Here's how we use our kitchen:
- Daily scratch-cooking, with plenty of homemade foods and food staples (we dehydrate, and we make our own bread, yogurt, mayo, etc).
- Cooking with kids!
- Entertaining, often
- Composting (see In-Counter Compost in "appliances" below)
- Waste sorting (2 bins for compost, built in double-bin for recycling, one small bin for remaining -- landfill -- waste)
Countertops
- Kitchen Countertop. Our countertops are by "local" company (regional, within 500 miles), Cambria, of Minnesota. Cambria incorporates sustainability into their business practices as well as their products. We chose Cambria Quartz because quartz is highly durable, abundant, low-maintenance, zero-emitting, and virtually bacteria free because of its non-porous nature. Some other information on the benefits of quartz are here and here.
- Mesquite butcher-block island. We selected mesquite because it is in great supply in the American South (e.g., Texas) -- so much so, that is often considered a weed and a nuisance. Creating markets for mesquite helps make it more sustainable by minimizing eradication efforts, including burning. Mesquite is extremely durable, moisture tolerant, and carries a beautiful, knotty grain.
Cabinets
We chose to have our cabinets made from lyptus wood, which is not locally-grown (Brazilian) but is "rapidly renewable." The lyptus we sourced for our cabinets was responsibly forested and is certified by Cerflor (Brazilian forestry program) and PEFC (PEFC is the world's largest forest certification program). The cabinets were crafted locally (3 hours South of Chicago) in the Amish community of Arthur IL. We had a wonderful experience working with Reuben Jess, the owner of Kenrose Kitchens, who spent plenty of time helping us create a design that would work well for the flow and needs of our busy family, and who gave us an amazingly high-quality but affordable product. We have had many professionals in the building industry already comment on the supreme craftsmanship of the kitchen cabinets.
Flooring
The kitchen flooring is a recycled Italian tile called "Mikado" by a sustainable tile company called Ergon. Ergon (and its US "sister" company Emil America) employs green business practices and their Mikado tile is certified 40% pre-consumer/post industrial recycled content and certified to emit no VOC's. For more on the sustainable aspects of this product, see here.
Backsplash Tile
The Oceanside Glasstile we chose contains up to 70% recycled glass content, and Oceanside itself employs sustainable business practices and uses up to 85% recycled glass content in some of its products. More details about how they create their sustainable product are here.
Appliances
- Energy Star LG refrigerator, rated one of Energy Star's "Most Efficient 2012."
- Energy Star Bosch dishwasher saves up to 484 gallons of water each year, exceeds Energy Star Requirements for water by 150%, reduces energy usage (via EcoSense) by up to 20%, and has a half load option for small loads.
- Magnetic induction cooktop (electric) "provides rapid heating, improved thermal efficiency, and greater heat consistency, yet with precise control similar to gas." It is also potentially safer since the technology heats the cooking pot and not the cooking surface.
- Bosch electric oven has fast preheat feature, genuine European convection (reducing cooking time by about 30%), and a highly efficient "EcoClean" self-clean cycle (reducing cleaning time significantly).
- "Rev-a-Shelf" in-Counter Compost pail, in combination with a built-in double-recycle bin and single built-in landfill bin, help us efficiently sort and reduce our kitchen waste, and also effectively participate in Oak Park’s municipal composting program.
Other
- Whole-house lighting is 90% LED.
- Island pendant lights are 100% recycled glass, 70%+ recycled steel, low-VOC finish.
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