Green Your Home: Kitchen

Having an smart home is just a matter of making it more energy efficient, which can save you money and enhance your living space.

The kitchen is one of the best places to start, as it is the heart of home where friends and family gather, and also offers an excellent opportunity to use products made of recycled or renewable materials. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to most effectively remodel and green your kitchen.

1. The earth-friendly counter tops featured here are not only made from materials that you can feel good about purchasing (or re-purchasing) but are also aesthetically pleasing.
2. Stocking your fridge may seem counter intuitive, but a full refrigerator uses less energy to regulate its temperature every time you open the door than an empty fridge. Also, fridges work best when the thermostat is set to about 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Using a dishwasher as opposed to hand-washing your dishes can reduce water consumption by about 37%.
4. Many conventional building materials such as PVC, pain and particle board can release many noxious agents that are harmful to you and your family's health. Fortunately, there are plenty of nontoxic choices for your kitchen, such as low-VOC paints, and glueless interlocking cork tiles.