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Green Kitchen Remodeling Lakeland FL

Local resource for green kitchen remodeling in Lakeland. Includes detailed information on local businesses that provide access to assistance on kitchen remodeling, cabinets, kitchen cabinets, green flooring, planning kitchen remodeling designs as well as advice and content on how to make your kitchen green.

lorida Kitchen And Bath Design
(863) 688-0480
608 N Ingram Ave
Lakeland, FL
Kitchen Architects Inc
(863) 619-2144
3149 S Florida Ave
Lakeland, FL
Florida Remodeling & Designs Inc
(863) 646-2000
620 Robin Rd
Lakeland, FL
M T Stewart Construction Inc
(863) 647-5943
1004 Shadowbrook Dr N
Lakeland, FL
Purcell Construction Inc
(863) 644-2817
407 Aberdeen Ct S
Lakeland, FL
Hodgson Construction Inc
(863) 665-8098
3330 US Highway 92 E
Lakeland, FL
Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling of Polk County
(863) 644-7373
221 Orangeview Ln Apt G1
Lakeland, FL
Elite Kitchens and Bath World
(863) 607-4806
5303 S Florida Ave
Lakeland, FL
Mana Construction Group
(863) 937-9197
1779 Holton Rd
Lakeland, FL
SMF Residential Services
(321) 297-8503
503 Alleria Court
Auburndale, FL

Think Green In The Kitchen

by Michele Dawson

An increasing number of homeowners are thinking green when it comes to the kitchen - and it's not green as in shades of avocado, celery, or sage. Instead they're cooking up ways to conserve energy, water, electricity, and keep the kitchen as safe as possible.

Most kitchens contain pollutants, and food stored, prepared, and eaten in a polluted space will absorb toxins. The kitchen can also be wasteful of water and electricity.

Green design, which is geared toward creating spaces that promote wellness for both the environment and you as the homeowner, is an approach that improves health, cuts energy bills, and fosters mental tranquility -- all while using renewable, non-polluting, and reusable materials.

When it comes to the kitchen, green design tackles space, use, and waste all at once.

John Hermannson, a member of the American Institute of Architects created a database of more than 600 products called The Green Resource Guide. He says to be considered "green," products need to have at least some, if not all, of the following characteristics: nontoxic, energy efficient, resource efficient, recyclable, durable, and contain recycled content. They must also be manufactured with minimum pollution and impact to the environment.

David Pearson, author of The New Natural House Book, recommends a number of ways to make your kitchen green-friendly:

  • Avoid particleboard cabinet units that contain urea-formaldehyde. Choose durable, solid wood cabinetry with traditional joints and timber glues.

  • Select metal cabinets or opt for the rustic charm of cabinets for sale at salvage shops.

  • Choose tile, granite, stainless steel, or solid wood for your countertop surfaces. Some laminates release undesirable chemicals.

  • When it comes to flooring, avoid vinyl, which can emit chemical fumes. Substitutes include stone, tile, and reclaimed wood (logs retrieved from river bottoms and abandoned buildings that are remanufactured into beams and flooring).

  • Bamboo, a fast-growing woody grass, and sound-absorbing cork are unique and surprisingly well-suited flooring alternatives. Bamboo flooring is harder than Northern Red Oak, according to the National Wood Flooring Association.

  • For both cabinetry and flooring, avoid endangered wood species such as teak and mahogany.

  • Maximizing natural sunlight and supplement your windows with a variety of general, task, and atmospheric lighting that are specific to your areas of activity.

  • Trade incandescent lights for energy-efficient versions or fluorescent lighting.

  • Use timers, dimmers, or cabinet contact switches to further conserve energy.

  • Accessorize with a collection of houseplants and flowers to remove air pollution.

  • Use natural colors that stem from the materials you use.

  • Choose energy-efficient appliances. Look for the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star label, which earmarks appliances that consume less than the minimum federal standards for electricity.

  • ...
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