What Next, a Green Brothel?

Those Germans have always been innovators when it comes to change for environmental good. They are tops in Europe for wind power and recycling rates, and it probably doesn’t hurt that their chancellor, Angela Merkel, is a former environmental minister.

So perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that it’s a Berlin businessman who’s come up with a way to promote living green — and having sex. His Maison d’Envie brothel — prostitution, for the record, is legal in Germany — is offering a five euro ($7.02) discount for any patrons who arrive by bicycle or public transportation. So instead of paying 70 euros ($97.84) for a 45-minute visit, you’ll pay 65 ($90.85). This also applies to quickies: a 30 euro ($41.91) 15-minute session is a mere 25 euros ($34.93).

“The recession has hit our industry hard,” brothel owner Thomas Goetz told Reuters. “Obviously we hope that the discount will attract more people. It's good for business, it's good for the environment — and it's good for the girls." (Goetz isn’t the first to think green when it comes to prostitution: Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss in 2008 announced plans to open a wind-powered brothel in Nevada, but she hasn’t gotten around to it yet.)

The green incentive seems to be working: “We have around three to five new customers coming in daily to take advantage of the discount,” Goetz said. He added that the deal has “helped alleviate traffic and parking congestion in the neighborhood.”

That probably goes a long way to making the brothel more popular with the neighbors, whether or not they choose to frequent it.