How to Turn Your Old Kitchen into a Green Kitchen

There are many different aspects to making your kitchen remodeling project green and eco-friendly. You need to consider: indoor air quality, using recycled products, energy efficiency, sustainability, and durability. Here are some tips for going green in the kitchen.

Reduce: Older, inefficient appliances should be replaced. Be sure to select Energy Star rated appliances, but shop around. Even within Energy Star qualified appliances, some are more efficient than others. Be sure to select energy efficient lighting fixtures; LED bulbs that can last as long as 20 years are now available. Reduce your water use with a low-flow faucet. Everything you purchase should be durable so that you don’t need to replace it frequently.

Re-Use: See if you can use recycled elements in your kitchen. If you want a wooden floor, maybe you can use old beams from a house that has been torn down rather than wood from newly felled trees. Look around for other used elements at garage sales and junk yards; you might be able to re-use sinks, doors, cabinets, etc. Not only is it good for the environment, but it’s also easier on the pocketbook. Don’t forget to recycle your old cabinets, furniture or sink through Craigslist or Freecycle.

Recycle: Make it easy to recycle in your house. If you’re remodeling, build a recycling bin into the cabinets where it’s easy to access, but out of sight. Similarly you can build in a composting station for your food scraps. There are also many products made from recycled materials, especially floors and counters made from recycled pieces of stone or glass. Surprisingly durable counters can even be made from recycled paper.

Sustainability: Bamboo and cork floors are the most eco-friendly. Bamboo is a good alternative to wood since it is fast growing and easily replenished. Cork is harvested from bark without killing the trees, making it a sustainable material. If you want wood, be sure it is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as having been harvested in a sustainable fashion. Linoleum floors are made from flax, linseed oil, and sawdust, so they are natural and sustainable; just don’t get it confused with vinyl, which is completely artificial. Cabinets can be made from bamboo or strawboard and wheatboard, which are natural plant by-products.

Indoor Air: Toxins found in chemicals used indoors can be harmful to breathe and don’t dissipate nearly as rapidly as those used outside. Low or no VOC (volatile organic compound) paint is easy to find these days and just as effective as the paints that are full of harmful chemicals. You also want ensure that the cleaning chemicals you use won’t linger in the house causing health problems. When remodeling, take into account the varnishes and coatings used on cabinets, counters, and floors; these can emit VOCs.

With an MBA from Averett University, Joaquin Erazo Jr. brings more than 18 years of experience in senior marketing positions. Erazomanages all of Case Remodeling and Design’s marketing, advertising, and public relations strategies. He offers valuable advice on how to make your kitchen remodeling project eco-friendly.

Keep Reading and Check out these Articles:

1. Eco-Friendly Kitchen
2. Green Building Glossary
3. 10 Easy Steps to Live Green
4. Home Additions
5. Kitchen Remodeling

2 Responses to “How to Turn Your Old Kitchen into a Green Kitchen”

1. Max says:

   January 17, 2012 at 7:47 pm

   I fully agree with you about the Energy Star qualified appliances. Some are far more efficient than others and the choice should be carefully made. Some manufacturers tend to add bogus information about the energy efficiency, so one should do his homework before purchasing.

   Reply
2. AnnieLouJ12860 says:

   March 15, 2012 at 4:06 am

   Thanks for the wonderful tips! Now I know what to consider in buying appliances and other things for my kitchen. I just realized that I need to replace some of my appliances and redesign my kitchen to make it look cleaner and greener.

   Reply