Green Tips!

 The kitchen is the heart of every home, because it provides a place for sustenance and good conversation and family pow-wows. If you’re current kitchen isn’t one that meets your needs, a green upgrade is probably what it could use. In addition to being able to customize your kitchen to your liking, you will also be able to decrease your electricity bill and preserve your food for longer. Who can argue with that? When you have a house full of hungry people, you have to save money somewhere, but you don’t have to put your dream kitchen on the back burner.

Here are some tips that can help you remodel your kitchen in an eco-friendly way.

• Purchase energy-efficient appliance. Your refrigerator is a big consumer of electricity, because it has to run all of the time. However, by installing a certified energy efficient dishwasher, over, refrigerator, freezer, etc., you will see a large decrease in your monthly electric bill. Once you get the large appliances green, you can work on the smaller ones like the toaster oven, blender, and other devices you use on a regular basis.

• Install more efficient lighting but try to rely on natural light as much as you can. So first, make sure your windows are free of blinds and drapes during the day. If you have any plants or large furniture or decorations in the way of the window, move them somewhere else. Then you can put compact fluorescent (CFLs) light bulbs in your existing lighting fixtures.

• Improve existing cabinetry and cupboards by stripping and repainting them. You would be surprised how much different they can look with a new paint job and hardware. If this isn’t an option, go with ones made from renewable resources and recycled materials such as wheatboard and bamboo.

• Enhance the kitchen with hypoallergenic materials. In other words, avoid paints with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other products that will decrease your air quality.

When in doubt, consult a green kitchen remodeling contractor — they do exist. These individuals can be more knowledgeable and will help you achieve what you want in an environmentally safe way.

http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/daily-green-tips/whip-your-kitchen-into-shape-with-these-green-tips/