With more focus on reducing our carbon footprint and finding new ways to protect the environment, you may be searching for eco-friendly countertop options for your remodeling project.
Although it is not possible to find a countertop that has no impact on the environment, there are options that can significantly reduce your impact.
What is Eco-Friendly Building?
There has been a focus on green building over the past few years with practices that use less energy, water and minerals. In addition, green building options have less impact on human health.
It may include siting a building so that it receives optimum sunlight to reduce the need for energy or it could be designing and constructing using materials known to be Earth-friendly. Countertops are no exception, but there are things to beware of when purchasing countertops that claim to be eco-friendly.
Greenwashing
One thing to beware of is countertops that a manufacturer claims is “greenwashed.” Greenwash is a term that has been connected to misleading reports of company environmental practices or the environmental benefits of a specific product.
In some cases, the company may claim to use “Green Sheen” to indicate they are environmentally friendly. In most cases, companies that use such terms are actually not eco-friendly.
Things to Consider
In order to determine if a company is environmentally friendly, you want to know what materials are used in production, whether they are recycled or renewable and where they come from. You will also want to know a little about the manufacturing process, such as how much energy is consumed, harmful gases or by-products that may be produced and how much water is used as part of the process. Because transportation consumes resource like fuel, you want to find materials that are within 500 miles.
You will also want to know if the countertop releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as these can be harmful to humans. Of course, longer-lasting countertops are more friendly to the environment because they will not need replacement as quickly. If the countertop can be recycled or reused, this also reduces its impact on the environment.
Eco-Friendly Options
There are several eco-friendly options for countertops that you can choose from that can help you feel more comfortable about your carbon footprint. There are countertops created from reclaimed woo, recycled glass and even post-industrial scrap aluminum. Some brands include recycled paper and others offer a 100 percent sustainable life cycle. Many stone countertops are considered eco-friendly.
If you are looking for eco-friendly building materials, including countertops, contact us today to learn what products would best work for your project. You can contact us by phone or complete the simple form online.
