overpacking birth control

Sustainable Life welcomes guest blogger Anne Morgan, who is a recent grad of my grad school programme - the BTH Master of Strategic Leadership toward Sustainability.

Over-packaging is everywhere these days, from the grocery store to the gyno office. It kills me. Not only is less packaging cheaper for the company and the consumer, it also reduces the amount of crap we send to landfills, which has some nice global warming bennies too.

Even as a conscientious consumer, I still encounter over-packaging all the time. Por ejemplo: birth control pills. Last year I lived in Sweden with my fiancé and since we hate babies I eagerly partook in Sweden’s super progressive health care system and got a prescription for birth control. I was pleasantly surprised by my pills. They came in a discreet package with much less plastic and flair than their U.S. counterparts. But I didn’t fully appreciate my Swedish pills until I moved back home and was prescribed lo/ovral from Wyeth. Feast your eyes on my new muy embarrassing birth control:
 

 

What are they trying to do? Promote abstinence or something?? Seriously, Wyeth cannot be targeting hip, sexually active 20-somethings like myself with this hideous pink vinyl garbage. Did you see the clip art flower? If you’re gonna ruin the environment and take down all of human civilization with it, at least be stylish.

Surprising no one, Sweden offers a refreshing alternative:

 

One immediately notices the size difference. Bigger is better right?? Um, not when it comes to birth control packaging, people. Can’t America take its insecurities elsewhere?

The reasonably-packaged Swedish birth control came in a blister pack with an unassuming, reusable, recyclable cardboard sheath. I received four sheaths for the year’s supply. In sharp contrast, my new American birth control is dispensed via a giant blister pack with a completely superfluous pink plastic case thingie and a pink vinyl sheath. I received 12 cases and sheaths for the year’s supply because heaven forbid we reuse the outrageous over-packaging.

After I use up my prescription I’ll be switching to something with a smaller footprint that I’m less embarrassed to keep on my nightstand. And Wyeth will be receiving a letter from me accompanied by my year’s supply of birth control packaging. I’ll be damned if it’s going to MY landfill!

Comments

[emilie]

Ya MAMA! Though I don't personally know about these little (big) packets (where did all these children come from, anyway?) I find this annoyance everywhere. Yesterday (on the subject of children) I opened a new Tylanol Children's cough med and the plastic wrapping that seals the top for "safety reasons" encased the WHOLE bottle. Totally stupid. Well it was pulled off the shelves the other day anyway. BUT STILL.

great blog my dear!!!

[suki]

wow, is no one else talking about this? i can't find anything on google, and you'd think someone else would have noticed that it's a problem. they make me buy a new fat plastic case every month, with a REMOVABLE blister pack of pills in it. and it's an obnoxious bright peach color, in case i have trouble locating it in my purse, or my underwear drawer, or a poorly-lit football stadium...

[Caroline Savery]

Wow... great post! I love the idea of sending the excessive packaging back to Wyeth. It's so appropriate: make *them* responsible for their stupid idea! I have encountered the same problem with obnoxiously excessive birth control packaging for years. I'm so glad someone finally spoke up about it. Your post inspired a post on my blog... http://sustainablog.org/2008/06/20/when-sex-isnt-sexy-environmental-implications-of-another-baby-boom/

[Liz]

I googled "excessive birth control packaging" and found this site. I too have noticed the unnecessary excessive packaging of BC. I use Yasmin which comes in a large box. Inside the large box is a large folded piece of paper with information and smaller boxes for each month. Inside each month supply box is a thick little "manual", the pills of course, and a purple velvet like case. At the end of each month I discard a large booklet, box, and case. Perhaps they are playing it super safe by always providing a manual, though I can imagine regular users probably don't need to refer to it anyway, but why in the world do I need a new velvet like case each month??