Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Green Birth Control

I will start with a disclaimer: this is not medical advice nor do I know the effectiveness of the following.

In recent years, we have heard of pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, anti-bacterial agents and birth control hormones entering our drinking water systems. We can eliminate fertilizer use on our lawns, stop using anti-bacterial soap and return unused drugs to the pharmacy but we can't stop women who use birth control from urinating.

I suppose something could be done about waste treatment before it re-enters the environment. The hormones wreak havoc on fish populations and could be in the drinking water. What if a birth control alternative existed? Charting, formally known as Fertility Awareness Method, can be used as a birth control method. Basically, cycles are monitored and sexual activity is limited to certain times. Once adopted it becomes a habit and simple. Sounds like the ease of use associated with pills. May not be for everyone but it does have a positive environmental benefit.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Um, you know what they call people who use this method of birth control, right?

Parents.

It's about as reliable as early withdrawl.

DH

Anonymous said...

it seems that every little thing we humans do has a polluting outcome... a carbon footprint here... a plastic bag there...

until a few years back - for the sake of this world, we were fighting to control population and educate people about birth-control.. which has yieled some result...

but, now it seems if women have birth control pills and urinate (which they will)... we will pollute the water and kill the fish?

Is there an end to this damned cycle?

rj_peralta said...

This method does work, it's the one that the Catholic church advocates (besides abstinence...LOL), I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, but like I said it DOES work, but if you have a sexual drive like I do, you have to get ready to be a parent, every year!!!

Anonymous said...

I think rj-peralta's comment said it all. I'll take my chances with hormone laced urine (who comes up with this stuff?). I'm sure the effects are minimal compared to those of the fifty million, little, mini consumers people would pop out using the convenient excuse that their sex drive was just too strong for their birth control.

I like your site, but please, the number one best thing people can do to reduce their "carbon foot print" is NOT HAVE A KID. Leave birth control alone.

Anonymous said...

right on. I'm growing fairly frustrated over this issue recently as I continue to hear more and more misinformation about this topic. The sympto-thermal method is proven effective on the same grounds as all other methods are proven effective, in the form of scientific study.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6375261.stm

the key to breaking this cycle, as is the key to breaking all such cycles, is education and people taking responsibility for their piece of the pie. We need to work together to save our world. Sometimes that will take sacrifice and behavior modification, but isn't that what the whole green movement is about?

c said...

Awesome blog. Contraception has contributed to more environmental impact than just polluted water. How about the effect of divorce on the environment (which has increased since contraception was made widely available). Divorced parents consume more than married parents. How about the effect of pornography on the environment? (the widespread acceptance and use of porn/objectification of women has increased as contraception makes sex a sport). Porn contributes to sexual abuse, sexual addiction and depression, not to mention an attitude of "getting" and consuming whatever we want.......

Toxic World Blog said...

Thanks for the comments. I agree that the instant gratification aspect to our lifestyle has widespread environmental and social impacts. The tough part is how to control ourselves to manage our impulses and think beyond the moment.