I love what is happening in eco-lifestyle these days. Finally we hip hippies have a way to live by our values and express our style at the same time. From Ecoist’s bags to Giovanni’s cosmetics, fashion and beauty have become sustainably sassy.

What excites me even more however is how powerful eco-living could be as way to reach and transform the mainstream. Eco-designers and manufacturers are adopting the marketing practices of more traditional producers. They’re developing aesthetically-pleasing products, promoting them through the traditional media and getting celebrities to use them. People who might not have previously given the environment a second thought are suddenly following Paris Hilton and Jessica Alba to buy bags made of candy wrappers and soap made of vegan ingredients.

But will these fair-weather greenies go beyond the mere purchase of eco-fashion and begin to change their other behaviours as well? Will a new pair of high-heeled vegan shoes encourage a fashionista to walk more in those fine shoes rather than drive in them?

According to Trendwatching.com this is already happening. Buoyed by the emergence of fun and fashionable eco-products, the pursuit to be green is replacing the traditional pursuit of luxury items. And we are using green as a way to define ourselves and identify with others.

So let’s hear it for green as the new status symbol! Let’s celebrate the slew of sexy eco-products and the eco-celebs promoting them. We all have friends, relatives and coworkers who are behind the eight-ball on the green movement. Let’s show off our organic clothes, our toxin-free nail polishes and vegan leather shoes. If being green is the new Gucci, let’s see what we can do to make our laggardly contacts green with eco-envy!