Greener Cabinets for Your Eco-Friendly Kitchen
From Margaret on March 2nd, 2011 in Kitchen Remodel
As we become more aware of how the materials in our homes affect the environment around us, kitchen remodels are indeed becoming more eco-friendly. One way you can keep your environmental impact to a minimum is by purchasing green kitchen cabinets. Here are a few stylish yet responsible options.
Formaldehyde-Free Kitchen Cabinets
Eco-Friendly ‘Origins’ series by Armstrong
Did you know that your kitchen cabinets could be impacting the air quality in your home? Cabinets made with pressed wood, for instance, are made with glues that emit harmful gases. Squelch this problem by going with cabinets that are certified to be formaldehyde free and made with low or no VOC’s.
Sustainable Wood Kitchen Cabinets
Kenichi Kitchen Design via Jeff Clark
Formaldehyde-free plywood is great, but still somewhat hard to come by. If you’re set on the idea of beautiful wood cabinetry, consider going with a less traditional species. One such option is bamboo. Not only is bamboo aesthetically pleasing and durable, but it’s a quickly-replenished renewable species. Or, go with recycled wood to cut down on deforestation. The kitchen above uses bamboo nearly everywhere—the cabinets, cabinet doors, flooring, island countertop, and more.
Wood Veneer Kitchen Cabinets
American Millennium style by Brookhaven
Maybe you’ll know that your wood kitchen cabinets aren’t made with the real thing, but no one else will be able to tell the difference. Better yet, veneers use far less wood than traditional wood cabinetry and aren’t treated with the harmful chemicals, either.
Kitchen cabinets made from agricultural waste by Neil Kelly Cabinets
Picking a manufacturer for your green cabinetry needs can be tough. That’s why the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) created the Environmental Stewardship Program. This program helps consumers rightly identify eco-friendly products by looking for the ESP seal. Only manufacturers that have proven their commitment to the environment in different areas—air quality, product and process management, environmental stewardship, and community relations—earn the seal.
A whopping 150 cabinet manufacturers now show this eco-friendly distinction, so no more excuses. Get to picking out those kitchen cabinets today.
