| You've finally made the decision to remodel your old | | | | forests and recycled paper. They are so durable that |
| kitchen and are looking for some great | | | | items from this material have been used in the |
| environmentally friendly ideas. Believe it or not there | | | | aerospace industry and to built skateboard ramps. |
| are tons of green kitchen design ideas that you can | | | | They are heat, scratch and stain resistant and look |
| incorporate easily into your new kitchen. Here are | | | | great. |
| just a few tips that might come in handy. | | | | Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances |
| Recycle The Old | | | | If you are adding windows to your new kitchen try |
| The first place to start going green with your kitchen | | | | to add windows that will make the most of the |
| remodeling is to recycle those old appliances and | | | | natural sunlight. This way you will be saving on |
| cabinets that you plan on removing from your | | | | electricity during the daylight hours and providing a |
| kitchen to make room for you new appliances and | | | | sunny place to work as well. |
| cabinets. Instead of throwing out these items, take | | | | Any new appliance should carry an energy star rating, |
| them to the salvation army or used furniture store. | | | | helping to ensure that they run efficiently on as little |
| Not only will you be saving the environment by not | | | | energy as possible. |
| throwing them away, but someone else will benefit | | | | Recycling Station |
| from these items. | | | | When designing your new kitchen include an under |
| Paint | | | | the counter recycling station. This will make sorting of |
| If you are planning on repainting your kitchen as part | | | | those paper products, glass bottles and other |
| of your remodeling efforts then choose a paint that | | | | recyclable items easy and help to keep your kitchen |
| has low or no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). | | | | from looking cluttered. |
| These paints will not only be much friendlier to the | | | | If you have a compost pile you are using, you might |
| environment but to your families health as well. | | | | want to include an under the counter holder to |
| Cabinets | | | | scrape your compost materials to be carried out at |
| When choosing cabinets for your new kitchen go | | | | the end of each day. |
| with real wood, straw board or wheat board. | | | | Green kitchen design does not have to mean |
| Cabinets that use pressed board are made with | | | | spending a lot of extra money. It simply means, |
| adhesives that are not ecological friendly and are not | | | | making wise choices and using as many |
| good for your health either. An alternative to all new | | | | environmentally friendly materials and products as |
| cabinets would be to refurbish or to paint your | | | | possible. Refurbishing old cabinets and other materials |
| existing cabinets to give them a new look. This will | | | | whenever possible will not only help the environment |
| not only help the environment but could save you | | | | but will save you money in the long run. |
| money as well. | | | | Best of all - green kitchen designs can help keep your |
| Counter Tops | | | | kitchen clutter free and make you feel good that |
| If you are planning on having new counter tops then | | | | you are helping to heal the environment while |
| consider recycled paper counter tops. These counter | | | | providing a healthier atmosphere for your family. |
| tops are constructed from wood pulp, from managed | | | | |