Forget the days of polyester, pollutant-ridden lipsticks and the more-is-more style aesthetic - these days, consumers are moving in increasingly strong waves to organic, environmentally-conscious products.
Manufacturers like Stella McCartney and American Apparel are hopping on the boat, producing eco-friendly clothing that is flying off the shelves. According to Jacob Gordon, a blogger for TreeHugger.com, one of the largest environmental sites on the Web, eco is becoming "sexy" for college students and consumers nationwide.
He means this quite literally.
In addition to reducing their contributions to pollution and purchasing organic food, many environmentally-conscious individuals are applying their passion for the earth to their passion for each other. The environmental movement has moved into the bedroom, and more and more couples are looking to green up their sex lives.
Gordon is also the editor of TreeHugger.com's widely popular series on "How to Green Your Life," which, among other things, counsels readers on how cast a green tinge on their intimate moments. The guide's suggestions include buying bamboo bed sheets, organic lubricant and eco-undies.
Other popular environmental Web sites also feature stories on environmentally-friendly sex. Grist.org's "Ask Umbra" column told readers that to "go super-green with another eco-head in the bedroom is to avoid adding to the world's population." On the Web site for Greenpeace International, an "Eco-sex guide" encourages readers to shower together in order to save water, and offers other tips to help readers become more environmentally conscious in the bedroom.
In particular, Gordon said that people should try to green their sex toys.
"Many sex toys contain chemicals called phthalates which are very harmful," he said. "The EU banned them from children's toys, which is a pretty big sign that you wouldn't want an intimate toy to have those things in them. You should definitely check the packaging before you buy an intimate toy."
Gordon says that as consumers begin to resist harmful products, businesses are starting to respond. In fact, due to growing consumer concern, the sex product company Good Vibrations no longer sells sex toys which contain phthalates.
Gordon said that the increase in individuals greening up their personal lives correlates with the media's increasing representation of environmental consciousness as being stylish rather than merely crunchy.
"There was a huge green presence at the Oscars," he said. " 'An Inconvenient Truth' [2006] won best documentary, which was a big victory for the environmental movement. People arrived in green cars wearing sustainable fashions. With celebrity sex symbols like Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and George Clooney going green, the rest of the country is starting to pay attention."
While the Internet and media has been propagating environmentally-friendly sex, the trend has come to Tufts by way of the Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO) "Do it in the Dark" campaign. During "Do it in the Dark," ECO distributes glow-in-the-dark condoms to encourage Jumbos to conserve energy in the dorm by shutting off their computers and turning off the lights when they're not using them.
According to junior and ECO officer Kyle Maxwell, however, "Do it in the Dark" is more about conserving energy than sex. He said ECO hasn't discussed green sex outside of the campaign.
"We try to make sure that the condoms we give out are eco-friendly, but the sexual slant of the campaign is just a fun way to get people's attention." Maxwell said.
Likewise, senior and VOX Co-President Andrea Cote said that her club hasn't talked about green sex either.
"Last week we talked about organic tampons and pads, but we haven't really talked about environmentally friendly sex in general," she said.
Cote said that she would be interested in learning more about the topic.
"It's a really cool thing to look into," Cote said. "Before I decided to buy an eco-friendly sex product, however, I think I'd want to look at a few studies which could tell me how effective the products are. I'd assume that they're more expensive, and I'd want to know that they do make a difference to the environment."
According to Gordon, green sex products can be difficult and expensive to obtain. Many products are manufactured in Europe, where he said there is better legislation and awareness regarding the environment. Gordon said that the most eco-friendly vibrator is a Swedish product from a company named Lelo.
"It's totally safe in terms of chemicals," he said, "and it's rechargeable."
Senior Amanda Fencl, an ECO officer at Tufts, said that if green sex products were easily available, she would be interested in purchasing them.
"I would definitely take environmentally friendly sex products into account when making a decision with a partner," she said. "Why not look at every aspect of your life from a green perspective? We tend to live in the moment and not think about these decisions. Because a lot of things go on the market with out being tested, it's hard to know what's in the products we buy."
Fencl says that she is concerned by the general public's lack of knowledge on green sex products.
"If I'm someone who thinks about the environment on a daily basis and I don't even buy these products, then that's a problem," Fencl said.
Gordon, however, said that the public's awareness of its green sex options is rapidly increasing. His green sex guide received more response than anything he has ever written, with Jay Leno, Matt Drudge and Rush Limbaugh all featuring the article in their shows.
"People are definitely interested in environmentally-friendly sex, but time will tell if they actually go ahead and change their actions," Gordon said.
Gordon stressed that green sex is an integral part of a larger movement towards environmentally-friendly living.
"Green sex is part of a bigger thing; it's part of a sustainable lifestyle," he said. "It's a reexamination of the way we live our lives. Sex is a part of our lives, as is commuting, as is food. Environmentally-friendly sex applies to people who are going to integrate green living into every aspect of their lives."
