural cups, which are reusable and last much longer (so the initial price is worth it in the long run)- but not always for everybody, so you can also get reusable pads or reusable period underwear too!

here’s an interesting article on making the important switch to plastic free period products

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/friendsoftheearth.uk/plastics/plastic-periods-menstrual-products-and-plastic-pollution%3famp

a very good website and company that are attempting to combat this are Clementine, who make customised boxes for customers- you can check that out here =

https://weareclementine.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search-Clementine-Generic-EU-EN&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2K3rBRDiARIsAOFSW_5ImepcnJKLx34xqi5Oc99RdF4Ut-M3zUerLX_wqoGplOSjN-mx6H0aAlTaEALw_wcB

7. Extras (eg floss, cotton swaps etc)

more often than not, any item in your bathroom that’s riddled with plastic can be replaced by an eco friendly, plastic free, or biodegradable version- you just have to do some research- hopefully one day, all of these items will be readily available in every shop, but for now, we must just help increase demand by buying what we can from who we can

#my plastic project #living sustainably #sustainability #zero waste #zero waste makeup #plastic free

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glenmenlow · 4 years