Step 1
Replace appliances with green products. Appliances that are certified by Energy Star may use up to 66 percent less energy than other products, according to Green Home Guide. Visit the Energy Star website to search for approved products.
Step 2
Improve lighting in the kitchen. Install skylights and windows if possible to use natural light. If you must use artificial lighting, choose compact fluorescent lighting, which provides excellent light conditions with minimal energy usage.
Step 3
Replace flooring and countertops with renewable materials. This Old House recommends using cork floors, a sustainable, natural material, to replace outdated flooring. For countertops, consider concrete, which is recyclable and very durable.
Step 4
Rearrange your kitchen layout. Place food preparation countertops close to windows, to provide natural lighting and reduce lighting costs. Install a compost bin near the work area to provide immediate, convenient recycling for organic materials.
Step 5
Install a new plumbing system. Green Home Guides recommends an on-demand hot water pump, which heats water electrically in order to reduce kitchen dependence on a whole-home pump.
Step 6
Ventilate your kitchen with high-efficiency exhaust fans and ceiling fans. In addition to providing natural light, windows are also a free way to increase ventilation in the kitchen area.
Source: Home Guides
You may find plenty of myths that talk about the cons of wood countertops like staining, scratching and warping.
ReplyDeletePeople nowadays are looking for ways to be cost-effective and eco-friendly at the same time. Those two might be a bit hard to attain due to the rising cost of consumer products, but it's not impossible. As you've said, replacing old appliances with green products is a good start. Installing good quality ventilation exhaust fans to minimize the use of air conditioning is a cost-effective option. You might have to shell out a pretty penny, but the benefits far outweigh the cost in the end.
ReplyDeleteStaci Severns