The Green Period Project’s move for change

By Arianna Campbell

“Lux et Spes,” light and hope, is our motto, and the Green Period Project is one of the many efforts that uphold Stonehill’s mission for a just and compassionate world.

The Green Period Project is a sustainability movement that raises awareness of the environmental and physical impacts of single-use period products and advocates for reusable, environmentally friendly alternatives. This movement was started on campus by the now Stonehill Alumna Emma Worster and Lauren D’Arco, in cooperation with the Green Period Project advisor, Professor Alexandra Uhl. 

Along with the large amount of waste single-use period products produce, many are impacted by the accessibility of period products, leading to period poverty. The Green Period Project seeks to address issues like period poverty on the Stonehill Campus. 

“We’re seeing great spikes of period poverty within undergraduate populations and college populations specifically,” the student initiative leader Caroline Martin said.

The project seeks to address these issues by providing access to reusable period products such as DivaCups, FlexiDish, and reusable pads. 

These are sourced from the bi-annual event that Green Period Project throws, Thrift for Change. The project collects and sells donated items at thrift-store prices, with all proceeds going toward funding the products. 

The project does, however, try to source some of the products themselves, as Martin has sewn some of the products for previous and upcoming Thrift for Change.

According to Martin, buying the products through third-party sellers prompts ethical and environmental concerns. Professor Uhl and Martin sought to source some of the products through her. 

“I made sure to work really hard to find materials that I knew were environmentally stable,” Martin said.

The materials used to make lasting and sustainable products are made of 100% cotton and include ZORB, which is made from bamboo, is antibacterial, and is absorbent.

This year, Martin seeks to take the Green Period Project further by expanding it, which is her main goal.  

“As part of growing the Green Period Project, I really want there to be longevity,” Martin said.

In her effort to achieve longevity, she has been building a website, building the Green Period's social media presence, and running Thrift for Change.

“We’ve also been trying to get formal club status on campus, which has been a very time-consuming process,” Martin said.

Martin’s effort to make the initiative a club is to expand the project’s opportunities and reach. 

“We have hopes to be able to host informational nights or have fun things where people can come and have open conversations about things that are typically stigmatized,” Martin said.

This Thrift for Change seeks to save money not only for the products, but to get period products in key bathrooms, even single-use, environmentally friendly products like cardboard applicators.

“We really want to push for that this semester,” she said.

In previous Thrift for Change, the products would all go to the reusable products and be placed in the Common Goods Pantry. To reach more students in need, the effort to supply key bathrooms would hopefully expand its reach and impact. This upcoming Thrift for Change is on Friday, April 17^th, from 10:00 to 2:00 in the Meehan Great Room. 

“I know that there are people on campus who care about this. I know that there are women out there who need period products and are struggling,” Martin said.