Fifty Shades of Green for Your Sex Life

All this Fifty Shades of Grey hype inspired me to devise a list of 50 ways you can green your sex life. It was a challenge to reach 50, and I encountered information I’d never considered before — like which methods of birth control are greenest.

From sustainable sex toys and stimulating foods to organic lingerie and energy-efficient erotica, these 50 shades of greener sex might just give you some ideas.

1. Get a green start by seeking out like-minded eco-conscious partners through dating sites such as Green Singles or Planet Earth Singles.
2. Have sex during the day when there’s no need for lights and less need for heating.
3. At night, keep the lights off and the thermostat down. Make your own heat under the covers.
4. In summer, open windows or use an ENERGY STAR ceiling fan instead of running the air conditioner.
5. Prefer keeping the lights on? Use LED bulbs, which use less energy and last longer.
6. Better yet, create ambiance with eco-friendly 100% soy or beeswax candles.
7. Choose bed sheets made from renewable bamboo. They’re soft and slippery with natural antimicrobial properties.
8. Invest in a mattress made of natural materials: wool, certified organic cotton or 100% natural rubber latex.
9. Build the mood with music from downloaded MP3 files. Even with the energy consumed by data centers, digital files are still greener than the energy required to manufacture, package and listen to CDs. Learn where to recycle all your old CDs.
10. Add plants to your bedroom. They remove toxins from the air and provide oxygen for your cardio sexual workout.
11. Before sex, eat foods that naturally boost your sex drive. Figs, bananas and avocados provide vitamins and minerals that increase blood flow to the genitals.
12. Shaving? Ditch the plastic disposable razors for a long-lasting safety razor with replaceable blades.
13. Rather than shaving in the shower (which wastes about 24 gallons of hot water), make shaving each other in bed part of the foreplay.
14. Lather your body with natural shaving cream. Olive oil, coconut oil or pure aloe vera work wonders.
15. Opt for using natural scents on your body instead of perfume. Sandalwood, jasmine, ginger and Ylang Ylang essential oils are known for their stimulating qualities.
16. Skip the harsh chemicals in favor of a natural DIY mouthwash.
17. Use birth control to reduce the earth’s carbon footprint.
18. Choose eco-friendly birth control options. The Pill is not eco-friendly because the synthetic hormones in it get excreted into our water supply where they negatively impact marine life as well as humans. An IUD and condoms are greener options.
19. Use eco-friendly condoms. Look for natural rubber latex made without parabens or glycerin. Some brands even offer organic flavored condoms.
20. Take it one step further and seek out ethically conscious condoms. You can find condoms that are vegan, not tested on animals or made from materials harvested under Fair Trade conditions.
21. Toss used condoms in the trash, not down the toilet where they can clog your plumbing or end up in the water supply. Even though latex is biodegradable, the chemicals added to condoms makes decomposition a challenge.
22. Use essential oils for a sensual massage. Choose organic carrier oils such as coconut, grape seed or sweet almond oil, and add a few drops of the libido-enhancing scents mentioned in #14.

    Photo: Steve Janosik/Flickr via CC

23. Choose safer (and longer-lasting) sex toys made from glass, stainless steel or chemical-free plastics like silicone.
24. Raise your sex toy standards! Invest in a sexy, greener option such as sustainably farmed wood dildos, hemp bondage rope, and harnesses and floggers made from recycled bike tires.
25. Into ties? You can find eco-friendly ones (probably not the same as Christian Grey’s) made from organic cotton, hemp, Fair Trade silk or recycled cassette tapes.
26. Operate those sex toys with rechargeable batteries.
27. Or upgrade to either a solar-powered or battery-free, rechargeable vibrator.
28. Properly recycle those rechargeable batteries at the end of their life. Click here to find out where to recycle. Rechargeable batteries should not be thrown in the trash since many contain hazardous waste such as lead acid and nickel cadmium.
29. Wash your sex toys with natural cleaners. Glass, stainless steel and silicone can be cleaned with soap and water or with a mixture of water, apple cider vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil.
30. You can actually recycle your old sex toys via sites like Sex Toy Recycling or Scarlet Girl (they’ll even give you $10 credit toward a new toy).
31. Repurpose sex toys (after they’ve been thoroughly cleaned, of course) around the house as door stops, wine corks or towel holders.
32. Purchase a personal lubricant made from organic ingredients, free of glycerin and parabens. Or try pure aloe vera.
33. Lubricate naturally from within through what you eat. According to Sistah Vegan, some items include okra, chia seeds, certain herbal teas and Indian spices. Foods with vitamin E, C and zinc can also combat vaginal dryness.
34. Maintain a diet that keeps you sexually healthy. Basil stimulates the senses. Garlic may help with erectile dysfunction. Pumpkin seeds and almonds contain zinc, which aids in the production of testosterone, the sex drive hormone.
35. Try libido-enhancing herbs: ginseng increases stamina; Maca Root enhances energy and improves vaginal lubrication. Be sure to buy quality, organic herbs.
36. Do yoga together. It increases energy and stamina and strengthens the pelvic muscles.
37. Wear lingerie made from organic materials — bamboo, hemp or organic cotton.
38. Use food during sex? Opt for organic strawberries, locally grown honey or eco-friendly mints.
39. Create your own edible underwear.
40. Need a change of scene? Plan a romantic getaway at an eco-friendly hotel or inn.
41. Be sure to purchase carbon offsets for your getaway flight.
42. View or read erotica online instead of buying DVDs or books.
43. When searching for erotica, use eco-friendly search engines like Ecosia. They’re 100% carbon neutral, and they’ll plants trees in exchange for your searching pleasure.
44. Try role playing with eco themes: The Solar Panel Repairman, Strangers at a Vegan Juice Joint, Environmental Studies Teacher/Student or Booty Call at the Earth Summit. (Sorry, but it was too funny not to!)
45. Pee after sex to prevent urinary tract infections. This means fewer antibiotics, which are often excreted into our local waters.
46. Shower together afterwards to conserve water.
47. Use organic soaps and body lotions free from toxins. Check the EWG’s Skin Deep database for ingredient safety ratings.
48. Sleep naked.
49. Walk or take the bus to the movie theater to see Fifty Shades of Grey.
50. Or skip the movie altogether and have sex in your electric car.

This post is shared at Natural Family Friday.