6 Environmentally Friendly Kitchen Upgrades
In recent years, kitchen remodeling has become more environmentally friendly. Consumers are becoming more educated on energy-efficient appliances, environmentally friendly products and reclaimed materials. Also, companies have begun to offer a wider range of such products with prices to better fit into our budgets.
If you are planning a kitchen remodel in the near future, you might be considering ways you can save money, while preserving the environment and your family's health. There are many ways you can do just that. Let's take a look at some of my favorite environmentally friendly kitchen upgrades:
Recycled-Material Countertops
Glass is the most common type of recycled material used in environmentally friendly kitchen countertops. Unlike brand-new stone, recycled glass does not use up valuable, non-renewable resources. Rather, it turns trash into treasure by taking pieces of used glass and turning them into a beautiful, custom countertop--you even get to choose the color combination.
Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood can come from virtually any source, and it can be used for nearly any purpose: flooring, cabinetry, furniture and so on. In your kitchen, you can use reclaimed wood to achieve a completely unique flooring look. You can build brand new cabinets from used pieces of wood, and you can get a brand new table from something that was another person's trash. Often, it only takes some sanding and refinishing to get the look you desire.
Energy-Efficient Appliances
Most appliances on today's market are energy-efficient. Still, if you are unsure, simply look for the Energy Star logo on the appliances you are considering. They are relatively inexpensive, compared to the return on your investment. You may have to pay a little more money upfront, but the money you save on energy bills will pay you back in no time.
Refaced Cabinets
The cabinet itself is often the most expensive, so why not keep them and reface your cabinets? This simply means you will buy new doors and drawer fronts, but keep the existing cabinets where they are. You may need to either strip and refinish them or have your new door color matched to the existing color. Also, consider buying new hardware--hinges and pulls--to give your kitchen a fresh look for less money.
LED Lighting
LED lights have many advantages compared to traditional kitchen lighting. Mainly, it has an extremely long operational life of 100,000 hours. They will save you the money that you would have to spend replacing traditional light bulbs. They also use less energy, saving you money on your monthly bills.
Improved Sink Faucets
Manufacturers are beginning to create sink faucets with improved aerators that can use less than 2 gallons of water per minute--without sacrificing the faucet's functionality. Water is a valuable resource that is often taken for granted. With improved sink faucets, we can save money on our water bills and feel better about running water in the kitchen.
References:
Eco Friendly Ways to Upgrade Your Kitchen
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Improvements
If you are planning a kitchen remodel in the near future, you might be considering ways you can save money, while preserving the environment and your family's health. There are many ways you can do just that. Let's take a look at some of my favorite environmentally friendly kitchen upgrades:
Recycled-Material Countertops
Glass is the most common type of recycled material used in environmentally friendly kitchen countertops. Unlike brand-new stone, recycled glass does not use up valuable, non-renewable resources. Rather, it turns trash into treasure by taking pieces of used glass and turning them into a beautiful, custom countertop--you even get to choose the color combination.
Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood can come from virtually any source, and it can be used for nearly any purpose: flooring, cabinetry, furniture and so on. In your kitchen, you can use reclaimed wood to achieve a completely unique flooring look. You can build brand new cabinets from used pieces of wood, and you can get a brand new table from something that was another person's trash. Often, it only takes some sanding and refinishing to get the look you desire.
Energy-Efficient Appliances
Most appliances on today's market are energy-efficient. Still, if you are unsure, simply look for the Energy Star logo on the appliances you are considering. They are relatively inexpensive, compared to the return on your investment. You may have to pay a little more money upfront, but the money you save on energy bills will pay you back in no time.
Refaced Cabinets
The cabinet itself is often the most expensive, so why not keep them and reface your cabinets? This simply means you will buy new doors and drawer fronts, but keep the existing cabinets where they are. You may need to either strip and refinish them or have your new door color matched to the existing color. Also, consider buying new hardware--hinges and pulls--to give your kitchen a fresh look for less money.
LED Lighting
LED lights have many advantages compared to traditional kitchen lighting. Mainly, it has an extremely long operational life of 100,000 hours. They will save you the money that you would have to spend replacing traditional light bulbs. They also use less energy, saving you money on your monthly bills.
Improved Sink Faucets
Manufacturers are beginning to create sink faucets with improved aerators that can use less than 2 gallons of water per minute--without sacrificing the faucet's functionality. Water is a valuable resource that is often taken for granted. With improved sink faucets, we can save money on our water bills and feel better about running water in the kitchen.
References:
Eco Friendly Ways to Upgrade Your Kitchen
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Improvements
Published by Tonya Hillukka - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Tonya writes about a variety of topics that interest her. Having earned a degree in Interior Design, she is knowledgeable in various aspects of the home improvement industry, including decorating and green l... View profile
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2 Comments
Post a CommentUseful, important info. Thanks.
I love those glass recycled countertops -- I wish they were more affordable though. Last time I checked, they were about 3x the cost of Silestone which puts them out of my price range :(.