5 Tips for Designing a Green Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most used spaces in the house. It is the room where meals are made and families spend the most time together. With that being said, the kitchen is also the one space in a house that should be the most green, both for efficiency and the health of your family.

If you are considering remodeling your kitchen this year, consider some of these green alternatives to conventional kitchen staples.

How to Design a Green Kitchen Tip #1: Energy Efficient Refrigerator

The refrigerator is the only appliance in your home that needs to be on 24 hours a day, making an energy efficient fridge a must in any kitchen. This will not only conserve energy, it will also save you a pretty penny on the energy bill. Electrolux and Energy Star standard refrigerators are a good place to start looking for this staple appliance.

How to Design a Green Kitchen Tip #2: Smart Touch or Low Flow Kitchen Faucets

Many times, we really don't realize how much money we are wasting when we turn on a kitchen faucet. Smart Touch faucets are a great investment because they allow you to turn the faucet on with the touch of your wrist and give you more control over the water flow. However, if a smart touch faucet is not for you, many companies are now making low-flow faucets. If you are worried whether or not these faucets will affect how quickly you fill up a pot, don't. Many of these faucets conserve water without affecting your daily kitchen routines.

How to Design a Green Kitchen Tip #3: Induction Cook Top

With induction cooking, the energy is supplied directly to the cooking vessel by a magnetic field, unlike conventional gas or electric cookers which require energy to be turned into heat and then transferred, which causes a lot of heat to be lost in the process. Consequently, induction cooktops are 73% more efficient than gas. They also pave the way for cooler kitchens and are safe for kids because the stoves barely get hot.

How to Design a Green Kitchen Tip #4: Live Plants

Live Plants are a great way to add a decorative element to your kitchen while filtering the air that you breathe. There are also certain foods that you can grow on your kitchen window sill, providing for a cost effective and organic alternative to buying certain foods at the supermarket.

How to Design a Green Kitchen Tip #5: Green Counter Tops

Nowadays you have the option of installing countertops that are made of recycled materials, this way you are using things that already exist. The materials in these countertops range from quark to paper with several more options in between.

Sources

Ecofabulous

Green Kitchen Design Guide

Induction Cooking