According to a recent article in the New York Times, sustainability is taking its toll on the romantic front.

The problem, according to the Times, is "a rise in bickering between couples ... over the extent to which they should change their lives to save the planet."

The implications are grim: "In households across the country," the Times cautions, "green lines are being drawn".

That's discouraging news for Valentine's Day. According to the Times, the woman is frequently the greener member of a couple, and friction ensues when the female tries to instill a higher level of eco-consciousness in her male companion.

For better or worse (mainly better), I've been married for over 26 years. Which of course may not qualify me to dispense relationship advice. Nonetheless, with the blessings of my husband, Jeff Tobias, here is my advice to women about getting husbands, significant others, and other males in their lives to go green:

Appeal to his competitive sense. Guys love to measure output and break records. That's why God made box scores and ESPN. So put your guy in charge of monitoring your utility bills (or, for advanced members of the class, your carbon footprint) with the mission of reducing them. How low can you go, and what is your household's personal best?

Green can be gadget-worthy. Jeff and most guys I know love gadgets. Happily, eco-consciousness can be enhanced with some great gadgets, ranging from plug-load occupancy sensors to Energy Star appliances to hybrid cars. If the guy in your household is a gadget buff, put him in charge of selecting, installing and monitoring the equipment you need to reduce your energy consumption.

Iron Man. Don't forget that most exercise is green -- after all, what's a more renewable energy source than burning some calories? So encourage the guys in your life to get into fitness and outdoor pursuits, whether solo, with buddies or with you. There's nothing wrong with bringing fun into the pursuit of green, and sports, exercise and the outdoors have a key role to play on this front.

Setting records, finding new gadgets, getting physical. Sounds like a program that most guys can get into. Have a green and happy Valentine's Day.

Leanne Tobias is founder and managing principal of Malachite LLC, an advisory firm that specializes in the development, leasing, management, financing and certification of sustainable or green real estate on a global basis. Write to Leanne about your thoughts on trends for 2010 or ways to jumpstart the economy at greenstimulus@malachitellc.com. She'll share the best ideas in future posts.

Image CC lIcensed by Flickr user Sara Alfred