Green Romance: 8 Ways to Make Your Love Life More Environmentally Friendly

We love to love, but if you love the planet too, you may want to implement a few green techniques into your love life. It doesn’t have to mean poor hygiene and candle lit dinners over raw food, it just means being more aware of what you buy. Consider it being good to the planet and your lover.

1. Use organic lube. Nearly everyone has this in their goodie drawer (and you should), so why not make it organic? Organic lube isn’t necessarily better for you or your partner, but it is better for the planet since it isn’t made from petroleum-based ingredients. Organic lube is readily available in most sex shops, but if you have trouble tracking it down, you can always do a quick search online and have it delivered to your door within days. We know you won’t want to go longer than that without it.
2. Turn out the lights. When you’re in the mood for a little hanky-panky, kill the lights. It conserves energy and it’s sexy. Sure, we love to see what’s going on too, but sometimes it’s nice to be in the dark over what’s going to happen next. If you’ve been sharing a bed for quite some time, this is a great way to show off your more adventurous side in bed. If you think no one is looking, sometimes you’re more apt to try something new or be open to something different your partner has been wanting to try.
3. Light up soy candles. Candles packed with parabens and lead aren’t any good for the environment or your home’s air. Instead, swap those old-fashioned candles for soy candles. Soy candles burn cleaner and typically result in fragrance that’s true to whatever the candle is supposed to smell like. This means a lightly scented room that’s sexy and never overpowering. Many men can take or leave candles, but don’t want that overtly sweet or phony perfume smell lingering in the room long after business time is over. Soy candles create a more authentic scent whether you’re burning a romantic scent like rose or a more sexy scent like a musk or vanilla.
4. Cover up in organic bedding. Once upon a time, organic bedding only came in white or drab versions of off-white. Now brands are using vegetable-based dyes to create fabulous organic sheets that add a little color into your life too. If you want to keep your bed free of chemicals or dyes, reach for organic bedding when it comes to your sheets and comforter. They are available at most department stores and super stores, and if you aren’t finding anything to your liking, you can always hop online for a vast array of organic bedding that will make getting down in the sack eco-friendly.

5. Shop a local market. At your local market, the produce may not always be organic, but it did travel far less than those bananas from Mexico. A lovers stroll at a local produce market can be downright sexy. After all, you’re touching, smelling and squeezing fruits and veggies to find out what’s ripe. It also creates a sense of unity between two people when they feel they’re doing something good for the community. In this case, you’re putting your hard-earned dollars into the pockets of farmers and vendors from your community (or just outside of it), which will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Warning: this could lead to excessive happiness and making out once you’re home.
6. Go with glass sex toys. Many sex toys are made from plastic and contain phatalates, a component banned from children’s toys in some parts of the world. Phatalates are what go into plastic to make it pliable and think about how many sex toys do this. Scary, but true, so why would you want to put an object comprised of this inside yourself or your partner? Stick to glass when it comes to sex toys of any variety. Most sex shops have a large variety of sex toys made of glass, but if the idea of walking into one of these places while having the environment on your mind makes you chuckle, there’s always the Internet.
7. Use natural oils to get in the mood. There’s something about being slippery and wet that makes most of us raise an eyebrow and slip into we-want-some-action mode. Instead of using a petroleum based massage gel or oil, hit up your local natural health food store and snag a few natural oils. Derived from plants and flowers, these oils can be purchased 100% organic and create a light pleasant scent while rubbing your partner’s back, or ahem, other regions.
8. Eat well. Less meat and bread and more fruit and veggies means a lighter, more active you. This doesn’t have to mean you go vegan starting tomorrow, but staying away from junk food and fast food will only be beneficial for your love and sex lives. You’ll feel more energetic and with that usually comes a higher frisky quotient. We don’t want to get into a whole ‘beef is bad’ lecture, but the meat industry in America releases more methane into the air (via the animals’ flatulence) than almost anything else. Skipping meat twice a week doesn’t mean less meat is produced, but it does mean you’re healthier and less dependent on a resource Americans are draining by the minute. Make a commitment to yourself to eat less crap, which also typically crap for the planet and you’ll see your sex life reap the rewards before you know it.

Taking the environment into account when feeling romantic or getting busy in bed are smart moves because hopefully you’re doing both…a lot. If you’re making a transition to a more eco-friendly lifestyle, there are areas that are easy to adjust to. If this is your first shot at going green, it’s likely you’ll barely notice you’re making an effort, but you will notice that your love and sex life improve. After all, if you’re happy and feeling healthy, you’re more likely to be horny and who doesn’t want that?