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Web Fun That’s Oh So Green
April 21st, 2008 under Global Issues, Websites, Internet, Awareness, Politics, World News, Charity, Life, Environment, Health. [ Comments: 3 ]
This article written by: Elizabeth Grecco

Yippee yay, it’s earth day!

Earth day was created in 1970 as a global environmental awareness initiative. It is now observed in 175 countries and supported by progressive action organizations such as the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and the Earth Day Network. (Thank you Wikipedia.)

Some great, green + fun websites for earth day and beyond:

  1. Buy local foods, support local farms. Visit Local Harvest to find local farms and farmers markets. Go out and pet a goat.
  2. Carpool. Check out eRideShare to find local peeps that are looking to share rides. You can even search for someone to carpool across the country with.
  3. Remove yourself from junk mail lists. Check out GreenDimes, sign up to be removed from junk mailings and in turn they’ll send you a dollar, plant a tree on your behalf, or send you a free green ‘zine. Everybody wins! (FYI: When you sign up for this they will ask for credit card information to verify your identity. Sort of like what paypal does. It’s been a few months since I signed up and so far no funny business.)
  4. Once you go black, you never go back… take a walk on the dark side: Blackle is Google powered and eco-friendly.
  5. Recycle your goods and get new ones at freecycle. This site will hook you up with a local group that supports the reuse of anything and everything. Although the site is a little difficult to navigate, once you’re in there seems to be a lot of activity going on in each of the different areas. There’s a slightly loved television stand in York, PA with your name on it.
  6. Go zero! The Conservation Fund will help you measure your very own carbon emissions and tell you how many trees you need to plant to offset your consumption. I’ve got 16 trees to plant this year to outweigh my emission consumptions. Damn. I had better get started. You can do it yourself or they allow you to make a donation for whatever the cost comes out to be to plant your trees.
  7. Get free stuff (by paying for it) at the Sierra Club. Right now, $15 will get you a membership (usually around $35), and a handy backpack for a thank you gift.
  8. Be a green person/dog/baby. I bought my dog these organic treats in the shape of little cupcakes that he refuses to eat from a store I found on Green People. They also have eco friendly and holistic business listings for people too. And their travel section has some really neat stuff.
  9. Save on gas. With gas prices expected to hit $4 this summer, be sure to get your daily feul economy tips for some serious advice on saving money at the gas tank and saving the environment.
  10. Read up. Eco Chick’s blog is as sassy as it is green. And I don’t use the word *sassy* often. Starre Vartan’s website is funny, smart and earth friendly. And how could a girl named Starre not be cool? Be sure to read her list of what not to do for Earth Day. As she says, because mother earth is a woman. Yeah!

It is true, we all need to be a little greener. Without the earth we won’t be here.

April 22 also happens to be the democratic primary in PA, so get out and vote all you registered Pennsylvanians. Polls are open 7am – 8pm, your local polling place is usually within walking distance to your house. Brody and I will be on our way to our designated voting center bright and early wearing our Obama buttons. See you there.


Going Greener, Revisited
March 30th, 2008 under Cars, Global Issues, Food, Awareness, Home, Events, Life, Environment, Health. [ Comments: 1 ]
This article written by: Lauren Oujiri

Being that yesterday was Earth Hour Day 2008, it inspired me to reflect on what I’ve read recently about climate change and going greener, to look at how I’m doing with going greener, and it made me wonder how others are evolving (or not) into a greener lifestyle.

This is the third article I’ve done on going greener, and another thing that inspired me to write again were a few recent magazine articles. In one, a national magazine who shall remain nameless but that regularly has a lot of articles on going greener and living more naturally, showed a photo of their whole staff and listed what each of them did to to live sustainably every day. I don’t think some understood what that meant really, and some seemed 25 years behind the times. “I turn the heat down when I leave the house.” Wah? Wow. Baffling, but then they’re in the business of making a magazine, not living the magazine every minute, I suppose. Another person listed “returning hangers to the dry cleaners”. Wow. Hmmm. Do we want to burst her bubble about the damage dry cleaners do to the environment and their employees’ health? You don’t need dry cleaners to clean most items that says “dry clean only”. Yes, she could have thrown the hangers away, which isn’t good, but the bigger help to the environment clearly is not to go to dry cleaners. All you have to do is smell the air at the dry cleaners to know it’s not good for anyone’s lungs. Thank goodness there is change happening in the industry and there are green dry cleaners springing up. And, thankfully several of the staff did more significant things like switch to a vegetarian diet, consciously choose a tiny apartment over a McMansion, and bike to work every day.

The other couple articles I read were about scientists who challenged my thinking and green way of living by asserting that the only way to really help the environment is to be politically active constantly, to push for change with manufacturers and politicians. That recycling and buying compact fluorescent light bulbs and using cloth napkins and composting and everything else is pretty “useless” compared to changing policies, industries and government nationally and globally.

Gulp. Blink. Blink blink. Crap.

And I immediately agreed, and disagreed. Yes, we need that kind of massive change, now - just look at recent articles about the massive ice shelf in the Antarctic breaking off - without a doubt. And, we need huge systemic change in every facet of life and industry if we’re going to really affect climate change. But to tell people what they’re doing doesn’t help, misses the point and hurts the progress being made all over the world - everyone has to start with what they can touch and do and know in their daily lives. It makes them CARE. Which then will make them want to do more, which then will hopefully make them see the crucial need for political action. If it’s not personal for them, they won’t do it. The more green you go, the inevitable step after doing all the daily living green things is political action.

Lots of people don’t care, or God forbid, can be inconvenienced with going green, I have learned. If I ask them about it, they usually get a glassy-eyed look and offer a non-explanation for why they don’t make the effort to fill in the blank (recycle, conserve, whatever). I get all kinds of people just shaking their heads at my commitment to it and writing me off, figuratively patting me on the head and saying “that’s nice”, mumbling something about a tree hugger, and then moving on quickly to something that doesn’t make them uncomfortable. I am always saddened, maddened, perplexed or a combination of the three by this. I can even say at times it challenges why I’m friends with some people. That is the hardest part about going green.

I don’t care about their opinion of me ultimately, whether it’s about going green, being vegan, not letting them put down my Midwestern home state with their uninformed assumptions about it, or whatever it may be - you can see I have an opinion about them as well (which I’m not exactly thrilled about; I strive to be non-judgmental and compassionate, but it doesn’t work all the time). We are all entitled to our beliefs. And I understand people have their priorities, difficulties, time and/or money constraints, or whatever it may be in their lives… but it’s the Earth, the air, the water, what allows us to live and breathe and have problems and joys and grief and love that we’re talking about here.

It all serves to inspire me to do more. I have joined more environmental groups, contributed more money, written to the president and senators about national green issues and continued to find more ways to go green on a personal level. I think if I counted my green activities, it would easily number a few dozen. Want to hear a few more? (Read other common, not always easy, and creative green choices in my other articles on Randomn3ss.)

1. I keep empty one-gallon water jugs in the kitchen to fill up with the cold water that comes out of the tap while waiting for the hot water to make it upstairs (second floor) from the basement. I use it to water my plants.

2. I make sure at least one and usually two meals a day are eaten without heating them up.

3. In my city the government doesn’t provide garbage service, so we haul our garbage to the places we go anyway to dump it - at the grocery store, gas station, wherever, saving a private truck from coming to our house and idling while the guy parks, takes his time to pick up the bag and throw it in, and head on to his next stop. (See # 8 below.) We have very little garbage, because…

4. We recycle greeting cards, tissue paper, wrapping paper, magazines and shiny paper like ads and junk mail, newspapers, cardboard, #1-7 plastics, aluminum, glass, office paper, tin and other scrap metal, phone books, and I take a bag of clothes, shoes and other household stuff to a charity thrift store every time I buy new things, to have less stuff for me to manage, and less stuff in the garbage. I also choose items with the least amount of packaging, and even don’t buy some things (gasp!) if the package can’t be recycled.

5. I park my car so that I can drive straight out instead of having to back up to get out. Studies say it saves on gas. It’s certainly easier, and saves time. I also get more exercise because often the only way to do that is park farther away from the entrance of where I’m going.

6. I now shop closer to home to save on gas consumption. It has been easier than I thought it would be, and saves me a lot of time and gas money.

7. I was given over 100 votive candles, so I’m using less electricity for lights.

8. I turn my car off if I’m going to idle for more than 10 seconds after reading that it takes less gas to restart the car, contrary to most people’s belief.

9. I keep glass jars to use for food storage rather than buying those disposable (or not) plastic food containers. Glass can be used for years, and won’t stain and get stinky and sticky like the plastics do - they break down, which means chemicals being released into the food.

10. I never buy note pads. I cut up paper to reuse for a variety of purposes.

11. This year I’m planning to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which is a great way to support local farmers, have great produce, and save money and time: From Local Harvest, “CSA is a way for the food buying public to create a relationship with a farm and to receive a weekly basket of produce. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become “members” (or “shareholders,” or “subscribers”) of the CSA. Most CSA farmers prefer that members pay for the season up-front, but some farmers will accept weekly or monthly payments… The number of CSAs in the United States was estimated at 50 in 1990, and has since grown to over 1000.”

12. I have a system for washing and rinsing dishes that uses very little water, including, obviously, not letting the water run unnecessarily. We use a natural dish soap, too.

13. We keep a big bucket in the bathroom and when we turn on the shower, we let the bucket fill up with the cold water while waiting for the hot water (see #1 above), and when the bucket is full, use that water to flush the toilet.

I’m going to stop listing things now. When I wrote “want to hear a few more?” above, I didn’t know it would go to thirteen. But I’m not actually surprised: In going through my activities, it’s clear to me it is a real lifestyle. I look for the green opportunity and choice in everything I do, at work, home, traveling and play. When I add the thirteen to those listed in other things I’ve written, it makes me smile, and feel like and know I’m making a difference, even if others continue to believe otherwise. I disagree: It makes a difference to me and to everything I touch.

There is no way to be perfectly 100% green 100% of the time. It’s not possible, though I’ve read about some people in Japan and other places where they have to go to crazy lengths to conserve in ways people in the U.S could never even fathom. But going greener is a great process, and even though you’re never done, you never get to the end, it’s a great journey worth deciding to take for life. I have learned a lot (and, some day I’ll learn to write down my sources every time and add them to the bottom of the articles), about the world, and myself - a double green gift.

I now have to return to compassion and take back my put-down of the person whose green glory is ‘only’ turning down her thermostat when they leave the house. They are on a green journey, too, thankfully. Good luck on yours - don’t stop at Earth Hour, or Earth Day (April 22nd). Commit to “Earth Life”, for the good of the planet, and for your personal world.


Smoke Somewhere Else, Geez!
January 19th, 2008 under Stupid, Rant, Awareness, Environment, Health. [ Comments: none ]
This article written by: Lauren Oujiri

I’m a really tolerant person, but being forced to inhale someone’s cigarette smoke as I was leaving the gym, really made me mad.

I had just finished a workout, and was ready to get some fresh air as usual (gyms always have that sweat and wet clothing smell, it seems). I get my coat on and head to the door.

I see a woman standing outside the entrance talking on a phone. As soon as I opened the door, she turned toward me with butt in hand and exhaled as she ranted about how she’s not that bad of a girlfriend.

Who the hell smokes at the door of a gym??

I am hit with that disgusting second hand smoke and smell from her being out there a while, by the look of her cigarette, and I have no choice but to take that in. And, unfortunately, the only way to get away from the smoke was to walk by her.

I caught her glance and was ready to tell her to smoke elsewhere and have consideration for people coming out of a workout, and to point out the ashtray twenty-five feet away, but she turned away from me and continued making her case in a very pathetic manner about why the problem was her boyfriend’s, not hers.

I hurried away from her as I couldn’t stand the smoke, and figured, based on her extremely disconnected logic and poor arguments in defense of herself, she probably wouldn’t understand my point.

I used to smoke occasionally but haven’t for many years. If people want to smoke, I don’t care, it’s your money and health (though I do have a problem with the butts thrown out of cars and dumped at exit ramps, and the pollution), but I do believe that non-smokers should not have to be subjected to tobacco smoke.

Sometimes coming to the gym I can smell smoke on the people in line ahead of me, or I see people smoking in their cars before they come in. Or, on the cardio machines, I can smell smoke on someone who just walked in, or who is on a machine next to mine. I am sort of offended by the smell, but it’s not smoke, so I would never say anything. Smokers tend not to know how bad they stink until they quit. And if they’re in the gym trying to counteract the effects of smoking, and they’re not smoking in my face, well, I can put up with it, and more power to them.


China bans free plastic shopping bags
January 10th, 2008 under Global Issues, Environment. [ Comments: none ]
This article written by: Mike Panic

Starting June 1st, 2008 China will ban plastic shopping bags in all grocery stores, department stores and shops that are 0.00098 inches thick.  They have also banned them from even being produced.  The ban takes affect two months prior to the 2008 Olympic games, proof that China Is really trying to clean up their act.

Stores will be offering cotton and canvas bags like they have been for centuries and from all accounts, most Chinese seem unfazed by the new law.  Several other countries have made similar laws while some shops have started to charge between 7 and 74 cents per plastic bag when a customer requests them.

Now if only us bloated Americans can reduce using them or, at the very least, return them to the grocery store you got them from and put them in the happy little recycling bin that is at the entrance we too could go a little greener.  My local stores sell high quality canvas bags for $1.00 that hold double the amount of food that a single thin plastic bag can and will last for years.

Source: BusinessWeek


Beautiful Art In and Using Nature
January 5th, 2008 under Art, Photography, Video, Environment. [ Comments: none ]
This article written by: Lauren Oujiri

I was at gallery crawl last night, visiting Olaf Starorypinski’s photography studio. (Olaf is an outstanding photographer I am honored to have worked with, and continue to enjoy to know. Check out the previous article on him on Randomn3ss.)

Olaf was projecting videos by a most amazing artist I hadn’t heard of before. Andy Goldsworthy is a British sculptor who uses pieces of nature, found tools, and his body to create visually stunning and contemplative art, much of which is fluid, fleeting, decays or will change, on purpose.

Here’s one image:

art.jpeg
Check out this video to see the broad range of his work.

And check out these stills and comments by the artist.

Thanks, Olaf!


Blog Action Day 2007 was a huge success
October 17th, 2007 under Blogging, Awareness, Environment. [ Comments: none ]
This article written by: Mike Panic

On October 15th, 2007, more than 20,603 bloggers from around the globe writing articles about the environment, going green and bring awareness to how we can treat what earth a little bit better as part of Blog Action Day. Randomn3ss took part in this with several articles,

Additionally, we gave away a Nalgene Refill Not Landfill bottle that is reusable and recyclable. Part of the money spent on the bottle went to bring awareness to the issue of an average 8 out of 10 water bottles end up in land fills, not recycling plants, so use one you can reuse.

The total number of people that wrote articles is alarming though, so is the huge spike in activity of total blog posts for the day, which was the point of this whole thing. Visit Blog Action Day for a full recap of stats, but here is some info gathered by Blog Trends:

blogtrends.gif

If you want to go through the 23,327 total blog posts made that day, use the Google Blog Search link and have it. I’m going to try to weed through them over the next few days and build a list of articles that I really like and share with everyone.

Overall, I think the event went very well, raised a lot of attention and hopefully made people open their eyes a bit more. Randomn3ss will be taking part in it again next year, and if you run a blog and want to participate, scroll to the very bottom of Blog Action Day and submit your name and email address to be notified in August of 2008.


7 surefire money saving green tips via reduction and maintenance
October 15th, 2007 under Blogging, Environment. [ Comments: none ]
This article written by: Mike Panic

Going green for me isn’t just about buying special light bulbs or buying reusable trash bags, it is more about reduction of the total footprint I have. Part of the reason is that I don’t have a ton of money to just take the working light bulbs out of my home and replace with the more energy efficient ones, part of the reason is that I feel I just over-use resources too often. Some of the things I’ve done include,

  1. Maintaining my car. While my civic is 18 years old, it still routinely gets 34+ MPG; this is partly due to the fact that I take very good care of it. Regular oil changes, checking tire pressure every 6-8 weeks and cleaning / changing the air filter every year all lead to better fuel economy. I also try to run errands all at once, rather than stopping somewhere on my way home only to go to another store an hour after being home. Mapping where I drive often results in less miles, thus less fuel is burned.
  2. Turning off electrical items not needed. For more than 20 years I have been falling asleep at night to glowing of a television screen and the sound of some stupid show. Simply teaching my body to fall asleep without the television on saved me 30 minutes of power usage. Same thing goes for cooking dinner or washing dishes, I turn off the TV in the other room, along with the lights.
  3. Maintaining my laptop. These seems odd, but since buying a Macbook more than a month ago, I rarely charge it, running off battery power more than 90% of the time I use it. Part of the reason I chose a Mac was because they have amazing battery power, often given me close to 5 hours of usability per charge. Laptops charge faster when they are closed, either in sleep mode or turned off, so that is when I charge mine. Keeping it plugged in while working on it can cause it to take five times longer to charge, wasting electricity.
  4. No more bottled water. In making an investment for a better cup of coffee I bought a Brita water pitcher. This has drastically improved the taste of my tap water and I will no longer be buying bottled water. Simply filling a bottle, like the Nalgene one we are giving away is going to not only save money, but also reduce the amount of waste I produce.
  5. Doing full loads of laundry. Sounds simple enough, but I wait until I have a full load of laundry, almost always use cold water and pull the clothing immediately from the washing machine when it is done. Many of my collared shirts are hang dry, reducing the amount that goes into the dryer, which I make sure to keep the lint trap free and clean at all times.
  6. Keep the freezer full. I have a 19 cubic foot fridge, I admit that it is much larger than I need, but it’s mine regardless. I have no reason to keep it stocked full of food, partially because I prefer to buy fresh as often as possible and only what I can eat in a few days, but if you keep the freezer full it will maintain a constant temperature longer. Doing so means that the fridge will need to kick on far less to keep things cool. Simply fill empty soda or juice bottles (plastic only) with water, no close than 2” from the top. Screw the top on tightly and put them in your freezer. The frozen water will help maintain the temperature, thus starting the cooling process longer.
  7. Open and close the shades. In the summer, I keep the shades in my home closed for the majority of the afternoon, not because I don’t like the sunlight, but because it can raise the temperature in my home as much as 10 degrees within an hour. Even with the shade closed, the light filters in more than enough to light nearly my entire home. In the winter, I open them during the day to help the sun come in to naturally help heat everything and close them at night. Doing this has helped reduce my energy bill by about 10%.

The upside to these simple changes in life is that it will also reduce the money you spend on nearly every aspect of your life and cost you nearly nothing.


I Suck at Environmentalism
October 15th, 2007 under Blogging, Awareness, Environment. [ Comments: none ]
This article written by: Adrienne Saia

There’s been a lot of hype in the blogosphere about this Blog Action Day, which is pro-green/environment/not global warming.  Of course, blog action day also falls during the month of October, wherein I am also to be aware of breast cancer, fire prevention, and Halloween.  That’s a lot of shit to recognize, but I feel like today’s thing is probably a good thing to participate in.

However - I suck at being green.

It’s not that I’m not absolutely conscious of how bad we’re f-ing things up here on good ol’ planet Earth… I am.  I even took Environmental Ethics in college with kids who had lived in co-ops and made compost piles and shit.  I learned a lot from them.  But it’s the entire “putting it into practice” thing that I’m not too great at.  I figure though that a lot of people are kind of clueless about how to go green, so while you read the articles of my comrades for their information, you can read my for its pure cynicism and entertainment value.  Without further ado, here are my newest resolutions I plan to follow in order to reduce my footprint:

1) Stop throwing my cigarette butts out the car window.  Although I don’t like it when my car smells like smoke, it’s also not fair to the earth to keep throwing barely-degradable ordinance out of my car to the street.  Cigarette butts always seem to accumulate in gutters and around doorways and it’s kinda gross.  So, when I’m out, I’ll find a trash receptacle or just put them back in my pack until I can throw the whole thing away.  My car is another story - I think I’m gonna keep half a water bottle in my car and throw my butts in that.  Then, I will leave it in the cupholder so the next drunk ass friend I take home accidentally swigs out of it.  Pro-environment and hilarious.

2) Stop peeing in the shower.  Although this is definitely a guilty pleasure, I am sure that it is responsible for the near-extinction of beluga whales in the waters surrounding Japan.  Either that or rampant illegal poaching, whatever.

3) Start moonshine/brewery operation in order to recycle old beer bottles.  A must since Lower Merion Township barely has a recycling program.  At least, my apartment complex doesn’t believe in it.  And I am not sure where to take my cans and bottles and I am not sure I feel like holding onto them either (because I like in squalor and on the third floor).  Actually, maybe I should just move back to upstate New York so I can turn my beer cans in for money.  That was awesome and justified buying lots of beer in the first place.

4) Use rechargeable batteries in your vibrator.  Less physical waste from your standard disponseable batteries, especially in such a heavily-used appliance.

5) Reuse my coffee grounds.  You can just, like, run water through again the next day, right?  Wait… no… wait.  That’s gross, right?  Yeah, it’s gross.  I think the earth can handle coffee grounds.  Sorry, Earth.

6) Make a family of merkins from all unused hair shavings.  If you don’t know what this means, go to urbandictionary.com.  I hear the bassist from Noosphere has one.

In the meantime, I think that both you and I should check out this link (courtesy of fellow Randomn3ss scribe Ms. Libertine - thanks!) and see what other (aka actual) ways that I and my fellow lazy bastards can go green.  You should also check out Lo’s piece and Ms. Sabotage’s as well.  They are much more informative than me.  I’m off to sow my merkins.


Who’s Your Green Inspiration?
October 15th, 2007 under Food, Vegan, Awareness, Celebrities, Life, Environment. [ Comments: 1 ]
This article written by: Lauren Oujiri

One can’t turn around these days without hearing about “going green”. Celebrities, politicians, retailers, all sorts of environmental organizations and manufacturers, writers, photographers, musicians and other artists… it’s coming from all directions.

It made me wonder how many people are on green overload already. Personally, every single magazine I have read recently - including obscure stuff and mainstream stuff - has had at least one article about ways to go green, climate change, pollution, energy alternatives, etc. with myriad ways people and businesses can now make green choices. It’s a bit exhausting sometimes.

So, how does one stay encouraged, and not tune it all out, deciding you can’t make a difference? How about getting inspired from someone you admire? It works for me.

Are you an Albert Einstein fan? I think there’s a few million who are.

I have said before that going vegan primarily and vegetarian at the least is one of the best ways to go green. (Also see my second article on Going Greener for other tips.) Well, Albert Einstein’s got my back:

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”

I have been an Einstein fan for a long time, so when I found this quote by him, I just smiled a big green smile.

It made me wonder what other people of note may be (or have been) vegetarian or vegan. And wow, there are a lot of them, no matter what or who you like or agree with, what you value or aspire to. Check out this huge list of people from all areas of life.

Hint: I am confident that you will find at least a half a dozen famous folks on here you admire - musicians, actors, poets, athletes, leaders of all sorts, a American Revolutionary figure, a favorite cartoon character - no matter what your age or taste. And, you will be surprised to find some people on it, too.

http://www.famousveggie.com/peoplenew.cfm

http://www.happycow.net/famous_vegetarians.html

So, now that you’re inspired, take action - you will inspire others. Inspiration and greener actions are a winning combination for everyone and the planet.

P.S. If you are a vegetarian who eats eggs, poultry or fish, will you please stop calling yourself a vegetarian? You’re not. Sorry. You’re just not. How can eating animal or fish make you a vegetarian? They bleed and breathe just like you and me. Since you’re calling yourself one, make the leap and stop eating flesh, and let that be your primary statement about going green. Your health, and the world, will benefit.


Eco Sexy
October 15th, 2007 under Global Issues, Blogging, Vegan, Awareness, Sex, Porn, Fashion, Home, Events, Love, Life, Environment, Relationships. [ Comments: 1 ]
This article written by: Sofia Sabotage

Today is Blog Action Day! A day where fourteen thousand blogs will discuss one issue by trying to make an impact on 15 million readers. The topic? Environmentalism.

I feel that a lot of people don’t know what “going green” means. According to Wikipedia it means

…a concern for the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural enviroment, such as the conservation of natural resources, prevention of pollution, and certain land use actions.

The concern I feel most people have is where to begin. There are plenty of simple tips to get yourself started. Every little bit counts whether its taking less time in the shower or changing your light bulbs. A few examples can be found right here on Randomn3ss, “Going More Green“, by Lauren. Or rent the infamous movie by Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth.

However, I digress. My topic is about sex. Now I can imagine the puzzled looks on everyone’s faces. Yes, I wondered myself how anyone can green up their sex life. Well, it can be done. Let’s explore it further.

I got these tips from Treehugger, a website that has a plethora of environmental topics.

  1. Sex Toys - Most sex toys contain chemicals called phthalates, a threatening chemical that’s been banned in children’s toys since 2004. It is especially said to be dangerous in sex toys because of the warm and moist places they are deposited in. So, instead of purchasing a unsafe toy it’s suggested to buy a more natural companion. Trying out a toy made of glass, metal, silicone, hard plastics, or elastomers is a safe bet. Instead of wasting batteries look for a rechargeable toy. Fun Factory is a neat place where you’ll find Lily, Lelo & Acuvibe.
  2. Lubricant - Looking at the labels helps choosing a more natural lubricant. Avoid using any petroleum (save the fossil fuels), artificial scents, flavors and colors. A good choice is Babeland’s water based lubricant.
  3. Condoms - The phrase, “reduce, reuse and recycle” is an angelic symphony to any environmentalists ears. However, this does not apply to condoms. We all know that a baby free environment means using a safe and reliable form of protection. Nothing beats the good ol’ latex condom. However, they are still determining whether or not a latex condom is biodegradable. For a biodegradable option lambskin is an option to protect against conception not STDs. For vegetarians (like me) and vegans a good source is Glyde condoms. Any condom that is polyurethane is not biodegradable so try and stay away from them. Another excellent tip is not to dispose condoms down the toilet, it will clog the pipes, treatment plants and rivers.
  4. Green Date - Homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual and asexual are terms we’ve heard of to describe one’s orientation or style. What about ecosexual? They exist and in large numbers. If you’re looking for a companion that doesn’t chomp on animals, recycles and uses organic toothpaste you can find a match on Green Singles, Green Passions and Human 2 Human.
  5. Dress Eco Sexy - Looking and feeling sexy can make for some naughty antics. Why not save the environment while you’re at it? There are products for men and women. Peau Ethique has some cute and comfortable undergarments along with Bueno Style, Butta and Green Knickers. My ultimate favorite is Enamore which has gorgeous, sexy clothes and lingerie.


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