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Is a luxury lifestyle bad for the environment?

When we think of a luxury lifestyle, what comes to mind? Expensive cars, private jets, vacations in faraway places, fancy dinners in fancy restaurants, and the like? While wealth has its advantages, a key benefit is allowing the individual the freedom to choose the lifestyle they want to experience. While this freedom of choice is appreciated and envied by many, it may come as a surprise that many wealthy people choose to use their freedom to participate and promote environmental sustainability, environmental footprint reduction, conservation, and global stewardship. What’s even more exciting is that ordinary people can also participate without the need for extreme wealth.

Bright idea

While the light emitting diode has been around for decades, we have only just begun to see this technology transform into a proven tool for replacing incandescent and halogen bulbs while significantly reducing power consumption. LED bulbs now come in all shapes and sizes and have evolved from their clunky, unrefined beginnings to crisp, modern designs that appeal not just to the eye but to the pocket as well. They also last much longer than regular bulbs, which is certainly a bonus. When considering how many individual bulbs are in an average-size home and the expense associated with supplying power to those lights, it’s no wonder that a key priority for many is converting their existing lights to LED lights. The only factor that inhibits the widespread proliferation of LED lights is the initial expense. Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars to convert all the lights in their home to LED lights, even if they recoup that money in lower energy bills. The good news is that as more people, like those who enjoy the luxury lifestyle, demand more LED lights, the cost to consumers will be more reasonable, which will reduce the cost of access to these great products. Some websites even allow you to buy LED lights in bulk at deep discounts and have them delivered to your doorstep, proving that bright ideas can be affordable.

Pimp My Ride

If you think about the rich who ride in their Bentleys, Ferraris, and Cadillac SUVs, take a look again. Many wealthy people are making a conscious decision to reduce their carbon footprint by supplementing their collection of flashy, gas-guzzling rides with hybrid vehicles or fully electric rides. Although until recently there were only a few hybrid or electric options for commercial consumption, the range of options has exploded and with fantastic styling that will turn heads. With brands like Lincoln, Lexus, and Porche now producing hybrid options, you can have your cake and eat it, too. And for those who enjoy the look of an exotic car, take a look at the Karma from Fisker Automotive. With styling reminiscent of Aston Martin, this car definitely performs in the “hot drive” category.

But if you live in a modern metropolis like New York, Toronto or London, the most attractive option for both functionality and style would be a moped, or to be more exact, an electric bicycle. Electric bikes are electric motor bikes that can get you to places quite quickly, especially when there is any level of traffic. Consuming just pennies per charge and being able to travel 40 to 50 kilometers on a single charge at 30 to 50 kilometers per hour, more and more people are considering the benefits of this mode of transportation. Besides being a bit more affordable than a car, electric bikes are extremely fun to ride and are perfect for quick trips to the market or visiting friends. The advantage every time you drive your hybrid or electric vehicle is the good feeling you get in knowing that you are creating a minimal environmental footprint.

A sneak peek of teak

If you entertain yourself often or have many friends to enjoy the barbecue in summer, you will know that buying a good patio set is an essential addition to your home. Yard sets come in a variety of styles, materials, and prices. In this category of home furnishings you can find everything from cheap and cheerful to high-end with the associated price tag. So how could a patio set have an impact on the environment? It doesn’t drive it and it doesn’t use power. The key traits that have an environmental impact for garden furniture are the materials used to make the furniture and the frequency of replacement. Cheap patio furniture is usually made from tubular metal that has been painted, along with plastic pieces. The materials themselves can be dangerous to the environment, as the materials rust, paint flakes and peels, and plastic components become brittle and break. They need to be replaced every few years with new sets, and old sets are sent to landfill and placed in landfills. The cheaper the kits, the more environmentally friendly and less biodegradable the components tend to be. Now the flip side of this corner is teak patio furniture. Teak is a natural material that is now harvested in an environmentally sustainable business environment. Traditionally, teak has been known to be high-end when created into patio furniture and along with this, the price has traditionally been very high. Once integrated into furniture, it will last for generations if properly maintained. In this sense, you can rationalize the payment a little more for teak furniture if you know that the replacement costs will be minimal.

The image is getting clearer … Butt Wait !!

The bathrooms provide a small degree of privacy and peace in an otherwise hectic life. Many appreciate the few moments we spend in it, taking a relaxing bath, collecting thoughts and preparing for the beginning or end of each day. But when you take a closer look at this haven from the outside world, there are two key waste points that when multiplied by the frequency and number of people using this room in every home in the world, that’s potentially a big problem.

The first is water, specifically hot water. For most of us, hot water is in a tank in our basement that occasionally uses gas or electricity to keep the internal temperature of the water at a set heat level. Many people living the luxury lifestyle enjoy things “on demand.” They like their TV “on demand”, good food “on demand” and hot water “on demand”. On-demand water heaters have proliferated enormously in other areas of the world, but they are just beginning to become popular in North America. Small devices are installed close to where hot water is needed, and when hot water is needed, the device instantly heats the water to the desired temperature. This eliminates the energy waste of keeping a hot water tank when not in use.

The second waste area is paper, most of which goes down the toilet … literally. Toilet paper is the norm to keep us clean, however, its purchase entails a great expense, as well as to address the environmental impact of this volume of organic waste. The solution to this problem dates back to the 17th century with the creation of the bidet. Popularized in the early 1900s with the proliferation of modern plumbing, the bidet was not only the epitome of upper-class and elite life back then, it has seen a resurgence in this modern age. Although more common in Europe, the health benefits and lower environmental footprint of the bidet have been a draw for the wealthy. A bidet uses a gentle mist of water to wash and a dedicated towel is used to dry after use, thus eliminating the need for paper products. Installing this fixture has become a staple in mansions, hotels, and high-end resorts and spas in North America, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. For those of us who do not have the space in the bathroom to install an additional accessory, technology has been created to allow the bidet function to be integrated into the toilet seat. This means that with toilet seat replacement and very basic plumbing, anyone can access the benefits of a bidet in their home at a fairly reasonable price for the average consumer. This is yet another way that luxury seekers are asserting their care for the environment in conscious daily choices that can have the greatest impact on their lives.

conclusion

So what we can conclude from our brief look at modern technological advancements and the enthusiastic options available to those who value luxury in their lives, is that more than ever the people who have the means to obtain these products are making environmentally sound choices. . So that begs the question, what about the rest of us? We all choose priorities differently in our lives and that is a right granted to all. Some may prefer to make a statement by choosing to drink an organic or fair trade coffee every morning, while others skate or walk to work to save money and the environment all at the same time. Whatever your preference, the choice is yours to make it as you wish to establish your priority. The good news is that all the technologies and products that I have mentioned in this article, if any have piqued your interest, are becoming more affordable for the regular consumer. With its increasing popularity, the growth of logistics and international trade, the availability of information on the Internet, it is not only possible to find wonderful products that are beneficial to the environment, but now you can score them with great prices. With this in mind, it has never been easier to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle and feel even better about helping the environment.

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