Let’s talk about sex.
I don’t usually talk about sex because it’s one of those subjects that people get all weird about which is funny because “how do you have Zero Waste sex?” is a very common question that I get asked.
It’s a question that I have shamefully, but successfully, ignored for a while now because I didn’t want to divulge my entire sex life on the internet, but whatever, I talk about everything else, why not sex?
Let’s be real, I have sex. There I said it! But…I do not have Zero Waste sex. When I sleep with someone, it produces waste. Why? Because I use protection.
(((#^!^^#@ BOOM!!!!*@%#^&*))) That was the world exploding.
Yes, I’ve been leaving out a critical component of my waste for over eight years now. When I use contraception, I throw it out in the trash because I definitely don’t want to save condoms in my Trash Jar. Weird memento, anyone?
Truthfully, there is no Zero Waste way to have sex without foregoing a condom or protection altogether. All methods of contraception produce waste of some sort. I personally do not want an IUD (no thank you, to a copper sculpture of ovaries in my ovaries), and I don’t want to take a pill that’s playing battleship with my hormones. I want my contraception to have as little physical impact on me as possible, which is why I use condoms.
But here are options for having safe, more sustainable sex…
Sustainable Condoms
Not all condoms are created equal. In fact, most conventional condoms are made with parabens, plastics, harsh chemicals, and they’re packaged in more plastic. Not to mention, there have been lots of accounts of child labor and poor working conditions in the condom latex industry (learn more on that here). These are some of my favorite, sustainable, and non-toxic condom options…
These vegan, easy to open, and no tear condoms which are 100% body safe, made with natural latex, and without any fragrances, carcinogens, BPAs, or GMOs.
I had the chance to interview Meika Hollender, the super cool Co-Founder of Sustain—a company that produces “vagina-friendly” products including lube and sustainable condoms—about sustainability in the condom industry. Read the interview here! Sustain is a a Certified B Corporation, their condoms are sourced from the only FSC certified latex plantation in the world, and they have guaranteed that 100% of their worker’s children are in school and that everyone has free health care. Their condoms are also free of dyes and fragrances, they’re screened to ensure that there are no detectable levels of nitrosamines in their condoms, and Sustain gives 10% of their profits to women’s reproductive health services in the US.
Lubricants
Instead of buying packaged, synthetic lubricants, there are some natural options that work for certain applications like coconut oil but just externally (note: coconut oil is not to be used internally with condoms, as oil can break down latex).
If you are going to purchase a lubricant, look for a natural one free of synthetic ingredients. There are many out there, but look for ones that are in a rigid glass or plastic container, not a squeeze tube as those will not be recycled. You could send empty packaging to Terracycle, otherwise, packaging will be landfilled.
Vibrators
These Gaia Vibrators from Package Free are 100% body-safe, biodegradable, and recyclable vibrators that are made from starch-based bioplastic. The vibrator’s outer shell is biodegradable in industrial composting. The inside plastic holder should be removed and recycled with plastic recycling or single stream recycling. The silicone ring around the inside screw-on section can be recycled in facilities that accept silicone or burnt and the ashes composted. The remaining inner components can be removed and sent to electronic recycling. Alternatively, this sex toy can be sent in its entirety to a facility that does Sex Toy Recycling.
