When It’s Got to be Green!
JASPER, Ind. (April 22, 2008) —The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) has developed a certification system known as the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). This is a voluntary participation effort by the cabinet industry to encourage policies and practices that benefit and sustain the environment. Aristokraft is proud to be a certified brand in the ESP program. Learn more…
Companies are rated annually on 18 different criteria, including product resource and process resource management, air quality, environmental stewardship and community relations. Within those categories there are 105 possible points, and certification results in achieving a minimum of 80 of those points.
The ESP program is recognized by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Green Building Guidelines. The Green Building Guidelines are the first national program incorporating residential green building standards. ESP is designed to target ALL builders and homes with a goal of affordability. In other words, being green, while saving green!
COUNTER SURFACES
Two options that consumers can choose from regarding countertops are PRE-Consumer Recycled Products, and POST- Consumer Recycled Products.
Avonite offers a good looking line of pre-consumer recycled solid surface goods, whose patterns are comprised of reclaimed solid surface. Their goal is to contribute to zero waste in their manufacturing facilities by reusing off-fall of processed goods. Learn more at www.avonite.com
Paperstone is a 100% post consumer recycled paper transformed by heat, pressure and water based resin to create a durable counter surface. Available in rich neutrals, it will have the appearance of soapstone or slate. Explore Paperstone at www.paperstoneproducts.com.
APPLIANCES AND LIGHTING
Look for the EnergyStar label! EnergyStar is a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy helping us all save money AND protect the environment with energy efficient products and practices! While wwww.energysstar.com can answer any questions a homeowner might have from energy savings to tax credits, here are a few useful facts worth noting:
- EnergyStar Dishwashers are 40% more efficient than standard new models.
- New refrigerators with the EnergyStar rating are dramatically more efficient than older non-rated models, even when they are in perfect working order. In fact, pre-1993 units cost at least $50 more per year to operate while those manufactured prior to 1980 are over $150 more per year to run.
- Clothes washers use 40% less energy than standard models and 55% less water, which adds up to a $50 annual savings.
When choosing lighting, look for EnergyStar rated CFL bulbs. CFL stands for Compact Fluorescent Lamp and it used 75% less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb. It can be screwed into a regular light socket and can be used in recessed cans, track lighting or outdoor fixtures. Always check product packaging to make certain of the products placement ability. Finally, don’t let the term fluorescent turn you off. Qualified bulbs that are labeled warm white or soft white produce light like a typical incandescent bulb!
WALLS AND FLOORS
A variety of wall treatments are available, looking first at paint, consider exploring the Benjamin Moore Aura line. Labeled by the company as eco-friendly with minimum odor, Domino Magazine touts Aura as a true one coat paint, which even saves on labor! More information regarding the new Aura product can be found at www.benjaminmoore.com.
If wall covering is requested, Versa became the first vinyl wall covering manufacturer to convert to water based inks and pioneered the transition to lead and mercury free materials. Learn more about the Versa n’viro collection at www.versawallcovering.com
Flooring is a driving selection in an overall design scheme and the possibilities are endless it seems! Two environmentally friendly choices include bamboo and cork. Bamboo is a sound selection featuring high sustainability, and will appeal to the lovers of hardwood flooring. Cork is rapidly gaining recognition due to its sound suppression abilities, thermal insulation properties and high comfort level as well as suitability for allergy sufferers. Check out these websites for more information: www.bambooflooring.biz and www.corkflooring.biz.
There are lots of places to go to investigate “green” design and the previously mentioned websites are just the beginning. They are not meant to be product endorsements, but a great way to help you get started.
