OK, so you've reduced the amount of waste you produce, reuse things whenever you can, and recycle them when you can't. You've bought organic cotton sheets. What about going green between the sheets? The ethical hedonism trend is growing. Eco-sex is hot -- and you can be, too -- by converging sexiness, style and ecological sustainability. Environmental activist group Greenpeace says "you can be a bomb in bed without nuking the planet" and has released a Guide to Environmentally-Friendly Sex to that lists strategies for "getting it on for the good of the planet."
TreeHugger, an Ontario-based online magazine, has also published a How to Green Your Sex Life guide and environmentally sustainable adult products.
Make Lucious Eco-Love
Carlyle Jansen, owner of the Good For Her adult store in Toronto, told a rapt audience at the Living Green Show in Toronto last April that it’s easy to make “luscious eco-love” by choosing earth-friendly products that are:
* Locally made * Organically grown/fair trade/made of safe, renewable materials * Rechargeable, and * Give priority to quality and acceptable labour conditions over price
Jansen warned that many popular adult toys are made of polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), blamed by eco-activists for toxins released during their manufacture and disposal. They are also often softened with phthalates, a family of chemicals used to soften hard plastics like PVC that has raised toxicity and health concerns.
You can avoid PVCs by choosing alternatives made from glass, metal, silicone, hard plastics, or elastomers. It pays to read the labels.
Eco-friendly toys
Whenever possible, buy rechargeable toys or use rechargeable batteries for toys that are battery-operated.
You can even buy solar-powered toys such as the Solar Vibe or Sonic Purple Bullet. If you don't know the composition of a toy you already own, you can put a condom over them for protection.
If you're too shy to step foot in ecologically-friendly shops that specialize in adult products, you can order them online from sites like The Veg Sex Shop, Sympathetical, Organic Lubricant and Vegan Essentials.
Spice up your dates the green way
If you want to heat up a date in an environmentally-conscious way, Jansen provides the following suggestions:
* Attend a Critical Mass ride on a bicycle built for two * Share massages using products by local craftspeople * Go tobogganing, skating, or bring a ball to the beach * Take a salsa or craft or other class together * Choose sexy clothing together at your local resale clothing shop
The greening of the bedroom can also include paying attention to the composition of what you wear. Sexy lingerie in ecologically-friendly fabrics such as organic hemp, cotton and silk are now available from a number of companies such as The Natural Store, Enamore, Janice's, Natural Collection, and Blue Canoe.
How to impress your date
Want to plan an eco-friendly first date? Jansen recommends:
* Visiting a farmer's market and create a delicious organic meal together * Renting kayaks and going on a romantic picnic * Working together on a local reforestation project or community garden * Attending a green event like the Green Living Show * Taking a guided walk through an area of the city or visit a rooftop garden
Safer sex is eco-sex
Last, but not least, environmentally-conscious sex starts with family planning and using protection correctly. Reproduction tops the list of actions that have environmental impact. Make sure any child you have is wanted from the start.
Poster Comment:
"you can be a bomb in bed without nuking the planet"??? "Make Luscious Eco Love"? Who talks this way??
