May the "green" be luxury?
There was a very interesting discussion posted on LinkedIn. "How do you see "green" in terms of luxury"?
The author wanted to find out how to let clients know that the brand of luxury is not only beautiful, but also responsible? The responses and people's approach is so diversified.
Since the terms "green", as well as "luxury" have so extensive meaning, this topic could make a base for a good book.
What is luxury?
According to the dictionary luxury mean:
1. Something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort;
2. Something expensive or hard to obtain;
3. Sumptuous living or surroundings.
People have usually their own perceivability regarding luxury. For some it will be benefits, for others high life that most envy, for someone pleasure and comfort and for some just the cognizance they paid more.
Unfortunately I met a great deal of people who deeply believe the price make the product luxury. If the merchandise is priced below the certain level they even don't look at it, but being unreachable for most make that thing desirable. Sad, but true.
By Wikipedia in economics, a luxury good is a good with increasing demand as income rises. Luxury good may become a normal good or even an inferior good at different income levels, e.g. a collector stops buying increasing numbers of luxury cars to start collecting airplanes. As people become wealthier, they buy more of the luxury good.
"Green" and "Luxury" do not have to be antonyms and "Green" does not have to mean sacrifice. However we can easily find "non-green" examples of wastefulness used to make projects, products or services more luxuries.
In fact there are thousands of gallons of water used to maintain the green areas (golf courses, meticulously nurturing parks and lawns). On the other hand we cannot exist without flora, since it's the biggest producer of oxygen.
Many "green" sustainable investments cost a lot, and typically more technologically advanced project is, less affordable. There will always be some kind of return on that investment though.
LEED (Green Building Rating System) provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction. There is a long list of benefits of implementing LEED strategy from improvement in energy efficiency, IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) and water quality to reducing solid waste, benefiting owners, occupiers, and society. LEED certified buildings are healthier.
Collectively LEED certificates by giving the points and rank by the level of certification boost prestige of the properties.
In housing having all the latest technology installed (usually that is commonly called luxury) increase the value of the buildings, but higher costs or paying more may not automatically mean luxury, and adding just a solar panel does not make the house luxuries.
How "green" can be marketed?
How convince people to pay more attention to the green aspect of the projects?
Few of the undoubted advantages are:
- long term savings (everybody watch costs; small companies, as well as huge corporations), even with the over the top water consumed designs or other non-green decorations, investors and managers can look for ways to turn green in so many other, invisible for regular user, aspects
- incentive programs and tax credits, rebate programs, itd.
- prestige - many companies are very proud contributing to sustainability and saving our planet, and so the clients.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle, trying to be less wasteful, recycling and reusing supplies, using organic materials and new green technologies, etc. are all wonderful ideas. Things like banks offering "paper free" options, emails that say "don't print if you don't have to," are small things, but when quantity is considered, are certainly worth it. In fact, in many cases today, when given offers with similar price points and service, many consumers will opt for the "green" choice.
Thus, we have observed a boom in all things "green" and organic. Trendsetters, celebrities, and polititians all over the world popularize "being green" by choosing such products (e.g. hybrid cars, organic food, all natural cosmetics, etc.) and services or providing new and innovative ideas.
People have finally started thinking about saving our planet.
Let's hope it won't be just another trend.
