Eco-Sexuality: How to have sex with the Earth

By Jack Wrixon, Sexpress Editor Without sugar-coating it, the climate crisis we’re currently facing is awful. Watching the world  around you slowly decay as a direct result of human activity is nothing if not both an existential  crisis and also, a turn off. But what can be done? It’s easy to shift a lot of the blame (and also  have this blame shifted) onto ourselves as the main cause of global pollution, but ultimately it’s  important to remember that while we as a society are not totally absolved of the blame, up to  71% of all global emissions into the atmosphere are caused by 100 companies, and that until  these companies are brought to justice for their crimes against the earth, it’s down to us to try  and prevent as much pollution as we can to preserve our beautiful planet. Back to the sexy part though. Let’s say you and your partner (or partners) are devoted to the  green life and want to incorporate it everywhere, including in your bedroom. How do you go  about doing this? Well the first step, as always, is communication. Identify where you believe  your sex life is lacking on the environmentalist front and fix it. I’m not saying overhaul it  completely for the sake of the environment, or to go out and start rubbing yourself off of trees  or anything, but to simply just make a few changes along the way for the good of the planet.  How many of you bring your own reusable mug to coffee shops (or used to anyway), or even  use a metal straw when you’re going out drinking? Small changes like that may not visibly do  much, but ultimately are better for the environment that I’m suggesting for your bedroom  activities. I can’t write something like this and not acknowledge the actual Ecosexual Movement. Before  you question it, the answer is yes, some of these people engage in having an erotic relationship with the earth. Moving on. Ecosexuality differs from Ecofeminism by viewing the Earth as a  “Lover” figure instead of a “Maternal” one, but Ecosexuality is more than achieving an orgasm while being surrounded by some form of the natural environment, and for many people it is in  no way that intense. Adding a “green” element to your sex life does not necessarily make you an Ecosexual (in fact I would probably argue it just makes you a good person), but a lot can be learned and taken from this movement that we can apply to our regular lives, without going all  out. Unless you want to, then by all means go ahead and live your life. So, something we should all be doing anyway regardless of our sex lives is stopping or cutting  down on the amount of fast fashion we purchase. We have both an environmental and an  ethical responsibility to do this, and shopping for lingerie or costumes to include in your sex life is no different. I understand that it can be hard, and very often for many people it’s their only option for whatever reason, but even changing one thing is good. Brands like Organic Basics  and Brighton Lace actively work with sustainable practices in mind to produce underwear and lingerie for everyone. Some of the products on both websites can be a bit pricey (not to mention the import fees if they’re a UK brand) but a one-time purchase can last you much longer than your average pair of underwear and you’ll be doing something for the planet while looking sexy. Now, previously I’ve advocated for the use of LED lights during sex over that of a ceiling light or  a bedside lamp to boost the mood and change the vibes into more sexy ones. Most LED lights  however consume an awful lot of electricity when being used, and we’re trying to conserve  some of that sparky stuff for the future. Now, after sifting through quite a few pages on Google, you can find battery powered LED lights, or you could go for an easier option and purchase a few natural candles to have lit while you’re getting busy. There are hundreds of popular and reasonably priced Irish retailers who sell candles made of sustainably sourced wax, so the choice is yours really. Maybe you add a little bit of spice and buy a few scented ones, for the ultimate sensory experience. If you’re not willing to splurge on a good candle, that's okay too.  You can also just have sex in the dark. Perks of this are you don’t have to get up and turn off the  lights afterwards. It’s also not illegal to have sex during the day when it’s bright, and there is no light like that of the sun. Another way to make your sex life greener is to look at what methods of contraception you’re  using, and their life cycles in regard to the environment. I am not, under any circumstances,  suggesting you forego contraception. Like yeah, great, sexual  liberation in the name of the environment – but STDs are not something you want to contract.  If you’re one of the many who use condoms as their main form of contraception, then look into the eco-friendly products offered by so many brands and retailers. Both, Boots and Holland and Barrett offer reasonably priced green condoms, and they also both offer home delivery, so you have no excuse on this front. If you use other forms of contraception, such as the patch or the pill, consider switching to more long-term forms of contraception such as an IUD or The Bar.  The decision is down to you, and don’t let anyone else make your contraceptive choice for you, but both of the long term forms result in less waste being produced. No matter what form you choose, you’re also probably going to need some lube to go with your sex. Lovehoney, Sex Siopa and Boots all supply different brands of eco-friendly lube, so shop around and see which one works best for you, and best for your budget.In an effort to reduce the amount of water wasted while showering, many solutions have  cropped up in the last twenty years with the most advanced being a sophisticated shower head that reduces your water consumption while in use. In a similar vein, one of the best ways to save water while showering is to have sex in the shower. I’ve spoken about this before, and I  will die on this hill. Shower sex has the potential to not only be superior to regular sex, but you are also doing a literal world of good when you shower with someone else. This is something  that we are all guilty of, but it’s important to know that every minute wasted in the shower is  also wasting 2.5 gallons of water, and this unfortunately adds up in the long run. So, alongside  showering with someone for sexy reasons as well as environmental ones, maybe try to shave  just a couple of minutes off your regular shower routine as well. Speaking of shaving, if you’re  someone who likes to deforest your own proverbial Amazon consider investing in an eco friendly razor and or shaving cream, for the jungle in your pants or the jungle anywhere else on your body. Turning off the shower while you shave as well is also a great way to save water and get more of a sense of what you’re doing, because nobody talks about how tricky shaving in the shower is. Sex should not have to cost the earth and it is our responsibility to try and preserve our planet  for as long as we can. The capitalistic exploitation of our natural resources is something that we  should all be educated and enraged about, especially because for most of us, it’s not directly  impacting our lives yet. It’s clichéd, but it is truly the little things that can help (alongside  dismantling the system that consumes and exploits our natural resources). Hopefully this piece  has helped to shed a green light on your sexual habits and how you can change them up to save  the planet. You may not want to go fully down the Ecosexual path in order to save the earth,  but I’m sure you can find at least one thing that you can change for the better. Now get out there and go save the planet. It’s probably worth it. I may not be an Ecosexual, but if you need more information on anything mentioned in this piece or just general advice about sexy stuff,  you can reach me via email at sexpress@uccexpress.ie.