Let’s Go Green!
It’s 2015 and the green movement is in full swing. Consumers everywhere are giving up the bulky, energy wasting items of the past to embrace new, high efficiency designs that not only offer the latest and greatest in comfort and convenience, but also help to reduce energy waste and the tangible impact we have on the environment. For consumers like you, “going green” isn’t just a great way to improve the environment, but also has a great benefit to your budget with potential tax credits, reduced utility bills, and longevity. Making the switch to a green lifestyle is a cost-conscious consumer must, and it starts in your kitchen.
When planning your remodel with 5 Day Kitchens, there are a variety of great ways you can incorporate your passions for the environment into an awesome, state-of-the-art design. Let’s discuss the different ways you can make your kitchen energy efficient while creating a design that you’ll be proud to live in year after year. Of course, the easiest way to learn all your option on “going green” for your kitchen or bathroom remodel, is to schedule a free, no obligation, in-home consultation.
Green Appliances
It goes without saying that your house’s major appliances are most often the worst offenders when it comes to energy consumption and lifetime cost of operation. With a fridge and freezer, oven and stovetop, dishwasher, microwave, and various other small appliances, the kitchen plays home to more appliances than any other room in the house, which means it also has the potential to run up major utility costs.
Now that most major appliances companies have gotten into the energy efficient game, the options are seemingly unlimited for equipping your kitchen with an awesome set of appliances that will keep your ecological footprint small, and your cost of living even smaller. In some cases, you can even get a 2015 tax credit for purchasing appliances labeled Energy Star, giving you even more incentive to green your kitchen appliances.
Dishwashers and Refrigerators
Though there are definitely some models that perform better in terms of efficiency than others, any updated or newer-model unit is almost certainly going to perform much more efficiently than those manufactured only a decade ago. For the environmentally or cost conscious, these are must-update appliances.
Use Gas Stoves and Ovens
Though both gas and electric models can offer energy efficiency, a gas cooking system almost universally provides a more energy efficient option, as the heat is instantaneous and allows the user more control over the energy use.
Small Appliances
Almost every small appliance made for your kitchen, from microwaves to blenders, is now made with energy efficiency in mind. When choosing what works best for your kitchen, buy with longevity and efficiency as your top parameters and these timesavers can be incorporated right in your remodel design.
Materials
Environmental impact doesn’t just necessarily come from energy consumption over a lifetime of use, it can also depend on manufacturing methods, source material, and even shipping processes. By the time a product is installed in your kitchen, its footprint has almost certainly already been established, A great way to green your kitchen remodel is to focus your design on including only materials that have low environmental impact throughout their entire cultivation and manufacturing processes.
Countertops
Beautiful kitchen countertops can come from a variety of materials including recycled glass, recycled paper, aluminum, and sustainable resources like bamboo and several types of hardwood butcher block. Not only do these materials give you gorgeous options to compliment your remodel’s esthetic, they also offer a boost to the planet.
Cabinets
Though wood is most certainly the dominant material for kitchen cabinet construction, there are many steps being taken by manufacturers to show consumers their commitment to the environment. Look for the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Seal (ESP), which indicates responsibly farmed, manufactured, and constructed cabinets.
Flooring
Like cabinets, wood is a very common material for flooring and can be a great eco-friendly option when it’s sustainable, responsibly sourced, reclaimed, or salvaged. Linoleum is another great option to green your floors, and despite popular perception, is made of all natural materials that even express some anti-microbial properties. When it comes to other natural options, Cork stands out as a real winner. Naturally mold and microbial resistant, fire retardant, and sustainably harvested, cork is an attractive all-purpose flooring option that has the potential to add awesome functionality to any kitchen. Various types of ceramic tile flooring can be eco-friendly as well.
Construction
Lighting
Not only will eco-friendly, low energy lightbulbs make a huge difference in your monthly electricity bill, but they’ll also last for many years, saving you even more money in the long run. During your remodel, you can also focus on incorporating more natural light via large, well-placed windows and skylights into your kitchen, adding an influx of no-cost light to your kitchen every single day.
Using Space Creatively
If you’re a dedicated recycler or composter, or want to become one, you can designate a special space in your kitchen remodel for recycling or compost collection. Both offer great ways to reduce and reuse, saving you money while helping to save the environment.
Low-Flow
Wasting water isn’t just a bathroom problem, the kitchen can also be a major offender. You can combat the problem by focusing on installing flow-conscious faucets and sinks to help reduce waste, and reduce your water bill – it’s a win-win!
It’s our responsibility as stewards of our this planet to do what we can, when we can, to help ensure a safe and sustainable future for our children and beyond – and it’s 5 Day Kitchen’s responsibility to help get your kitchen where you want it to be. As you can see, there are many ways to add awesome green features to your new kitchen that are not only good for the environment but also good for your wallet. When working with the experts of 5 Day Kitchens, your dream kitchen isn’t just a possibility, it’s a priority, and the talented and experienced professional staff will leave you with an end result that you’ll be thrilled to call your own. Start your kitchen remodel experience today, and start saving money on your utility bills tomorrow!
