By Juliette Tang
The market for eco-friendly sex toys is growing, and in the past several years we've seen remarkable advances in the engineering of toys with ecology in mind. But while it's relatively easy to create eco-friendlier dildos, cock rings, condoms, or lubes, designing and manufacturing eco-friendlier vibrating toys is much more difficult -- as anything that vibrates is necessarily powered by some form of energy. The challenge is to create a toy that uses either the least amount of energy or the most sustainable type of energy possible, while still functioning just as well or better than a traditional battery-operated or plug-in alternative. Proudly, San Francisco is home to some of the hippest and youngest pioneers in the mechanics and design of innovative new sex toys.
Earlier this year, Bay Area engineering student Ani Niow created a steam-powered vibrator which, though perhaps not exactly eco-friendly, explored the mechanical possibilities of a different source of energy. Just this past week, we saw news of The Mean Green Fucking Machine, a water-powered toy designed by SFSU grad student Martin Cooper, who saw the design and market potential in creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing 'fucking machine' powered by alternative means.
Though Niow's Steampunk Vibe and Cooper's Mean Green Fucking Machine are both still in the most beta of beta stages, hopefully there will be many new developments in the alternative-energy-sex-toy sphere in the near future. And, kinky earthy types who want green vibes do have present options to choose from -- all of which your humble blogger has, at the very least, seen firsthand.
Battery-free Earth Angel Wind-Up Vibrator
The Earth Angel is made of 100% recycled materials and is actually hand-cranked to power. There is a tiny dial that pops out of the bottom of the vibrator, which the user cranks for 4 minutes to store 30 minutes of vibrating potential. The vibe is not at all versatile in terms of speeds and settings, and it looks chunky, plastic, and kind of ugly, but of all the alternatives on this list, Earth Angel is hands down the most eco-friendly. The main drawback is the $95 price which, to be honest, would deter purchase by all except the most dedicated eco-warriors.
Sola Vibe, a solar-powered g-spot vibrator
This cute vibrator has 3 speeds and at full power lasts up to 2.5 hours (if you're fine with having your vibrator sit on your windowsill to charge for 10 hours in direct sunlight). The design team had the foresight to create a g-spot vibrator, which adds to its versatility (can be used internally or externally). It's $70, which makes it one of the least expensive eco-friendlier vibrators on the market. For emergencies when solar-charging is not an option, the vibrator also comes with a secondary wall-charger.
Jimmy Jane Form 6, a rechargeable waterproof vibe
Talking to Ethan Imboden, CEO of Jimmy Jane, I was struck by just how difficult a battery-free, waterproof, rechargeable vibe is to design. "Putting water and electricity together is not easy," Imboden said, immediately planting in my head the warning image of a blow-drier and bathwater induced accidental death. But the Form 6 is perfectly safe, and it's a beautiful vibrator that won a 2009 ID award for design and innovation. At $185, it's not inexpensive, but it's the only eco-conscious vibrator that can be safety used in the shower.
Lelo MIA, a vibe with a USB charger
The MIA is a pretty and discreet USB-charged vibe that looks as modest as a tube of lipstick, should it somehow accidentally roll out of your purse. While it doesn't actually hold any data, the MIA charges by plugging into your computer's USB connection. It's actually a brilliant concept that lends the MIA two great advantages over other battery-powered discrete vibes: it's light and quiet. Without a heavy battery rattling inside the vibrator's casing, the MIA is virtually silent. For those shy about keeping vibrators around the house, the MIA is unparalleled in its ability to camouflage its own presence.
The Acuvibe Rechargeable Massager is the strongest of its kind -- the closest thing to a Hitachi Magic Wand without the pesky electrical chord. While the overall eco-friendly aspect is debatable (the Acuvibe probably doesn't require that much less energy than a Hitachi), the Acuvibe is definitely a wiser choice than any battery-operated vibrator, plus it doubles as a back massager (rather, back-massaging is its intended use). Also, any enthusiastic sex toy user will tell you that chords are always the first thing to break down on a vibe, so the absence of a chord prolongs a sex toy's life.
PS If you want to make the leap into green and purchase one of these vibes, why not recycle some of your old sex toys? Check out the following sex toy recycling programs:
Comments (3)
Steam-powered vibrator is good, but i like the solar-powered g-spot vibrator the best.
Posted by Bill | November 8, 2009 02:53 AM
Eco-Friendly Sex Toys is a great option as far as I'm concerned albeit, solar powered and wind-up are not really realistic for most people.
Posted by Vibrators | November 9, 2009 12:50 PM
We have seen a huge rise in eco-friendly sex toys as people are doing their best to help save the planet, while having fun.
Posted by sex toys | November 17, 2009 05:06 AM