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In most homes, the kitchen is the go-to hub and a high traffic area which needs to function efficiently and reflect the style and character of the family that uses it. Because of that creating an eco-friendly kitchen is an amazing project to undertake. A sustainable kitchen not only reduces your energy and water consumption but also helps cut costs in your house.
Energy-Efficient Kitchen Lighting
Having proper lighting is very crucial to a well-designed kitchen. It’s also one of the easiest ways to reduce how much energy you consume. No matter what, everyone should consider switching to LED lights.
If you’re planning to revamp your overhead lighting, go for lights that use LED housings. For simple fixtures, there is a huge variety of LED bulbs that can even change colour or be activated with WIFI. And best of all, they will quickly pay themselves off with the amount of power they are saving on your energy bill.
Eco-Friendly Furniture
By purchasing new tables and chairs you will give your kitchen an instant facelift, but choose your options carefully. Not all furniture is environmentally friendly, and some particularly toxic options can release volatile organic compounds that add to indoor air pollution. If you have room in your budget, shop for eco-friendly furniture from a company you know well and trust.
As an alternative, consider recycling existing furniture or purchasing a kitchen table and chairs second-hand. Or give your kitchen renovation a personal touch by painting or staining the furniture with low-VOC paint that won’t harm your indoor air quality.
Eco-Friendly Appliances
The simplest and most effective way to reduce the ecological footprint of your kitchen is to buy energy-efficient appliances. Energy-efficient appliances are designed to use far less electricity while accomplishing the same functions. Look for refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers and other appliances that carry the Energy Star designation.
Choose a Green Contractor
If you’re building a new kitchen or remodelling the one you already have, you can make even the foundations eco-friendly. Working with professionals who already know the green options they have to work with is always better than filling somebody in along the way and hoping they come through with it. Find a green contractor like Konnect Building who ensures you that they will use a lot of sustainable or recycled resources while building or remodelling your kitchen.
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring
There is no shortage of options when it comes to eco-friendly kitchen flooring. Both sustainable and durable, there's a wide variety and you will most certainly find an option out there you’ll love.
Classic wood can always be an eco-friendly option. Make sure you choose FSC-certified, which is harvested responsibly, or reclaimed wood. Another good earth-friendly option is cork, which is sustainable to produce and provides more cushion for your feet. Concrete is another amazing choice, and linoleum provides you with countless options for colours and patterns.
Install Water-Efficient Fixtures
Not a lot of people know that by simply choosing the right eco-friendly faucets can dramatically reduce the amount of water used in your home. Low-flow faucets, conserve water without sacrificing the lush feel of high water pressure. Those faucets use a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute and can reduce a sink’s water flow by over 30 per cent, without reducing its performance. We could save billions of gallons nationwide each year by using eco-friendly faucets.
Use Low VOC Paint
Regular household paint contains up to 10,000 chemicals. Of those, VOCs (or volatile organic compounds) can be some of the most dangerous ones. They are released as the paint dries and fumes spread throughout the air and causing harm to both the environment and your body.
Thankfully, low VOC paints are now available at most large hardware stores. Many well-known brands have started producing paint with low or even no VOC, and they work and look just as beautiful as the rest.
Finally
It doesn't matter if you’re starting small with new energy-efficient appliances or doing a total remodel with all-new sustainable materials, an environmentally friendly kitchen is within your reach, you are still making an impact on the environment. But when planning your kitchen remodel, consider how you might like to continue making an impact on the environment even after construction is done.
