4 ways to have a Zero Waste Sex Life

Filed in Blog by on April 6, 2021 0 Comments
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Green men are more sexy

You’ve reduced your food waste to virtually zero, you’ve got a Zero Waste beauty routine, you don’t leave home without your Zero Waste takeout kit, and you’re making full use of your kerbside recycling collections.

These are all brilliant ways to reduce waste and you might be wondering what else you can do.

Today, dear readers, lets sit on the end of my bed and talk about your sex life.

I want to explore whether or not its possible to have a Zero Waste sex life. I suspect not, but we’ll see.

Contraception

Let’s get one thing straight. The one elephant in the room most people don’t want to face up to, is that over population is a real problem for the environment. So an unplanned pregnancy is definitely a no-no. That means contraception needs to be figured out and its better to throw condoms in landfill than end up with more children than you’d planned for. In other words, put guilt aside and stay safe (in more ways than one).

While most condoms are made from latex which biodegrades, they are usually made with additives to prevent breakage, which doesn’t degrade. Also, in a landfill, where there is absence of oxygen, natural products such as food and materials such as latex don’t break down readily. If you’re in a committed relationship you have other options, such as the pill. Sadly the pill comes in packaging which – until very recently – has been impossible to recycle. However, I heard this week that Terracycle are now taking medication packaging and have set up some take-back schemes in pharmacies. So that’s worth looking into.

The method of contraception that creates the least ‘waste’ as far as I can make out is the IUD coil. But this isn’t for everyone. The bottom line with contraception is that it has to be reliable, keep you safe, prevent unplanned pregnancies and has to be convenient for you to use – all that above the environmental concerns.

Now we’ve got that out of the way, there ARE things you can be doing to be a waste warrior between the sheets!

Lube

Some of us use it, some of us don’t. For those that do, most lube comes in plastic packaging. There are a few recipes online that you could try. Why not – if you’re already making your own deodorant and toothpaste, maybe lube is the next step on your exciting zero waste journey! Be warned though, if you use an oil based lube you can weaken the strength of condoms, so plan carefully!

Sex toys

Did you know that anything in your home that uses batteries or has a plug on it is classed as WEEE and has to be recycled accordingly? Yep, that means your trusty dildos are to be treated like an old remote control unit when they eventually wear out! If you use rechargeable batteries too, you’ll be doing even more to make this area of your sex life as Zero Waste as possible.

And just like drinking straws (!), dildos can now be bought not just in plastic, but in glass and steel as well; so if you’re a plastic-free advocate you can still indulge.

The clean up

Apparently, many people rely on disposable wipes for cleaning up after a romp between the sheets. I’m imagining you use washable cloths in your kitchen, so why not have some on hand for cleaning up after sex? You’ll save money too – see here for more Zero Waste money-saving ideas.

What have I missed? What do you do to keep your sex life as sustainable as possible?

About the Author ()

I am a long time supporter of the Green and Sustainable lifestyle. After being caught in the Boscastle floods in 2004, our family begun a journey to respect and promote the importance of Earth's fragile ecosystem, that focussed on reducing waste. Inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness of this wonderful planet, I have published numerous magazine articles on green issues and the author of four books.

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