I use Method granite cleaner and I love the way it smells and I am satisfied with the way it polishes. I also like Seventh Generation cleaning supplies a lot.
We have water in the door and use it all the time-but do use water bottles when we travel a lot still.
We gave all old appliances to Goodwill except our old range which we sold.
Bought all energy efficient appliances.
Gave old sink and faucet to Goodwill.
We are also currenlty getting rid of rocks in our landscaping by freecycling them and replacing with recycled rubber tire mulch.
I too did get granite and a tile backsplash-I am researching other ideas for counters in our bathroom remodel which will be next-anyone use Richlite in a bathroom?

"green" is another brilliant marketing scheme someone came up with to further separate me from MY green. our new appliances are all energy efficient (as are all new appliances as far as i know). other than that i'm using the same walnut hardwood flooring as in the rest of the house; marble for counters and whatever cleaning products work. i saw some beautiful "recycled glass" tiles a while back. no one was able to tell me how they were processed, what binders were used or how the tiles were produced that limited any hazards to the environment from fumes, etc... they were however able to tell me the price: $38 a sq ft. as far as i can tell they were not so "green" they were however very fashionably expensive. i'm not buying it. if something were truly environmentally friendly and didn't cost me a limb then i would be much more enthusiastic. until then i don't think i'm going out of my way to support some marketing genius who decided he needed a new vacation home.

I freecycled my old stove and dishwasher. DH did the demo and re-used a lot of the old cabs to use in the garage. We had knotty pine on the wall which was removed and opened into the dining room. All of that wood was re-used for trim work throughout the 1st floor of the house.
Our new cabs are maple, and floors are engineered wood- not so green I guess. We have an indoor composting pot under the prep sink, and started composting (new for us). I have soapstone counters that I wipe down with just water and a microfiber cloth but if it's really bad I use "greening the cleaning". Then I oil them with a microfiber cloth, trying to cut down on the use of paper towels. I do not buy bottled water, but I do have a Poland Spring cooler which I refill our own bottles with. All of our appliances are new and much more efficient than the previous. I use phosphate free d/w detergent from Trader Joe's. Works well as long as you use it with jet dry. We have energy efficient bulbs in the recessed lighting. I freecycle whatever I no longer need. I wash my windows with water and vinegar and a microfiber cloth. I wash my floors with a steamer, no chemicals. We are trying to green the entire house, and plan on replacing all the old windows, insulating the walls, we replaced our toilets to 1.2 LPF. Outside we are getting rain barrels for our gardens and we are trying to figure out an easy way to collect some of our "grey" water.

Here's our list -- demo starts soon:
- Plan to donate existing cabs to Habitat for Humanity or Community Forklift (in DC)
- Breathe Easy new cabs - FSC wood, low VOC
- Concrete counters incorporating recycled fly ash (and made locally of course)
- Lyptus island butcherblock counter - custom made locally
- Salvaged oak flooring to match existing flooring
- LED recessed lights
- Low VOC glues in installation
- Top performing ENERGY STAR fridge (w/no water or ice maker) and d/w
- Gas range - OK, it's high Btu (bluestar), but still better than current electric or, frankly, any electric b/c lower greenhouse gas emissions
- light fixtures from craigslist
- Backsplash - glass tiles from craigslist (though I may end up using these in bathroom and go with porcelain slate instead)
- Low VOC paint

I think that's it... Definitely trying to do green where we can, though greenest would be to do nothing!

My husband is up on the slope capping old oil wells so they won't leak into the environment...isn't that enough :oP

I didn't put much thought into green...I'm with the "marketing" theory on most green products. Many of them take more energy to manufactur the product than a simple slab of granite would use, even with the fuel usage for delivery.

I did give my kitchen to a friend, who is using it in a MIL conversion appt. She gave the range, micro to a friend who used it in their kitchen. I've been assured that no lizards were harmed in the making of my granite...but that's about all I have going for me.

Oh I forgot...we haven't been drinking out of paper :) That's something isn't it? (I hate wine out of plastic and paper cups) :oP

This is totally off-topic, but I just wanted to tell bluekitobsessed how much I love your handle and am looking forward to seeing your blue kitchen.

We had friends, notoriously penurious, who, when building their retirement house, put in miles of lapis lazuli kitchen counters. It was positively breathtaking. Thinking of it now, I have to pause. Stunning!

Then, without telling anyone (and I mean no one), they one day left town (central coast of California) and moved to Hawaii. They put their house on the market from a distance and didn't have their mail forwarded from the post office. We've completely lost contact with them because we don't know where they are, and I've tried! I really liked them ....

Anyway, whenever I see your moniker I think of those countertops and believe-you-me, I am getting ready to salivate over your kitchen!

Now to be on-topic: we investigated using wheatboard, but it would have cost 100% more. That's the first thing which pops into my head. We couldn't afford to be green in that way, and it made me sad.

Our old kitchen (inc. appliances) was carefully dismantled and donated to Habitat for Humanity. And due to my sensitivities (and my concern for my two toddlers) we've made really careful choices with products with less out-gassing (how should I phrase this?) and no toxic fumes allowed. Our floors were sealed with a "natural" sealer. Much (but not all) of the wall paint was Aura.

There is tons more we could have done but it also would have cost tons more, and until I rob that bank ....

I don't buy into the "green" thing to much and personally believe global warming is all hype BUT I do believe in saving money where I can and be environmentally conscience as well.

We bought used Fisher & Paykel dishdrawers, they're energy efficient and allowed someone else to be green by keeping them out of the landfill. Also got the gas cooktop used - ditto the landfill ;oD

Not kitchen related I also bought the Fisher and Paykel washer and dryer, very efficient.

We're using left over from a prior job tile for the floor, installed new, double paned windows, will use mostly florescent lights in the kitchen, will donate 6' double paned slider to the re-store and freecycle/craigslist old, vintage oven, cooktop, range hood, all are still in really good working condition. All leftover building materials will go to the Re-store. Sold really nice Bosch dishwasher on Craigslist.

I am using porcelain tile from Germany so that negates any environmental savings karmaI had stored up.

We're building new so can't claim the integrity of refurbishing existing construction, but for what it's worth our flooring is local wood and our stone is local.

For the rest, it's nothing to do with marketing. Our electrical systems are fairly basic by choice. We use sunlight to warm and light the place as much as possible during the day (but not to the point of springing for photocells), and we drop the thermostat to 60 at night. In summer we use open windows, positioned to generate crossbreezes, to cool--except for those summer hours when the torrid local climate makes AC a delightful blessing. We installed an EPA-approved furnace for heating when the power goes down (we're in the country), and our window glass is low-E, but that was required by code.

We do not and never have used bottled water, but we have in the past joined others in demanding our community water supply be safe for all those who have to drink it.

We're doing a green kitchen as much as we can without sacrificing the look of it.

>Cabinets certified by the KCMA as having been produced in an environmentally friendly way.
>Using FSC certified wood for all new wood.
>Cork floor, which is producing more than they sell. Although it comes from overseas. Thus the debate about something being green or not.
>Biofoam blown-in insulation
>Energy Star appliances. Many brand new appliances are NOT Energy Star rated. I was amazed as I was shopping about how many people around me in the store didn't ask if the appliance they were buying was rated. You'll save big $$ getting Energy Star rated products.
>Low-E window and French door
>New layout considering daylighting
>Fluorescent lighting
>Shade control on deck
>Composite decking (again, debatable)
>Hot water dispenser (this is green!)
>Garbage disposal
>Induction cooktop
>Reusing the bathroom fixtures in the new bathroom
>Tile for bathroom came from Craigslist
>Will post as much of our demo'd stuff on Craigslist as feasible

jenellecal, OT, and definitely off green -- but where are you getting your porcelain tiles from? We have looked at recycled French tiles (well, green, minus the freight..), and I would love to look at other European sources.

cbjmidwood...What kind of LED recessed lights did you use?

Coffeehaus, Haven't started construction yet, but we will be using the LR6, made by Cree Lighting (was made by LLF, bought recently by Cree). These are getting rave reviews and selling out as fast as suppliers can get them. Very nice light output and color. They are pricey though -- about $120 a pop. There is some talk that the LR4 is coming soon (4" vs the current 6"), but I haven't been able to confirm.

It's true that some greener choices, like these lights, are higher cost (though in that case, there will be some savings on electricity bills). But there are lots of green choices that are no more expensive and in some cases, cheaper. Purchasing recycled stuff (eg, via Craigslist) is a great example. Although our kitchen reno cost is turning out to be a good bit higher than what I initially budgeted, it is at the low end of an estimate we got for a conventional new kitchen from a KD.

I'm doing what I can to choose greener options for my kitchen reno. Habitat for Humanity will get the cabinets and range. The new cabinets are made locally and have furniture-grade plywood sides/back which off-gas less than MDF. I looked into green countertops but most were double the cost. My appliances are all energy-efficient. I've planned for compost & recycling.

I just had a professional home energy audit. One of the biggest areas of potential heat/AC loss (other than poor insulation) is through recessed lights. If you must have them, consider the sealed kind that can have the insulation right up against them. I am trying to find flush mounted fluorescent lights that I can live with. It's a real challenge.

I do believe in living in an environmentally friendly way, especially when it comes to reducing the chemicals I use, our home air quality, saving home energy, etc., but then, I'm an old hippie! I joined a CSA this season, drive an hybrid, garden organically and ghost-write our town's eco-tips blog (www.greencommunityproject.blogspot.com). However, I have to agree with some who've posted, I think that green has become a money making scheme. The one thing I've learned, we can't trust someone else to do the right thing. The chemicals in our food, on our lawns, sprayed onto the goods we buy, etc. all add up to one toxic soup. My being green has always been about trying to limit my family's exposure; benefitting the environment comes second.

Oh, to the OP, here is a link about Nalgene bottles. I've moved to stainless steel and use glassware at home.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nalgene bottles unsafe?

I've just quit exhaling. It's more efficient than purchasing a carbon offset for my personal carbon footprint, and cheaper, too! :-)

I was thrilled to see an article in the San Francisco Chronicle this week explaining that the best way to "build green" is to build high quality structures that will last. I think this goes for appliances and all home features as well.

Cool thread.

We bought newer more efficient appliances for the new house. We are living with a temp kitchen but avoiding disposable dishes. We do have a sink to wash real dishes in so we're using it. We avoid paper products in the kitchen anyway and use napkins instead of paper towel. I use vinegar and baking soda to clean with. We recycle and compost (it is the law here). We eat leftovers and avoid waste as much as we can. We drink tap water out of glasses (but we always have). We have passive solar heating which is working better than we imagined. We did not use green building products but chose the greener choices of conventional materials to create a super insulated efficient home. We use florescent bulbs throughout the house. Hmm, it sound slike a lot but none of these are very hard.

elizpiz - I'm sure there's nothing green about my tile but the line is very nice. I used Jasba tile.

I was at the showroom picking up my previously ordered tile (1st time at showroom) and I cam across the most beautiful red tiles. They were yummy. DH wouldn't le me get them however. I thought they were cool, red tile counter with a cream and yellow backsplash. Definately not great for re-sell but oh so pretty and unique.

I ended up using the Jasba Village line butI posted a link to my lusted after red tile ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Jasba Lavita

Our biggest "green" decision was just to retain the existing footprint of our kitchen rather than going bigger. We tried to make our choices carefully based on what we truly needed, not all the latest gadgets and gizmos.

Sometimes being green is less about the products you buy than the ones you choose to do without.

Other choices included reclaimed fir floors, concrete counters, and an induction cooktop.

jenellecal, thanks for the link. We are looking at reclaimed tiles. The link below has some beautiful examples. Not as modern as what you have chosen, but we have an old house and thought these might be nice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reclaimed French tiles

I agree with the poster who suggested the greenest option was to do nothing. Unfortunately, my existing kitchen cabinets plus major appliances are really annoying me, after making do with them for 13 years. My cooktop takes half an hour to reheat a pot of soup, the broiler element died yesterday, and the cupboard doors fall off with unacceptable regularity. And I now have some money to replace the entire lot....

My plan is to throw resources at the things that really bother me, and stand pat with the elements that seem to work. I'll keep the basic layout, plus the fridge and microwave, which function acceptably. Everything else gets replaced, using as many local inputs as possible. I'm afraid the dead/dying appliances, and the jury-rigged cabinetry will be unable to find new lives anywhere else...

I've been a compulsive composter for 25+ years, and I sort and recycle as many other household wastes as possible. I don't use disposable dishes, cutlery, napkins, and rarely paper towels. I know it doesn't really work this way, but I like to think I've banked a few green points over the years to justify a few extravegances, and I don't intend to go through this process ever again. I can hardly wait to have a dishwasher that can clean teacups, and a super-duper range that can heat a wok in seconds, PLUS simmer stuff!

Put me in the camp who finds the Greening of America all about marketing. However, I do hate waste and tried to give away as much of our gutted kitchen as possible. When we were house hunting I knew I would be putting in a new kitchen (regardless of the house) so I tried to find a house with a kitchen that I could justify ripping out.

Actually my approach to this kitchen was more political than green, as I tried very hard to avoid products from China. I did the laundry, powder room and kitchen all on a budget and was able to find non-Chinese products for everything except the handles.

The one thing I've learned, we can't trust someone else to do the right thing.

Unfortunately you can't legislate this either, as it comes back to bite you in the a@#. For example...

- CAFE standards killed the station wagon but people didn't stop having families. Hence the boom of the gas-guzzling Mini-Van and the SUV, which were exempt from CAFE standards.

-Low-flush toilets actually end up using more water than the old ones, at least in my house. Toilets that don't flush efficiently and clog easily go through a LOT of water.

-The California lighting standards have people installing twice as many fixtures as they really need, just to be able to only use the ones they want. All of those extra lamps and fixtures are a total waste of materials, production energy, labor.

Additionally, I am concerned about the campaign for the CFL to become standard nation wide. The health risks related to broken bulbs are very scary! Is having toxic material in my house preferable to using some extra watts? Not to me.

I have long thought that if you want to change peoples consumption habits then offer them financial incentives - like tax refunds or credits - instead of FORCING them to do something. I always tell my kids to never force anything (people and things as well as ideas), because you will eventually break it.

Nicole