What Makes this Kitchen Sustainable? Part 1
We’re at the beginning of Week 3 of our Sustainable Kitchen Project. At this point it’s the lack of a dishwasher that’s driving us a bit crazy! We had actually considered going with paper plates, but given our whole effort to be sustainable, we made the choice to continue using real plates. Much gratitude to my husband in this, who has spent hours washing at the utility sink in the laundry room over the last couple weeks.
There hasn’t been much visible activity in the kitchen this last week. Most of the work has been electrical and plumbing. But the materials have been coming in to the warehouse. As we daydream about their arrival, this seems the right time to share about them. Many thanks to Jason from Amicus Green Building Center, who introduced us to all of these products and many more.
Let’s start from the bottom.
Our new floor will be made of Travertine Chiampo cork from oak trees in Portugal. As Jason explained to us, this cork is a renewable material. Every nine years they scrape the cork bark off the tree, and a tree can harvest cork for more than 200 years! The flooring we chose looks something like tile, but cork is softer, warmer and easier on joints (and falling plates!).
Our counters will be made of 75% recycled material. The product (ECO by Cosentino) is made from both pre-industrial and post-industrial waste, including porcelain from tiles, sinks and toilets; glass from windows, containers and glassware; and mirrors from dwellings, buildings and factories. This product has received a Cradle to Cradle Sustainable Certification and GreenGuard Certification.
Our cabinets were made by a company called Executive Cabinetry, which has achieved GreenGuard Gold Certification. The cabinets were made without added formaldehyde, and the finishes include no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The cabinets are also Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. According to its website, FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.
For the backsplash, we chose aqua colored, brick-shaped Maiolica tiles, made with recycled content. We will have LED recess lights, reducing energy over our old fluorescents. Finally, we chose beautiful metal knobs (a minor splurge!) for the cabinet and kitchen doors. The knobs are made in the USA with 95% recycled bronze.
People often ask if these sustainable products cost more than their equivalent. In truth, I didn’t do a direct comparison. What I can say is the companies we worked with made an effort to help us do this project within a budget we could afford.
But here’s another thing I’ll admit: As we designed our kitchen, we sometimes chose more expensive things, not because they were more sustainable but because we liked them and decided the extra cost was worth it to us. If you start your own remodeling project, you might find yourself doing the same. If you consider sustainability, you might decide that too is worth a little extra in the end.
So, if this path appeals to you, my suggestion would be: make a budget that works for you, and talk to a local, environmentally-minded company about meeting your budget needs. A good company may be able to meet your sustainable goals at the same time as your budget.
For those in the DC area, I’m proud to announce I’ll be sharing about this project at ROUTES on November 5. I hope to see you there! In any case, I’ll share more about our continuing journey next week.
*Disclosure Note: I requested and received small discounts from ecobeco and Amicus Green Building Center to promote local businesses I believe in.
