Ok, I admit I read about this in today’s USA Today, but I find it odd and fantastic at the same time. And I’ve never really heard people talk about it before now. Apparently, couples are more and more concerned about their environmental compatibility. Apparently it factors HUGE into relationships. Huh?
Therapists are seeing an increase in couples fighting over environmental issues…stuff like buying wild salmon over farm raised, or mixing up the paper and plastic trash, I imagine. And those who are single? They are picky about dating only those who are equally concerned about the environment. Meaning, do their dates measure their own carbon footprints and take meaningful steps to reduce waste, or do they consider the fact that they own a Prius their contribution to saving the planet?
I saw An Inconvenient Truth and I believe there’s global warming. I recycle and drive an eco-friendly car (if there is such a thing…). But should you judge your partner over eco-friendly laziness?
Let’s take a date, for instance. If you had a choice to drive or walk to a restaurant or club, what would you do? In L.A. sadly it would be driving, no questions asked. Mostly because it takes an hour to get anywhere and mass transit sucks. (For those who saw the movie Swingers, the friends all taking separate cars is a real thing here.) For those in New York or London, walking or public transit is so much easier. Should you really judge your date according to their environmental habits then, or is it more a factor of where you live? Well, at least in L.A. we can stop and eat at a vegan Thai restaurant for dinner and wash it down with wheatgrass shots at the local veggie bar. Or something like that.
So, what about meeting people who are eco-friendly dates in the first place? Then you’d be on the same page and dating green wouldn’t be such an effort. Especially because it’s hard to meet someone you click with, let alone someone who feels the same way you might about hemp clothing. Anyhow, more eco-concerned dating sites are popping up such as Green Singles, Green Passions, Earth Wise Singles, and EcoDater.com. Oh, and there’s also Meet Market Adventures for you vegetarians out there.
Peace and green love. It’s definitely worth trying out!
About Kelly Seal
Kelly is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, CA. She blogs about dating, relationships, personal growth and what "healthy living" means to her. You can follow her on Google+, Twitter @kellyseal or through her website www.kellyseal.com.
OK, this might be going too far, although I will say the country is becoming more and more polarized in many ways, so why not green thinking. But I think it’s only a problem when we’re talking extremes.
Example: One person doesn’t own a car, or is fanatical about recycling, and the other person drives a huge SUV or Truck and tosses cans and plastic bottles in the trash; and doesn’t care. But for the rest of us that fall somewhere in the middle, some sort of compromise can be made, or at least both parties are willing to listen to one another and understand each other’s point of view.
To decide on whether or not the person’s right based on their “green” leanings is not the best way to approach a new possibility.
Fun topic.
ps. And thanks for your comment on spring cleaning. I thought for sure you’d have an opinion on the other recent post, “Moves that paralyze.” Gotta run! Have a good day.
This never occurred to me. I look for compatibility in politics, religion, parenting, the big ones but it makes sense that this would be an issue too. I recycle, I try to conserve, I try not to waste, I drive a reasonably eco friendly car I suppose I would expect the same from anyone I dated. Of course it has been so long since I had a date I might not be so picky.
I do agree with all the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are very short for novices. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.