We all need to do our part to save the planet. Designing an eco-friendly kitchen is a great way to help the world stay that little bit greener. Research from Brighton University in the UK recently confirmed that the kitchen can be the most environmentally harmful room in a house. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, follow these top tips for designing an eco-friendly kitchen.
Sustainable Surfaces
The bedrock of any eco-kitchen is an eco-friendly countertop. Many people recommend recycled worktops made from glass or plastic as the sustainable option. These surfaces certainly are sustainable in the short-term, but since these are made from some of the least durable materials they need regular repair.
A longer-lasting option, that is still good for the environment, is quartz. Quartz is a plentiful natural material, which means using it is not destroying the planet. It also requires no sealant, unlike granite, which lowers the environmental cost even more. For a more thorough guide to eco-friendly counters, read this helpful surface guide from stone worktop supplier Modern Worktops.
Eco-friendly cupboards
Environmentally-friendly kitchen cabinets are not just better for the planet, they improve your kitchen’s air quality, too. Many cabinets are coated in finishes that emit volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) that can be very harmful to your health over time.
Low- or no-VOC alternatives, such as water-based finishes, are much better for your kitchen’s air quality and therefore your health.
As for the actual cupboard itself, make sure you always use FSC-certified wood for maximum sustainability. The FSC (or Forest Stewardship Council) gives its stamp of approval to wood that is taken from forests which are harvested responsibly. Using different, more sustainable kinds of wood is also becoming very popular. This guide from houzz takes you through the different kinds.
Hunt for the right hob
One of the major decisions you have to make when designing an eco-friendly kitchen is which kind of hob to use. This is difficult because there is no clear answer as to whether gas hobs or electric hobs are more sustainable – it’s more a matter of what is important to you personally.
Gas hobs may seem to be the more harmful choice because of their use of fossil fuels, but since most electricity comes from power plants which burn fossil fuels anyway, there is really less difference here than you would think. If your electricity is 100% green, electric hobs are the clear winner, but if not you need to consider these other factors.
In some ways, gas can actually be better for the environment than electricity, because gas is much more efficient. Gas hobs heat up quicker, and let off very little excess heat. The downside is that they do expel harmful CO2 into your kitchen, lowering the air quality in your house.
The best option is to use green electricity. But if that’s not an option for you, surprisingly enough gas might be better. Once you have decided on your hob, check out the Little Green Blog’s top tips for eco-friendly cooking!
Recycle before you remodel
Remodeling your kitchen to make it more eco-friendly is certainly a noble idea, but depending on how you dispose of your old appliances, surfaces and fittings, you could be doing more harm than good in the short term.
Before you do any remodelling, make sure you find a way to sustainably dispose of your old kitchen wares. Waste removal experts Clearance Solutions have some helpful advice for making sure you know where your waste goes when you dispose of it, and how to make sure you don’t harm the environment.
(Original Post: http://www.propertyowl.co.uk/top-tips-for-designing-an-eco-friendly-kitchen/)