The yacht is, by far, one of the prime symbols of decadence and unfettered capitalism in popular culture. You’ll see swaggering A-list celebrities drinking champagne on these luxurious boats, people like Rihanna partying the night away on the decks of luxury charter yachts while music streams from 100-megawatt speakers.

Films like The Wolf of Wall Street show their wealthy protagonists lounging on yachts in their spare time, while telly shows like Entourage will depict a world where opulence is defined by partying out on a floating club that’s fit for the high seas.

But the wealthy are also know for one other trait – wastefulness.

An analogy of tailoring

As an example – and probably a non-sequitur of a tangent – let’s look at the tailoring of the suits worn by prime minister David Cameron and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. As they both argue in the House of Commons, watch out for the crisp and visibly expensive suit that the Oxbridge-educated David Cameron wears. He changes them regularly, never quite satisfied by the fine tailoring and freshly cut linens he procures (presumably) from Savile Row.  

Corbyn, conversely, wears the same suit, week in and week out, showing his admirable frugality with a simple and unassuming set of corduroys.  

The yacht is arguably the David Cameron of boats, wasteful and expensive, while Jeremy Corbyn is more akin to a simple trawler boat, efficient and effective.

Make your yacht eco-friendly

But your yacht doesn’t have to be a wasteful enterprise. Instead of stockpiling the most expensive materials for your luxury boating experience, it’s possible to create an amazing looking yacht from sustainable materials.

Various companies can, for instance, supply you with high-quality marine glue that will last a markedly longer period of time than cheaper variants, improving the durability of your yacht and lessening the likelihood of replacing materials.

Many suppliers of wood can also supply you with various reconstituted materials, turning your yacht into a floating eco-statement.

Where an eco-yacht really comes into its own is with the kind of fuel you choose. Many fuel sources, like biomass and its variants, aren’t traditionally used for yachts, although speaking to a specialist manufacturer could change this.

The interior of your yacht will be the easiest section to use recycled goods for. Chairs can be simply sourced from recycling centres, as can any electrical goods or appliances, like televisions or refrigerators. Making your interiors resistant to water is also only minimally necessary, so you won’t have to worry about contacting specialist suppliers.

Hopefully we’ve shown that even a luxury item like a yacht can be ecologically viable. If you’ve got any more tips on giving your luxuries a low carbon footprint, let us know.