Five Green Dating Tips

When you're on a date, you're usually thinking about a lot of things: Making a good impression, your appearance, how to keep conversation from lagging, or (on a date you wished you'd never made) how to politely excuse yourself as quickly as possible.

But do you ever think about the environment while you're out on a date? It's tough with all the other things on your mind, but with a little forethought you can factor your concern for the environment into your date and potentially impress your would-be significant other while helping the planet. Here are five suggestions on how to make your dates "greener":

5) Take a leftovers container with you when you go out to eat. This isn't difficult in the least, and it will help you from having to use a Styrofoam container that will probably never get used again. Take an earth-friendly container along with you and ask for the waitperson to put your leftovers in it. You can always wash it out and use it over and over.

4) Bike or walk to a date location. This is obviously somewhat weather-dependent, but when possible it will help you save gas(and money) and cut down on pollution. Also, the extra time that it will take you to get to your destination will leave some extra time for that lost art of conversation.

3) Bring a bag or other container if you are at a fast-food restaurant with lots of disposable plastic items. There are wastebaskets at fast food places, but none of those plastic spoons, forks, or cardboard containers are going to get recycled. They'll just end up at a landfill somewhere. Bring along a bag and wash off the recyclable items to take with you. You can put them in with your recyclables or wait until you have a big load of them and take them to a recycling center.

2) Have a stay-at-home date. Going out is nice, but enjoying another person's company and getting to know someone does not require always having to go somewhere. You can prepare dinner, use candles(which will save on electricity, as well as be romantic), and avoid the gas and pollution that driving somewhere would entail.

1) Use earth-friendly personal hygiene products. This might take some work, as the stuff we wash, deodorize, and beautify ourselves with are often loaded with chemicals that are not good for the earth(or ourselves, in many cases). Find soaps and makeups that are made with minimal processing and use natural, sustainable materials. Your date might not necessarily notice that you use these kinds of products(but if he or she is perceptive it is possible), but you will find yourself(and the earth) healthier and potentially more attractive to your dating partner.

Yes, even in the world of dating you can act green. While dating is somewhat of an emotion-based activity and can be prone to extravagance, there are ways you can consider the environment while doing it. The five ways I have listed are just a starting point. Think about what your plans are for a given date and you will probably be able to come up with your own ways to date green.