Green Kitchen Cabinets for Green Habits
By Leslie A.M.RefacingCabinet.com Columnist
If having green kitchen cabinets is just the first step of your sustainable plan, you are probably very socially conscious. With that in mind, using sustainable bamboo for your cabinets and flooring is a no-brainer. It goes beyond that for you. You likely use your kitchen differently than those who don't already have green kitchen cabinets.
Remodeling Kitchen Cabinets: How Will You Use Them?
Sustainable families don't use very many disposable items. No paper towels or napkins, they use cloth napkins and towels. So drawers where table linen and tea towels can be stashed will be more important than a hidden paper towel rack. And it's not just about reducing trash; families trying to minimize their impact on the environment recycle and compost, too. Specific green kitchen cabinets to perform these tasks--or stash these materials--would be ideal in a modern green kitchen.
Kitchen Counter: How Much Do You Need and Where?
Without using paper plates, green families commit to using energy-efficient dishwashers that don't even require the dishes to be rinsed before going in. This means fewer loads by hand and not a huge need for the area of kitchen counter people used to call a 'drain board.' As well, reducing your carbon footprint is accomplished by making more fresh foods at home. Arrange your cabinets so the majority of the kitchen counter is where you need it--space on both sides of the stove-top, additional area to roll out bread dough, pasta, or cookie dough. Along with that, assign cabinets to store your appliances you use the most.
Having a green kitchen is more than just what you used to build it. Green kitchens are for green families who have different habits and different needs. Create your kitchen with your green kitchen cabinets as the centerpiece.
About The Author
Leslie A.M. Smith lives in a 1929 house in Long Beach, California. When she isn't fixing things and redecorating, she is a freelance writer and public relations consultant.
