Here's a phrase that does't exactly roll off the tongue: "sustainable luxury lifestyle." It's the topic of an interesting post on the blog WorldChanging, by the CEO of Vivavi, a company that makes high-end sustainably designed furniture (using materials like water hyacinth fiber, recycled glass, and Forest Stewardship Council certified wood). The Vivavi CEO, Josh Dorfman, who is also the host of LIME Radio's "The Lazy Environmentalist," wrote of some people's concern "that marketplace environmentalism is only possible for celebrities and the super wealthy."

He went on to compare sustainably designed products today - by which he means everything from home furnishings to clothing to cars - to computers 30 years ago, suggesting that while they're now "out of reach to most consumers," they're heading toward mass market pricing as demand for the products helps lower costs through economies of scale. "Two years from now there will be no more talk of aspirational/out-of-reach sustainable luxury," Dorfman wrote.

It's an important issue to consider, because if only the wealthy can afford to drive hybrid cars and eat organic foods, then caring about the environment will continue to look like it's simply an indulgence for those who have little else to worry about. But Dorfman does seem to be right. As evidence, check out the National Sustainable Design Expo taking place in Washington, D.C. right now. The EPA sponsored a competition called P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability, in which college students designed cutting-edge green technologies with an eye toward cost-effectiveness.

Past winners of the EPA contest have included low-cost solar ovens and sustainable construction materials, as well as a system for institutions to purchase organic foods directly from local farms.

Photo credit: Vivavi