If you’re looking to update your dating profile for 2020, pop in a mention of the climate crisis.
Following a year of increasing support for climate-related causes, with 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg leading the way, it should come as no surprise that young people want a partner who cares about the environment.
Tinder has just released its Year in Swipe report, which shows that the climate crisis is one of the most popular topics mentioned in bios, especially among Gen Z, who were born after 1997.
There’s some debate about where the age range ends, with some saying it ends with those who are currently 22, and others state it can include people up to the age of 25 in 2019. For the report, Tinder has focused on the bios of 18-25 year olds.
Lucy, 22, wouldn’t be put off if a man didn’t have an environmentally-focused bio, but it’s always a draw if he does.
‘I mean don’t want them to boast about it, like have “I heart earth” in their bio, but I’d say if there was someone whose bio had ‘studies environmental sciences’, that would definitely give them more of a chance in my eyes,’ she tells us.
‘It would be nice to find someone who cares about the environment and has a bit more to them than “I want money and a nice body”.
‘I want them to fulfill me in other ways.’
Generation Z don’t want to talk about that wild trip to Ibiza or the time you went snorkeling among sharks in Pacific, they would much rather bond with you over important causes that affect the globe like rising sea levels or politics.
If you also like Greta, you’ll get bonus points – she’s one of the most mentioned women on Tinder in 2019.
Sarah, 24, tells us that caring about climate change is definitely a desirable characteristic – but she worries about her partner being too invested in it.
‘If I see someone’s dating profile mentions the environment it’s definitely a turn-on as I do deeply care about climate change and making an impact,’ she says.
‘But if they’re militantly XR [Extinction Rebellion] or vegan, I worry that they will not be any fun, or that they will tell me off for doing something wrong rather than helping me learn and make the right choices.
‘I come from a farming family and while I don’t believe in mass-produced meats, sustainable farming could be a good thing for this country, so I don’t want to be bollocked for enjoying a ham and cheese sarnie.’
However, the way to a millennial’s heart isn’t necessarily through climate change.
Instead, they are three times more likely to focus on travelling and talking about exotic journeys to foreign lands (add a plane emoji to your bio, just in case).
Callum Wade, a 28-year-old millennial, isn’t bothered about dating someone who is overtly interested in environmental causes.
‘It wouldn’t bother me, because that’s not what relationships are based on,’ he tells us.
‘And who knows.. you could be the inside man who reforms them to actually care.
‘Climate change and the environment are high up there for a lot of people. If you enter a relationship and the other person doesn’t hold the same views, use that as an opportunity to educate them and possibly you could build a stronger relationship by doing so.
‘I’m currently single so I’m open to any views at the moment. I’ll leave the educational brainwashing until it’s too late for them to get away from me.’
So why is climate change so important to the younger generation?
While more awareness of environmental issues has certainly played its part, there’s a behavioural aspect to why we are attracted to people who share our values – it stems from our childhood.
‘Physical attraction aside, people who influenced us throughout our childhood play an instrumental role in ruling who we are attracted to throughout adulthood,’ said human behaviour specialist, Adele Walker.
‘For instance, study’s have shown that if you experience physical pain as a child (from falling over etc.) and you are comforted by someone who is tall and shows great empathy, then it is likely that you will find such traits attractive in further years.
‘The same logic applies to what we believe is right and wrong with regards to morals and integrity. If we find someone who mirrors the same belief system as us that stems from our childhood, then we are likely to be attracted to them.
‘If a person is passionate about climate change, then their beliefs are often integrated into their everyday living and governs many of their lifestyle choices. These lifestyle choices can go from minor acts such as basic recycling to major life decisions such as opting to not have children.
‘For this reason, for those who are passionate about climate change, finding a partner who shares a similar view is not a ‘nice to have’ in order to tick the box of “shared interests” but a “must have” required to future proof a relationship.’
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t swipe right on someone hot who is bad at recycling or that all meat-eaters are evil.
The important thing is to figure out what you will and won’t compromise on.
And like Callum said, you could always be the one to convert them to more climate-friendly ways.
Worst comes to worst, swipe left.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/05/the-hottest-dating-trend-in-2019-is-caring-about-the-environment-11242262/
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