Choices 2. Hygiene Products from Cradle to Grave

Is there such a thing as a perfectly ethical choice?
How can we weigh up the costs and benefits of our decisions?
Should we feel guilty about choosing convenience over sustainability?

In this episode we focus on Life Cycle Assessment and, as always, a bit of cost benefit analysis...

In this episode, we take a deep dive and land on soft, cuddly nappies and sanitary pads. 

Wait, are you going to use them once and chuck them in the bin or invest more in reusables..? 

Compared to disposables, reusable hygiene products are seen by many as the 'ethical' choice. But what are the hidden costs of cleaning, washing, and maintaining reusables? Through the lens of life-cycle analysis, we look at the financial and environmental costs of hygiene products. 

A switch to reusable sanitary products may not be enough if we go about washing them at power-hungry, high temperatures, or if we rely on reusable nappies without a plan to get children to use the potty as early as possible. 

We finish off with an ode to the unsung hero of cleaning aids: vinegar.  

 

Key references we used for this episode are listed in our website jointhedotspodcast.com/hygiene

*** The views we and our guests express in this podcast are our own ***