Our eyes meet across a crowded room. He’s a very easy-on-the-eye cross between Brad Pitt in his prime, (he is a vegan after all) Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey and man of the moment, actor Timothée Chalamet. Not only is he handsome, this potential beau seems funny, kind, and he has a good job, and presumably bank balance, too.
But then, it happens. He slurps from a plastic straw while calling global warming a conspiracy before admitting he goes everywhere in his car and wouldn’t be seen dead on a bike. Needless to say, this date did not end happily ever after. Eco hunk he ain’t. There’s been a gradual and welcome shift in the do’s and don’ts of the dating world. Eco-consciousness has become the key criteria when searching for a partner. Dashing good looks and a twinkling personality are all very well, but they’re no longer enough. Is your Ryan Gosling look-alike a recycler? Your gorgeous Idris Elba doppelganger an eco-warrior? If he’s not green, then we’re not keen is the saying nowadays.
All the single ladies are no longer trying to put a ring on it – they’re more worried about making a conscious effort to go on dates via public transport. And the most attractive trait a man can have nowadays? Forget boasting about a Porsche 917K in the driveway or American Express Centurion card in your pocket, boys.
Velotric Bike surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about their environmental choices and how they relate to dating – and, well, it seems that being eco-conscious has never been more alluring. Ranked as the most attractive eco-friendly behaviour? Using a reusable water bottle, of course.
The survey also explored how certain mindsets could cause or resolve intimacy and communication issues. Finding the perfect partner essentially means being on the same page about everything – and an individual’s environmental choices can significantly affect potential romantic relationships. A staggering 82 per cent of respondents reported differences in environmental ideology resulting in fights with a significant other. Dubai-based entrepreneur Lily says: “I was dumped for caring about the environment “too much”!”
She admits that she was equally turned off by dating men who rolled their eyes at her eco-friendly lifestyle.
And while being passionate about nature can also mean three times more passion in a relationship – with couples living in solar panelled-homes claiming to have red hot love lives, for example – finding a partner who loves the planet as much as you do can be tricky. You might meet somebody who ticks a lot of boxes and makes you smile, but how can you be sure their values align with yours? Interrogating them on their eco-knowledge over dinner isn’t exactly moonlight and roses.
So what red flags should you look for when searching for a green soulmate?
- Refusing to care about global warming or recycling
- Littering
- Mindlessly wasting food
- Driving a car when walking, cycling or public transport is an option
And what green flags will get your heart racing?
- Cycling to work
- Driving an electric or hybrid car
- Proudly being a nature lover
- Using eco shopping bags
- Carrying a reusable water bottle
But where exactly can you find these like-minded soulmates? The good news is that many dating apps are now geared towards being green. You can start your quest for eco-love by looking on Green Singles, Meet Mindful, Natural Friends, Planted Earth Singles and Elite Singles apps. Mainstream apps such as Bumble have personality shortcuts called Interest Badges. This list includes options like coffee, pop music, and voter rights, and with more than 150 to choose from, the labels enable users to showcase a selection of at-a-glance values. So if you’re after an eco-companion, search for the environmentalism badge.
And finally, where can you go once you’ve spotted a potential match? As temperatures drop in the UAE, the great outdoors beckons for a fabulous first date. Kayak through the serene mangroves and star gaze while enjoying a cup of Karak tea with biscuits under the full moon (info@sea-hawk.ae). Enjoy a bike ride together and find the perfect spot for a picnic. Why not plant a tree while you’re there? Or is there anything more romantic than a walk on the beach, the waves lapping against your toes as you get to know each other?
Gardening is not only a great hobby, but can spark a mutual interest and provide a decent workout. Then again, if you really want to get your adrenalin pumping together, go for a hike. Hatta, in Dubai’s largest national park, has no less than 17 routes to take while admiring the Hajar Mountains. More seasoned hikers can attempt the Stairway to Heaven trail at Wadi Ghallah, which is guaranteed to get both your hearts racing even if your feet get sore.
For those who’d rather stretch their intellect, take a stroll around the Louvre Abu Dhabi or the Sharjah Science Museum. But if you’re really keen to see where things are heading, a date to the Museum of the Future would be a perfect starting point to explore what might truly happen next…
A Hollywood Eco-hunk?
Brad Pitt
The award-winning actor is vegan and donated $5million to Make It Right, an adopt a green home campaign to restore houses after the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The inception star has always championed the environment and nature with his foundation and eco documentaries to protect wildlife and tackle the global climate crisis.
Tobey Maguire
The Spiderman star has been vegetarian since 1992 and turned vegan in 2009 when he banned leather from his home – anyone arriving wearing any leather shoes, belts or carrying leather handbags have to leave them outside.
Pharrel Williams
The Musician is now as well known for his environmentalism as he is for his songs. Creative director of Bionic Yarn, a company that spins plastic waste into textiles, he is also the man behind G-Star clothing that’s made out of recycled bottles found floating in the ocean.
Orlando Bloom
Not only is the Pirates of The Caribbean actor a UNICEF ambassador, where he has been working to help bring purified water to local communities in Nepal, but his London home with popstar wife Katy Perry is eco-friendly, with solar panels, incorporated recycled materials, and energy efficient lightbulbs.
