Eco-Sexy: Delivered
Every other Tuesday, my roommate and I have fresh, organic produce delivered to our doorstep in a box overflowing with in-season delights. Each delivery is a surprise. Will a pound of juicy white nectarines make my day, or will I have to settle for the pluots, again? (Yes, I know, a first-world complaint.) The whole idea is a total win for the everyday busy, but still-cares-about-good-food person. You’re essentially hiring a local farm to do your fruit and veggie shopping for you.
I recently found out that Blissmo, an eco-friendly daily deals / flash sale site (off which I recently bought some cozy, organic PACT underwear…that’s particularly awesome because they’re from Berkeley), has launched BlissmoBox. It’s like a CSA box, but instead of fruits and veggies, it’s an assortment of eco-friendly products. And instead of weekly, it’s monthly. And instead of the same types of products every week, they switch up the themes. From a home-and-laundry box to a food-and-beverage box, you get a supply of products—all organic and/or good for you and the environment—for about half-off what you’d normally pay for them.
And what’s one of their three limited-edition boxes for August? The Sex Box. (Or, as Blissmo puts it, the “Night Lovin’” box. But we all know what that means.)
Apparently, Justin Timberlake was onto something back in December of 2006:
But THIS box is full of vegan lube, vegan condoms, vegan candies, and the best (in my opinion, anyway) massage oil candle on the market. Who said being vegan wasn’t sexy?
Being Eco-Sexy
Part of the reason why I am vegan is because of the environmental destruction it takes to get meat from “farms” (in quotes because factory farms are in a class all their own) to our plates. Going vegan is one of the greenest things you can do. (There’s a fun little quote about that here.) But being vegan doesn’t just stop at what you eat. Being vegan is a lifestyle. And intimate moments are (a huge) part of that lifestyle.
While there’s a disconnect between the food we eat and how it got there, there’s also a disconnect between the products we use, what’s actually in them and how they’re so dutifully performing for us. We assume that if it’s on the market, it’s safe. But in reality, a lot of our everyday products, from laundry detergents to lipstick, are rife with chemicals that do more harm than beautifying. And to boot, they go pretty unregulated. (No More Dirty Looks is an awesome resource on this topic.)
For instance, when it comes to sexy time, sex accessories were, for a while, often made with phthalates, a toxic plasticizer. Some still are, but phthalate-free toys are ever increasing on the market. Makes sense, since, according to Stefanie Iris Weiss, who wrote Eco Sex, phthalates “are suspected of having carcinogenic and mutagenic affects on the skin and mucous membranes” (162). Umm, no thanks…especially for anything going near what’s going to help me make babies later.
Speaking of my box, I bet you’re wondering:
What’s going to be in your box?
(If you’ve already ordered it and don’t want to ruin the surprise, DON’T READ BELOW.)
1. Cinnamon Vanilla Lubricant from Good Clean Love (4 oz)
If the lube itself isn’t enough of an aphrodisiac, the cinnamon-vanilla blend certainly will be. Plus, the lube is free from petrochemicals, parabens, animal cruelty and a sticky clean-up. To boot, the company’s founder, Wendy Strgar is the curator of BlissmoBox’s Sex Box.
2. Jimmyjane’s Truffle+Gardenia-Scented Natural Massage Oil Candle
Frankly, I can’t explain it better than this:
Plus, they’re phthalate-, sulfate-, petrochemical-, animal product- and animal testing-FREE.
3. Three-pack of vegan, fair-trade condoms from Glyde
Casein, a milk derivative, is often used to make latex for condoms. Glyde’s condoms are 100% vegan—in place of casein is “a vegetable extract taken from the thistle family.”
4. Raspberry Tart Tin from St. Claire’s Organics
Admittedly, this seems like a weird addition to the box, but St. Claire’s products are free of just about anything you may be allergic to or don’t eat by choice. So, these hit a sweet spot.
Doing the math based on each brand’s ecommerce site, that’s $52.50 worth of sexy. But through BlissmoBox, you pay way less than that. OH YES, it gets better:
If you order by August 31 (yes, that’s this Wednesday! And yes, that’s the last day you can order!), you can get the whole thing for $11. Lucky for you, you have an in. It’s right here.
Going green is more than just taking public transportation or eating less meat. I think there’s a green-or-not-green aspect to most of our daily routines and decisions. And like the CSA box makes getting your hands on good food easy for even the busiest professional, this BlissmoBox is doing the same but for all sorts of everyday products, even our most private ones.
The Details: Summarized
One Night Lovin’ BlissmoBox
The last day to order is Wednesday, August 31. And if you use this special link, it’s only $11 (for $52+ worth of stuff)!
Images via Smithsonian on Flickr, Eric Hews on Flickr, goodcleanlove.com, glyde-condoms.com and stclaires.com
I just signed up for blissmoBox, very exciting! Thanks for sharing this awesome vegan-ness!