Are you thinking of building your dream kitchen? Well, don’t jump right into the process. Instead, consider ways that you can save time, money and the environment. There are a lot of “green” elements that you can incorporate into any kitchen design.
Natural Lighting:
For a start, make sure that any kitchen you create has plenty of natural lighting to go around. If you live in a single-story home, skylights might be a great option. If not, be sure to incorporate several windows into the kitchen’s design.
The point of that sort of lighting is that it will save you money on electricity, light fixtures and replacement bulbs. Just remember that your kitchen should also have some non-natural light sources, just in case you plan to do any night time cooking or midnight snacking.
Laminate Flooring:
Many people used to dislike laminate flooring. These days, however, improvements in the production of laminate flooring can make it look almost exactly like real wood. The differences are that it should be less expensive, saves several trees and is often easier to both install and clean.
Ceramic Tile Flooring:
If, on the other hand, you want to avoid wood in the kitchen, try for a stone look and feel, but without the actual stone. You see, there’s no reason to drain rock quarries when ceramic floor tiles can be made to look and feel like stone. In fact, ceramic tile is even easier to clean than stone tile.
Counter Tops:
For most people, the counter tops are considered to be the main part of any kitchen, aside from appliances. If you ask almost anyone with a recently redone kitchen, they’ll tell you that they took ages just choosing the perfect counter tops. Well, you can do that too, but you should do it in an environmentally friendly way.
Most people want granite or marble counter tops. However, it is possible to get the same look or an even better look from imitation tile or recycled materials. Some of those include:
• IceStone
• Silestone
• Corian
• EnviroGlas
Reclamation:
Whether you are installing cabinets or counter tops, reclamation is your most green option. You may be able to find a used version of exactly the material that you are looking for. In fact, a lot of stores specialize in refinishing used cabinetry. The advantages of such a thing are:
• Used Cabinets Or Counter Tops Are Cheaper
• Used Materials Don’t Require Extra Carbon Emissions To Produce
• Used Materials Don’t Require Extra Use Of Natural Resources, Such As Wood
• Reusing Materials Keeps Them Out Of Landfills And Garbage Dumps
Purchasing Appliances:
When it comes to purchasing appliances for your new kitchen, that’s another way for you to go green. First, make sure that you get appliances with good Energy Star ratings. The good news there is that newer appliances tend to be more energy-efficient, in general. So, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality or age for environmental safety.
In some cases, you may not even need to purchase a new appliance. This could be good if you are not working with a large budget. Older appliances, however, contain parts that may create create a median for excessive energy consumption. For example, an older model dishwasher will most likely contain equally antiquated parts. With a little handyman ingenuity and the right parts, anyone can swap out older parts, with newer, more energy-efficient parts.
You should also make sure that you invest in a couple of quality small appliances, such as a Breville toaster oven or Cuisinart toaster oven. Toaster ovens are extremely friendly for the environment. They expend very little energy and take up very little space. So, they can fit into any kitchen design. Just be sure to read some toaster oven reviews and reviews on other small appliances before you make any purchases.
At the same time, you should try not to invest in small appliances that you may not need. For example, you don’t need to waste money using a food processor, as long as you’re willing to chop your own vegetables. At the same time, you can mix all of your batter-based dishes with a spoon, rather than using a mixer.
Think Induction:
The Induction cook top should be inducted into the Cook Top Hall Of Fame. An induction cook top is about as safe and energy efficient as any kitchen appliance can get. That’s because the electrical current produced by it is only produced when a pot or pan is on it. That means:
• The Heat Is Efficiently Transferred To The Pot Or Pan
• The Cook Top Cools Down Quickly When Not In Use
Essentially, an induction cook top will save you money and energy. It will also protect you and your family members from accidental burns. That’s definitely a winning combination.
Plan For Green Cooking:
There are several things you can do in order to plan for green cooking before you build your new kitchen. Some of them are:
• Get A Low-Flow Faucet Fixture And Water-Efficient Dishwasher
• Plan Space In A Convenient Area For Recycling Bins And Take Part In Local Recycling Programs
• Invest In A Large Chest Freezer For Your Kitchen, Which Will Allow You To Buy And Cook In Bulk
Taking It Further:
If you want to take your new green kitchen even further than that, you can add a few things to the kitchen itself once it is in use. For example, you could use eco-friendly garbage bags. You could also start your own compost bucket in the kitchen, which you can them dump in your compost pile in the yard. Composting is, after all, a great way to go green.
Another great green kitchen option is that you can do all of your cooking in the large oven at one time. It’s better to use the toaster oven or microwave oven, but some things do require a bigger option. Still, you shouldn’t heat up your large oven unless you plan to cook multiple things in it at once. That will make the best use of all of the heat that it produces.
Author Bio:
Ron is the publisher on multiple green living websites. He also has a website called Toasterovenguide.com which is devoted to helping consumers pick out the best cooking appliances for both their budgets and the environment. Ron is also passionate about freelance writing and quality time with his friends, family members and pets.
