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“Drop samples on the floor, soak them in water, scuff them and see how easy they clean up.”
The typical kitchen floor is made, these days, of either vinyl, wood, stone, or tile. These materials are typically manufactured using toxic components and irresponsibly sourced building supplies.
To find out if a retailer sells ecofriendly flooring, ask if he or she is affiliated with any environmental or green building programs, like FSC, LEED, or FloorScore. If the answer is yes, the retailer is more likely to offer green products.
Once you’ve decided on a retailer, you need to decide what to buy. Always look for materials with low levels of VOCs for installation and finish. And like anything you buy, sample the goods first. Mari Strain, owner of Flooring Alternatives, recommends that you “drop samples on the floor, soak them in water, scuff them and see how easy they clean up.” Because the kitchen is such a high-traffic area, you’ll want durable materials that are easy to maintain. CHOW recommends one of these three: strand bamboo, linoleum, or cork.
Looking recently to install a (cabinetry) closet organizer, we went to a 'green' builder. We learned some interesting things:
Even if you can get particle board with low-to no-voc's, the glues on facing strips are still pretty toxic.
Check out pressed wheat and other fibers. No glues used on these 'particle board' type products, and they are very strong. Some surfaces are stunningly beautiful. The differenence in price per 4x8' sheet of 'green particle' board (which still uses laminate (think sheet Formica), and no-voc wood ply with wood veneer is only about $20.
Often the extra cost of building green is in the labor.
Hot topic! An eco kitchen renovation is exactly what I want to do. Not sure about the timing, budget or scale, so I'm saving bits of information to use when I'm ready. Thanks!
I was surprised that no mention was made of Cookware and utensiles.
I am thinking of Stainless Steel versus Teflon/Aluminum.
Or Glass versus Plastic.
For the Non-stick cookware, a quote:
"But after 50 years of use, evidence is mounting that Teflon's key ingredient, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), "sticks" in the environment indefinitely. Environmental health advocates are concerned that exposure to environmental PFOA as well as to airborne fumes released when nonstick cookware overheats may be more toxic than realized."
It seems to me that the "old" materials (Steel, Cast Iron, Clay, Enamel, Earthenware, Stone, etc) were naturally good for the environment for so many reasons, not least of which because they usually lasted a lifetime, if not longer.
Any thoughts?
An important tip is: DON'T remodel, unless you have to. Buying all new materials, "green" or not, uses up a lot of resources and is often more harmful than keeping what you have.
If you need to replace something, then green choices are great. But remodelling just for the sake of "going green" is probably not a great choice for the environment.
did i just read that glass and ceramic are high (thermal) conductivity material?
I think this is a great article for people to read who may not know much about the "green" alternatives out there. Way to go!