Social Life

Green Dating Ideas | Online Resources | Green Parties | Activity Ideas

Green Your Date - Places to Meet and Mingle

Are you turned off by a beau who doesn't recycle? Is it a deal-breaker if she orders a steak? Here are a few ways to meet your green soul mate.

Get involved: You're more likely to encounter someone with similar interests if you're doing something you enjoy. Use VolunteerMatch to find opportunities in your area. Meet up with your local Sierra Singles group to explore the outdoors with likeminded people.
Network: Chat with environmentally aware professionals at a Green Drinks event. Even if you don't find the man or woman of your dreams, you might score a few business contacts.
Take a chance: Feeling bold? Give Green Speed Dating a try. Bring a friend to ease any speed-dating jitters. Afterward, head to an eco-nightclub to dish and dance.
Plant some love: Instead of presenting cut flowers, give your date a potted plant that she or he can keep alive for much longer.
Show your stuff: Ask your date to bring a bag of old clothes and visit a Goodwill or Salvation Army. Before donating, peek inside the bags; share stories about each item and laugh over misguided fashion choices.
Plan a farmers’ market picnic: Meet at a local farmers' market, stock up on fresh veggies, and create a feast you can share together. Enjoy the outdoors by choosing a picnic-friendly recipe.

Online Resources

Let your computer play matchmaker at these eco-themed dating sites:

Green Passions is a free dating and social-networking site. Search for singles with interests such as alternative energy or organic farming. Looking for someone who'd love to share a salad? Check out Vegan Passions or Vegetarian Passions.
Green Singles started as a paper newsletter in 1985 and moved online in 1996. Five percent of its profits go to earth-friendly nonprofits. Members can also place free ads to promote green businesses.
Date for Trees is a unique combination of a tree-donating service and dating site. Each time a client upgrades to a paid membership, a tree is donated to American Forests.
Care2 Singles combines social networking with environmental activism, providing options to sign petitions, donate to causes, look for green jobs, and volunteer.

Green Your Party: Yummy Eco Eats

Having a soiree? Do it green!

U.S. cattle produce as much as 6 million tons of methane every year, and the energy needed to feed and transport the animals makes for environmental rap sheets a mile long. So if you have a hankering for protein, go with less carbon-intensive options like chicken or sustainably harvested fish.
To go even greener, give starring roles to non-meat dishes packed with herbs, spices and vegetables. For more ideas on how to create a less carbon-intensive - yet divinely flavorful - meal, check out these tips for reducing meat consumption.

Activity Ideas

Fair-trade parties: Give the Tupperware model a sustainable twist by offering edible and decorative products that support workers and environmental initiatives in developing countries. While some organizations provide hosts with goods to sell, you can do it yourself by supplying educational pamphlets, a few donated samples, catalogs, and fair-trade coffee and sweets.

Clothing Swaps and Frugalistas: Of course, the idea of trading clothes is older than even your most dated dress. But today's economy and shoppers' heightened awareness of environmental and social issues have infused swap soirees with a new buzz. Clothing Swap founder Suzanne Agasi touts swaps as a way to do right by the planet, while London's Sun traces the trend to so-called frugalistas - would-be fashionistas hit hard by the recent credit crunch who've found new ways to revive their wardrobes.