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I think there such a thing as green luxury, but I think most 'green' luxury products aren't. Re-nest blogged the controversy over wind power spoiling views and killing birds... that's a good case in point. Just because you use renewable energy doesn't mean you shouldn't also reduce energy use.

On the other hand, if I could pay someone a fair wage to grow my food on my own property, I'd consider that a truly green luxury.

I found a very interesting article on this... being genuinely green should be way far from luxury:
"The greenest people out there are the ones who don’t make a song or dance about it, but whose lifestyles just make them naturally ‘green’. These people often display materially simple but intrinsically rich lives."
http://theschooloflife.typepad.com/the_school_of_life/2008/12/morgan-phillips-on-being-immaterially-green.html

What a great thought-provoking post and comments. Thank you - it's something I think about and work toward daily, and it's great to hear other people's perspectives.

Ultimately, it comes down to how "luxury" is defined. It's really interesting that when you ask someone (after their basic needs have been met), what FEELS luxurious, they give answers that are experiential, e.g. sitting down to a clean desk, slipping into crisp sheets that were dried in the sun and ironed with lavender water, waking up with peace of mind and relish to face the day, and invariably, something having to do with having enough time for x, y, or z. Soft textures feel luxurious, organic produce tastes richer, and really great service signals luxury for most.

When asked if something is a "luxury" item, however, it's usually defined as something that person doesn't have. I find that sad.

As for the Santa Barbara house pictured above and it's "eco-luxe" tag, about the best thing to say is that it's a RE-model and not a completely new dwelling. Michelle Kaufmann mentioned they'd also re-used some of the original building materials in new ways. Frankly, it was seeing www.ecomanor.com for the first time that prompted to me to build www.livinghouseaustin.com so that people didn't equate "green building" with unattainability.

Really looking forward to more commentary as I mull this one over some more...

Something it better than nothing, sure, but we still need to be aware of our own habits, like living in a huge place, and the effect it is having on our planet.

I don't think of luxury as the "unnessary", but the necessary items that can be made in a sustainable way, good for both me and the planet.

Of course, then we have to think about what is necessary. Not much, really, to sustain life. But most of us want more than that.

People are always going to want luxury. You can't really fight it. Is a huge, 'environmentally friendly' house ideal? Maybe not, but it's a lot better than a typical huge house. If the 'green' movement only accepts extremes, it will fail.

This house is a compromise. If you look around, most 'green' products are compromises as well. Hybrid cars still pollute, should none of us use cars? 'Green' cleaning products still come in plastic bottles. Organic produce is often still trucked around the country.

As for 'necessity,' most of us define this from our very priviledged viewpoint. We scoff at a huge house from our soap box, but consider laptops, tvs, couches, and refrigerators 'necessities.' If you really think about it, the ability to live 'green' is a luxury. The ability to choose to pay more for organic produce because we have the extra money is a huge luxury. Many people around the world would think we were crazy not to choose the least expensive food and buy more of it.

I do hope that extreme oppulence, particularly the kind that everybody thinks they're entitled to, becomes less of a trend. I think the economy will help with that. However, I think we can live in manner in which we can appreciate the 'grander' or 'finer' things of others, even if we ourselves will never have them, either by choice or ability.

foodefafa is right on point.

I find it interesting that part of the greening of our culture includes creating high-end luxury type crafts and products from recycled/organic/or renewable sources. I think, whether or not any of us think green luxury is possible, people with the money to experiment with new products and technologies that come with that lifestyle make it acceptable or palatable for others who are nervous about trying it.

Great post, thanks. I agree with mysoultokeep to the extent that answering this question comes down to how we define luxury.

In fashion, more and more labels are doing their part to redefine "luxury" -- asserting that an item can't be "luxurious" unless it is responsibly made; that every part of the creation of the item must be held to the utmost standards.

I love this movement, and I trust that we'll only see it grow, in fashion and beyond.

Two great examples:

Del Forte Denim: "Del Forte's premium denim apparel is part of a growing trend which interprets luxury as a combination of distinctive design and ethical production."

Camilla Norrback: "Modern luxury is as much about the inside as it is about the outside, glamorous superficiality replaced by giving yourself that which is good for both body and conscience."

Fantastic post and equally thoughtful comments - a delight to read. We are building a strawbale, solar & wind-powered Eco Inn at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and sometimes struggle to convey that sustainability does not have to be about deprivation. While my aesthetic is the polar opposite of the home featured, and personally I think it's nuts to rip out perfectly good anything to replace it with cool LEED-certified eco products, I love that this conversation is happening. Everything IS a compromise - where we draw the line is what makes it all interesting! http://milkweedmercantile.com