It’ll surprise you to know that even what happens between you and your partner in bed can have an effect on the ecosystem. Seeing that we want our world and climate to be preserved and healthy, we ought to bear this knowledge in mind. We ought to pay attention to how our sex lives affect the ecosystem. Here are 10 tips to have eco-friendly sex wherever you are:
1. Know Why It Matters
It helps to know why you are supposed to have eco-friendly sex. That way, you would not be doing it grudgingly, as though you are being forced or anything.
When you practice eco-friendly sex, you are just saying: “Hey, I am going to have fun, but I’ll be doing so while preserving the environment.”
Eco-friendly sex isn’t bad sex. Don’t think of it that way. It is just normal sex, in an eco-friendly way.
In fact, it is great sex and offers you room to explore some options you most likely haven’t thought about before.
Read: Improving intimacy in your relationship: 15 tips for keeping the flame alive
2. Condoms? Then, Use Sustainable Ones
A lot of times, we would need to use condoms when we have sex. To protect ourselves and/or prevent unwanted pregnancies.
In your choice of condoms, go for sustainable ones. Sustainable condoms are condoms made from a material which do not pose a direct threat to the environment.
They do not contain the material Nitrosamine. They are also made in a way that doesn’t harm the earth so much.
Like normal condoms, sustainable condoms also provide a high amount of protection from STIs and prevent pregnancy as well. So, you won’t be putting yourself at a higher risk of acquiring STIs by using sustainable condoms.
Read: 10 Tips For Eating More Sustainably
3. Dispose of Your Condoms Properly
Waste disposal has always constituted a problem to climate. Poorly disposed waste can become a breeding ground for bacteria, and hence, diseases that threaten our health and well-being, as well as the health of the environment.
This said, don’t just throw your condom wherever you want when you are done with it. Yes, because condoms are made of latex, they can be decomposed. But this process just takes a very long time. So long, your best option right now is disposing of the condom properly.
The big don’t is: don’t flush your condom down a toilet. This poses the threat of clogging the toilet and causing some trouble.
Always wrap your condom properly in a tissue and dispose of it in the trash.
Read: 15 ways to feel more confident about your relationship
4. No Oil-Based Lubricants
Do not use lubricants that are made from petroleum. Steering clear of oil-based lubricants can help protect the environment and can sure help protect you.
When you stay off oil-based lubricants, you are, in your little way, discouraging the excess mining and processing of crude oil, which is a constituent of these such lubricants.
You are also protecting yourself from broken condoms. You may already know this, but: oil-based lubricants are likely to cause condoms to wear off and, obviously, break when the sex is still on.
Stick to water-based lubricants, as these ones don’t pose a direct threat to the environment.
5. Anything Can be a Lubricant
You often don’t have to look out for stuff that has been processed and sealed.
The truth is, anything can be a lubricant as long as it is healthy and does not pose damage to your skin or your partner’s.
Anything natural. Natural lubricant protects your skin from exposure to unnecessary ingredients.
Coconut oil can be a great lubricant and can be used for a real wide variety of stuff. You can use coconut oil for both penetration and hand sex.
A study in 2014 shows that coconut oil is clinically proven for safe and effective use during sex. Its moisturizing makes it aids long-lasting intercourse. You can use aloe vera oils too. They are just as great. Aloe vera gel is good for eco-friendly sex as it is a natural lubricant.
Read: 5 Things We All Can Learn From Minimalism
6. Shower Sex
Having sex in the shower can be a lot of fun, yes. But, well, maybe it is time to press the breaks with this one.
Shower sex, literally, is just you letting water go to waste. It isn’t that great for the environment.
We are expected to save a lot of water if our environment is to remain better.
If you must have shower sex, can you do it without the shower running? Or, at least, with it running at a very low option.
7. Bathtub Sex Once in a While
The difference between bathtubs and showers is that with showers, the water just keeps running.
Whereas with bathtubs, the water runs, but you can stop it when the bathtub gets full and even have a bath soon afterward.
Bathtub sex is considered eco-friendly sex because not much water goes to waste.
In fact, water might even be preserved because:
- You have your bath just there. Meaning you won’t have to take a bath twice.
- You don’t stain any clothes or beddings, meaning you don’t have to wash and waste more water.
- You can use the same water to wash your hair.
- You don’t have to fill the tub to the top.
8. Reusable Wipe Clothes
After sex, you will have to wipe most often than not. In the choice of your wipe clothes, stick to reusable wipe cloths instead of disposable ones.
The reason is clear. With reusable wipe clothes, you use, and you keep using. They don’t pose a direct waste disposal problem because they are 100 percent zero waste. Whereas with disposable wipes, you may have some problems with disposal.
And when you don’t need them anymore, you can easily pop them in the compost, and they will fully biodegrade.
9. Lights Out
To have eco-friendly sex, you also have to switch off the lights and do it in the dark. Do you know that just putting off the lights when you have sex can go a long way in preserving the environment? Well, yes, it can. It also helps reduce carbon emissions.
Putting the lights off means, you would be saving some power. It might be just a little power, but it goes a long way nonetheless. Sex in the dark may even feel better for some people than sex in the light.
10. Sex Toys Have to Be Eco-Friendly Too
Sex toys make sex great but can pose a problem if they are not the right ones for the environment.
The environment is preserved when things are either recyclable or decomposable. Why? Because we want to eliminate waste disposal problems.
Your sex toys have to be recyclable.
They should have rechargeable batteries, so you don’t have to buy a new battery whenever the old one runs out. And at the same time, they should use less power.
They should also be made of a material that can be recycled, like glass or reusable plastic.
Photo by andrew welch on Unsplash
