Dating website caters to environment lovers

“Find love and save the planet!” the banner on www.greensingles.com states.

Green Singles is one of many online dating websites, but there’s a catch — it only allows eco-friendly environment lovers to join.

Green Singles was mentioned on a Today Show segment on niche dating sites. Kelly Wallace, a chief correspondent for women’s interest website www.ivillage.com, explained the appeal of niche dating sites.

“They appear to be growing more and more popular,” Wallace said on the Today Show. “If you think about it, people are looking for people who meet their passions, have the same interests. They can go to these niche sites as opposed to the more mainstream sites that have been around for years.”

Green Singles is a start-up business run by Alan and Mary Isaccs. They said they decided to start a dating newsletter when a singles magazine in the Columbus, Ohio, area went out of business.

“We thought maybe we could fill the gap,” Alan Isaccs said.
At first, it was a generic dating newsletter open to people of all interests. In 1996, the Isaccses decided to narrow their clients to people interested in the environment.

“We’re vegetarians who are into animal rights and the environment, so that’s how we came to use that as the focus,” Alan Isaccs said.

Green Single’s homepage said its members are interested in the earth, ecology, sustainable living and the environment. Other interests include yoga, holistic and new age philosophies, green politics,  nature and outdoor activities.

Alan Isaccs said they screen all potential members to make sure they are real people, checking public records to make sure applicants actually exist. In addition to checking names, addresses and other personal information applicants provide, Green Singles reads the information people write in their “about me,” “about who I seek” and “personal interest” application sections.

Green Singles screens these sections to make sure applicants share the spirit of the green movement, Alan Isaccs said. He added that because of his involvement in the green movement, it’s easy to spot a fake.

“We’ve had enough experience to know when someone doesn’t share our values,” Alan Isaccs said.

Green Singles now has 14,000 members and has seen steady growth since 1996. Growth has spiked for the past few years around Feb. 14, he said.

“Around Valentine’s day, it does pick up a little bit,” Alan Isaccs said.

Alan Isaccs said convenience is a main attraction of his niche dating website.

“The biggest advantage is we’ve done all of the screening for someone,” Alan Isaccs said. “You’re not gonna have to look through a million profiles to look for someone who’s a vegetarian or an animal lover.”

Like dating site giants eHarmony and match.com, Green Singles has had quite a few
success stories.

Alan Isaccs recently received his most unusual success story in the form of a YouTube clip about one couple’s online dating experience. Alan Isaccs said the couple wrote a song about their online dating experience and were married several months ago.

“Lots of the stories are about people who never thought they’d find someone, and it turns out they live a block away,” Alan Isaccs said. “They’d never have met if it wasn’t for Green Singles.”