Environmentally friendly design elements can greatly enhance your kitchen. Whether you are doing a complete remodel or just a little updating, consider these three suggestions for building good design and saving the planet at the same time. Some of the suggestions will help you save energy immediately, while the others will make it easier to conserve your resources.
Energy Star
Choose appliances and products that meet Energy Star standards, and you’ll save energy by doing the things you normally do in the kitchen. There are many Energy Star products out there, from the standard refrigerators and other appliances we have come to expect, to other items, such as ceiling fans, dehumidifiers and light bulbs that are new to the market. As an added bonus, you’ll save as much as 30 percent or more on your energy bills.
Reuse and Recycle
Rather than starting from scratch, see what you can do to keep kitchen items out of the landfill. Salvage those items that are in good shape by refinishing them, adding new parts or giving them a facelift in some way. Sometimes just moving items in your kitchen can give you a great new design at a fraction of the cost. If you are replacing items, such as sinks or large appliances, donate them to a charity, sell them in a yard sale or online, or give them away on Freecycle.org.
Conserve
When designing your kitchen elements, build in features that will make it easy to conserve water and energy. An under the sink water filtration system, easy to shut faucets, lights on dimmer switches, and lights fixtures that use CFLs are all good ways to build in conservation into your design. Also be sure to promptly fix leaks as they occur.
All of these suggestions will not only save you money, but they will reduce your energy bills as well!
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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