Eco-friendly sex: Wetin e mean and how e dey impact climate change?

How much of an impact do our sex lives have on climate change?

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When we think about di different ways we fit reduce our carbon footprints, our sex lives no usually dey come for di top of di list.

Yet web searches for sustainable products like vegan condoms and waste-free contraception don dey steadily on di rise in recent years.

As more pipo dey try to live environmentally friendly lives, how we fit do am wey sex go dey more sustainable and no dey cause more dirty for our environment?

Wetin be eco-friendly sex?

“For some, to dey eco-friendly sexually mean say to dey select lubes, toys, bed sheets and condoms wey no go too affect di planet,” Dr Adenike Akinsemolu wey be environmental sustainability scientist from Nigeria tok.

“For others, e mean to reduce di damage for di creation of porn to workers and di environment.”

Di UN Population Fund estimate say around 10 billion male latex condoms dey manufactured each year and dem dey troway most of dem for landfills.

That na because most condoms dey made from synthetic latex and dem dey use additives and chemicals, wey make am impossible to dey recycled.

Lambskin condoms wey don dey since Roman times na di only fully biodegradable option.

However, e dey produced from di intestine of sheep plus e no dey prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Many lubes also be petroleum-based, e contain fossil fuels wey don lead to rise in water-based or organic products. Dis don make homemade options to become more popular.

Dr Tessa Commers get more than one million followers wey dey watch her TikTok videos on sexual health. Her most viewed video – wey get almost eight million watches – na recipe for homemade lube made from cornstarch and water.

“Di water-based lubricants, organic and vegan condoms dey good for having fun and enjoying sustainable sex life,” Dr Akinsemolu tok. “Dem no only dey cause minor damage to di environment but dem dey offer their users a great time.”

However, pipo gatz dey careful wit some greener products, as some no dey usable wit most condoms as dem dey cause breakage. And before making any decisions around contraception, e dey advised say you speak to a doctor or family planning professional.

Sex toys na another area wey dey use more of plastic. Although steel or glass alternatives dey available, also to buy di rechargeable toys go also helps reduce waste. Solar powered sex toys also dey for market.

Companies like LoveHoney dey offer sex toy amnesty, dem dey help recycle old and broken toys wey no fit go through typical recycling routes.

Where else we fit reduce our waste?

Di part of our sex lives wey we fit change to reduce waste no too plenty.

But to buy correct underwear and clothes, stop dey do kerewa for bathroom, to reduce di hot water, off lights plus choose to wear second hand cloth na ways to reduce our impact on di planet.

Like most things we buy, packaging dey often lead to waste. Lauren Singer, one entrepreneur and zero-waste influencer from New York, say dis na where most companies fit make a difference.

Condoms, lube and daily contraceptive pills na products wey fit generate packaging wey go end up for landfills. IUDs (intrauterine devices) and implants na longer-term contraceptive options wey get less waste but get their own risks.

Lauren dey live almost entirely waste-free and since 2012, she dey collect anything wey she no fit recycle inside jar.

You no go see condoms for Lauren jar as na di only contraception wey dey strong against STIs, she dey ask all her sexual partners to dey tested before she sleep wit dem.

Wetin be di climate impact of reproducing

Dis don bring us to another point where sex and di environment collide – having children.

According to one 2017 study, to stop dey use cars dey save about 2.3 tonnes of carbondioxide one year, while sticking to a plant-based diet dey save 0.8 tonnes.

To compare dem together – if you dey live for developed world and you choose not get pikin, e go save about 58.6 tonnes per year.

Di carbon footprint for less developed countries dey low lower, to get child for Malawi dey estimated say e no fit pass 0.1 tonnes.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dey tok for di C40 summit in Copenhagen in 2019

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Some influential figures don tok how dem feel about having children. Prince Harry bin tell Vogue for 2019 say im and di Duchess of Sussex go get “maximum” of two children, e cite di environment as key factor for dis decision.

Similarly, US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez bin tok for di C40 World Mayors’ Summit for 2019 say she be “woman wey dreams of motherhood get bittersweet taste for her sake f wetin she now sabi wbout di children future”.

Birth rates don reduce for many countries across di world.