Directions

It's been a while since I was able to knock out something completely fresh and on time for the gay and lesbian publication I write for. But this week, I did it.

I guess it helped that my Editor had given me some form of direction on what to cover (he usually gives me free rein, which probably doesn't help since I'm both too imaginative and indecisive). The next issue will be "green" themed, so he asked me to write something about the environment.

So, I did. I wrote about eco-friendly condoms.

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Loving Up the Environment

Once the realm of serious environmentalists and well-meaning but misunderstood tree-huggers, being eco-friendly has now become an everyday reality for all.

Gone are the days of bleached white paper products made from old growth forests as well as those once-ubiquitous throwaway plastic bags. In their place are plantation-harvested and reusable alternatives. And this environmental awareness hasn’t only been limited to simple consumption of paper or plastic but also to other products we use day to day.

How about slipping on a pair of sustainably grown underpants made from bamboo and hemp? Or applying those biodegradable plant-based moisturiser and hair products? Or even drinking your favourite fair-trade wine and latte? Being green conscious is now de rigueur.

Is it any wonder that this would also affect those things we use in a more pleasurable manner?

In the world of prophylactics, the humble condom is king. Used properly, it can prevent not only the transmission of AIDS and HIV but also prevent other sexually transmitted infections and diseases. It can even put a stop to unwanted pregnancies. Something daughters of American republicans may not be aware of.

But did you know that the environmental effects created by condoms can make the carbon emissions produced from China’s plethora of factories seem like mere puff of smoke?

Condoms are manufactured from different materials, with most being made of latex. Latex condoms are biodegradable; a plus for the environment, but the use of casein, a milk protein, in its production is of some concern with certain groups, mainly the animal rightists. Vegans will be hard-pressed to slap this on their meat. In addition, the use of essential condom peripherals such as spermicidal and lubricants can further hurt the environment as these products are likely to contain preservatives and synthetic materials.

And here’s another eye-opening titbit you can share over your seafood dinner: latex does not biodegrade when it is under water, which is why you should never flush used ones down the toilet. Imagine how poor Nemo would tackle one of these! And what of the wrappers? Most are made from foil that will neither break down nor can be recycled.

Nope, the safest bet in getting rid of used condoms, apart from flinging them over your neighbour’s fence, is to place them in the garbage ready to be made into landfill.

It’s enough to make little green Johnny think twice about having eco-nookie.

Enter condom manufacturers like Glyde and Condomi. Both companies are now producing an alternative rubber that has the environment in mind as well as the thing in your pants. Made from plant-based materials, they claim their product not only to be eco-friendly but vegan-friendly, too.

And they’re not the only companies jumping on the green love band wagon. A Brazilian manufacturer claims to have a “male preservative based on eco-friendly extracted natural latex from the Amazonian rainforest”. And in China, used condoms are being recycled into hair bands! There are also oils and lubricants now being made from soy-based organic products and even a website that claims to donate fees to a campaign to save rainforests for every condom purchased.

Now, that’s what I call loving up the environment!

Well, that's one way to reuse those rubbers.
This dude pwns Project Runway.