What is it about summer that we love so much? Is it the glory of sunshine or perhaps that lovin feelin that it brings with it. After all, out comes the sun and with it comes chirping birds and plenty of PDA (Public display of affection). So I guess it is safe to assume then that summer is indeed the season to be frisky. But as temperatures soar and hormones surge, do you really have the environment on your mind when you buy condoms? Off course not! So here are a few tips for eco safe sex this summer with green condoms, now you can get frisky responsibly, for you, your partner and the environment.

If sex, be one of the most frequent thoughts in the minds of mankind just imagine the potential for eco change if we can think eco safe sex.

Keep in mind that eco safe sex this summer with green condoms does not just imply 'doing it' in the great outdoors, or getting it on with the nearest vegetable, though if you are into that sort of thing, then you will be seduced by the eco conscious Love Design collection fresh out of the Milan Design Festival 09.

• The Fruit condom [above],designed by Quentin Simonin & Morgane Pluchon is a new way to use fruits: for pleasure, literally. The fruit condom is made in 100% hypoallergenic silicon.
• The Bedside Lamp designed by Matteo Cibic. [below].This bedside lamp hides a sex toy, the light color changes depending on whether the object is in use or not. Ceramic with platinum finish, medical-grade silicon dildo available in a variety of colors.
• 8th Heaven designed by Matali Crasset is part of the Love toy Collection, a series of love objects imagined by women for women. 8th Heaven is a love toy made of very fine silicon (100% hypoallergenic) with delicate metal spheres injected inside the soft material, creating a natural and soft vibration when in use. It functions as an extension of a woman’s hand, or perhaps just a physical extension of a woman’s fantasies.

To sustain ourselves on a fragile planet, we need to make sustainability a way of life. We can achieve this by re examining all aspects of our daily lives and find creative and innovative ways to lighten our footprint on the planet. Here’s how to practice eco safe sex this summer;

• A few simple choices like using all-natural products and alternatives to mainstream condoms,sex toys, aphrodisiacs and even underwear can revolutionize your sex life and your impact on the planet too.
• Use products made with silicone or elastomers instead those containing chemicals called phthalates, a substance used to soften hard plastics to create jelly-like sex toys. These chemical are harmful to your health and the environment,

• While the 3 R’s definitely don’t apply to condoms, USE ONCE ONLY- DONOT REUSE CONDOMS but be sure to use them properly for you and your partner’s safety then dispose of them properly for the benefit of the planet.
• Don't flush your condoms down the toilet. It may seem like an innocent flush to you, but according to the Ocean Conservancy, condoms, along with certain other types of trash, cover the coral reefs and smother sea grass and other bottom dwellers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency also has expressed concerns that many animals might mistake them for food! The most apparent flaw to you will be when a clogged toilet system built up over time. The best way to dispose of your condoms by wrapping them in a biodegradable material like tissue or paper before you trash them. This will assist in the decomposition process.

Green condoms are condoms which are produced within the limitations governing green design.ie. Biodegradable material in the condom itself and its packaging. Ethical employment principles (see fair-trade definition) and energy consumption. Here’s how to practice eco safe sex this summer with green condoms like these;

• Latex condoms are biodegradable (when on dry land not under water), but this process takes a really long time.
• Fair trade condoms can leave you feeling good about yourself for the ethical work practices which they promote.
• Lambskin condoms are the best biodegradable condom choice (chemical additives and lubricants may slow it down some), but they do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV—so maybe only a good choice if you're in a monogamous relationship and you've both been tested for STDs.If you're a vegan then this is not an option for you.

To practice eco safe sex this summer;

• Avoid condoms made of polyurethane, a plastic material that will not break down. It seems the best use for these are condom couture ( see below).
• Plastic or foil wrappers cannot be recycled, but it is all in vain for maintaining the quality of the condom. Perhaps the key lies in more sustainable condom packaging.
  
• As the examples below show a few aesthetically appealing ways to store condoms if you want to display them on your night stand. Big bulky containers are not exactly something you want to be carrying around. The solution to this is the condom compact. A simple square carry case to fit a few condoms at a time that can fit into any pocket.

If getting your condom on is a passion killer, then you may be inetersted in the Pronto Condom a recent winner in the Design Indaba  Awards 09 in South Africa - this condom applicator was chosen by the Dutch designer Jurgen Bey in the 'beauty' category. The Pronto condom may let you get it on pronto!, but this  device also encourages the use of condoms, the practice of safe sex and the prevention of the spread of HIV/Aids does seem like a beautiful idea.

The Pronto condom, invented by Willem van Rensburg (2001) and designed by industrial designer Roelf Mulder of South Africa’s XYZ Design, was created to make the crucial act of putting on a condom as smooth and quickly as possible.

A small plastic ring with just a snap and a click of the condom packet the condom can be applied in a second.

As much as condoms are revolutionary in their functional abilities, the downside is its slow decomposition process.This is a problem with latex condoms as well: agents are added to the natural rubber to make them generally 97% effective but 100% non-biodegradable.

Perhaps we’ll find a system for recycling the millions of condoms that otherwise end up in landfills each day.Perhaps the solution lies in the condom couture as in the "Condom Fashion Show" in China held at the China Reproductive Health New Technologies and Products Expo. The fashion show was organized by China's largest condom manufacturer, Guilin Latex Factory, to promote the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS.This could be the future of the trench coat.

P.S.In case you're wondering, I imagine that these works of art were made from reject condoms and not reused ones.