Four natural (but disgusting) green living tips

Just like menstrual blood, urine is apparently able to fertilize all kinds of plants and keep pests away at the same time

Being green means being connected to nature. And some of us are so green and natural that we're not shy about involving our bodily fluids in quest to lower our environmental impact! With World Environment Day approaching on Sunday, June 5, here are some examples of 100% natural methods that may not be very appetizing, but are nonetheless resourceful.

If you have already opted for the menstrual cup and are not too put off by the idea, be aware that you can use the blood from your period to nourish your plants. Rich in iron and nutrients essential to plant growth (sodium, phosphorus, potassium, etc.), menstrual blood is indeed an effective fertilizer. However, be careful if you use it in your vegetable garden: bacteria can quickly proliferate and get into your food.

Urine to repel parasites

Blood isn't the only bodily fluid used as fertilizer. Recently, researchers in agroecology have been getting interested in urine. That's right, just like menstrual blood, urine is apparently able to fertilize all kinds of plants and keep pests away at the same time.

Technically, it's possible to recover all these nutrients that are good for plant growth by filtering urine. This method is being studied in several countries, such as the United States, South Africa, Ethiopia, India, Mexico and France.

While this method may be in the news at the moment, especially because of high inflation affecting food prices and agricultural issues linked to the war in Ukraine, it's not at all new. Our grandparents' generation already made use of urine this way. A practice that has gradually disappeared with the arrival of chemical fertilizers, but which could make a comeback.

Relieving oneself in the shower

Staying on the theme of urine, this time we're talking about a practice in the shower! If you don't have a composting or dry toilet at home, perhaps you've already put the trick of peeing in the shower to the test! Considered environmentally friendly, this habit, or reflex, which many of us don't dare to mention in public, allows us to save a few liters of water since it doesn't involve flushing. Even if, we grant you, it is limited (in principle) to once a day.

Washing oneself less frequently

Some people go one step further, by opting for the opposite solution, that is, skipping the shower and spacing out the days of taking a shower or bath. In France, this method is not just anecdotal, since 19% of French women and 29% of French men claim to be practitioners, according to an Ifop survey published in 2020

In the United States, the phenomenon of people who shower or bathe less often to preserve the planet appears to have gotten a boost during the pandemic. Whether one adopts this lifestyle habit out of genuine environmental concern or out of hygienic laziness, it does allow for significant savings on one's water bill in any case!