Green Countertop Options
There are wide range of countertops available with more and more being made with “green” materials. Choosing the right countertops that fit your lifestyle and budget while still being green can be a difficult task. That’s why I compiled some of the top options for counter tops that are eco-friendly. Below is a quick summary of all I will be discussing along with their pros, cons and cost.
Green Countertops
| Glass | Paper/Wood | Metal | Laminate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pros | Durable, Beautiful Look | Durable, Variety of Looks and Colors | Durable, Easy Maintaince, Professional Look | Inexpensive |
| Cons | Fairly Expensive | Porous and can stain (Wood) | Scatch Easy (Stainless Steel) | Not as durable, less appealing |
| Cost | $$$$ | $$ | $-$$$$ | $ |
Glass Terrazo
Recycled glass is a popular option are made by using glass mixed with a hard compound like cement or resin . One of the biggest draws of this type of counter top is the fact that it looks and feels extremely similar to a quartz countertops like granite. The cost can sometimes be high, but these countertops are extremely durable and can last for many decades. Some major companies that make these glass countertops include:
- IceStone: Made from 100% recycled glass that is mixed with cement. Their slabs are highly durable, extremely beautiful, a large selection of colors and finishes and are made from eco-friendly materials. The ingredients they are also VOC free and received the Cradle to Cradle gold certification. They are located at Brooklyn’s Navy Yard in New York, where all of their products are made. Expect to pay anywhere from $60 – $70 per square foot for the slab itself.
- EnviroGLAS: Made from 100% recycled glass and porcelain, comprising about 75% of the total slab. Their have options that are both affordable and fully customizable. Just about any color resin can be mixed with the glass to get the countertop that fits you best. They are also extremely durable, easy to clean and fairly stain resistant. Retail price for EnviroGLAS slabs are about $50. The price can increase depending on the customization of the slab.
Recycled Paper/Wood
Another cost effective and attractive countertop are those made from recycled wood and paper that are mixed with compound like cement or resin. They have similar qualities as the recycled glass countertops, but have a different look. Looks similar to a natural stone like soapstone with a rustic feel. Here is a video of how a popular paper/wood countertop is made:
Companies that make these types of countertops include:
- PaperStone: PaperStone prodoucts are made from post-consumer waste, recycled paper and petroleum-free, phenolic resins. Most of the paper and cardboard they use is from 100% recycled post-consumer waste that is certified using FSC standards. Paperstone is highly durable, stain resistant, low absorbant and fire resistant. Prices for Paperstone are in the range of $30 – $60 per sq. foot.
- EcoTop: EcoTop is made by KlipTechthat is made from a 50/50 combination of 100% post consumer recycled paper and bamboo fibers that are bound with a 100% water based resin. These countertops are extremely customizable as they come in just about any color. EcoTop’s are highly durable, scratch resistant, low water absorbent and easy to clean. They recently receive several aways for being one of the top green building products. The cost is comparable to other products in this category at about $35 per sq. foot.
- Squak Mountain Stone: A fibrous-cement material comprised of recycled paper, recycled glass and coal fly-ash. Their stones resemble soapstone or limestone. They are located at Woodinville, WA and stones cost approximately $50 per square foot.
Reclaimed Wood
Don’t forget about reclaimed wood that can have the same look and feel as wood countertops, without having to cut down all those trees to make them.
Metal
You always see beautiful stainless steel counter tops restaurant style kitchens, but can sometimes be expensive to purchase. On top of that, mining virgin metals to get stainless steel and aluminum heavily tax our environment. If you can use recycled paper and glass, why not metal? Recycled metal countertops are fairly popular and cost effective. You get all the benefits of the non-recycled counterpart like durability and easy maintenance without having to further damage our environment. You can even try to get reclaimed stainless steel sheets at a fraction of the price and prevent from having to be sent to a recycling facility. The metal countertop manufacturer that I found interesting:
Alkemi: Renewed Materials is located in Cabin John, MD close to Washington DC. ( I had to look it up because I didn’t even know where this was and I live in Maryland ). Alkemi countertops are made from 60% post industrial scrap aluminum with the remainder coming from a resin compound. They are fairly expensive at $70-$80 per sq. foot.
Laminate
Let’s not forget about good old laminate known generally for being the most inexpensive option. Not all laminate countertops are created equal, so make sure to do your homework to make sure that they are made from recycled materials and water based adhesives. By choosing the most eco-friendly option you can make sure your countertops are safer for your family as well.
EQCountertops are made from 100% pre-consumer recycled particleboard and water based adhesives as a great option for laminate.
Custom Countertops
There are a variety of other companies out there that sell great green countertops similar to the ones I list above. Just make sure to do the research first as with anything and you will be sure to get a long lasting quality countertop.
Baltimore City Considering Plastic Bag Tax
This is a local news story out of Baltimore, MD that could affects all shoppers. In an attempt to clean up the streets of Baltimore of plastic bags, the Baltimore City counsel is proposing 25¢ tax on every bag used in stores. Councilman Bill Henry is the bill’s sponsor and had this to say about the bill:
Those bags end up in our trees, in our fences, eventually in our gutters, in our storm drains, and in our harbor. It would just be easier if people didn’t take them
This comes after Washington D.C. levied a 5¢ on all non-reusable bags. There are some hurdles that councilman Henry faces including objections from several members of the council including the president.
This bill seems really great on the surface: let’s tax a product so that people won’t use it and in turn help our environment. That picture seems really cheery, but the problem is that people should not have to pay for it. It may encourage people to use less plastic bags, but why not start a program to distribute reusable bags or ban plastic bags all together like in Westport Connecticut. Why must we get taxed to help save our environment?
The truth behind bills like these are that the government is trying to get more tax money from people and use the “green” movement as a cover up. In my opinion, lawmakers are acting just as bad as businesses making false green claims just to make a larger profit. They may have better intentions than businesses, but it still ends up hurting the consumers in the end.
Share Your Thoughts
How do you feel about taxing plastic bags and any alternatives (if any) that you may feel are better than a tax.
Loading ...Contribute By Writing Guest Post
I would like to offer the opportunity for my readers to contribute to Pays to Live Green by writing guest posts. I would be grateful for anybody to write a piece that is related to the main topic of this blog, save money by going green. If you are interested in writing a guest post on Pays to Live Green, please contact me to discuss all details.
FTC Taking Action Against Untruthful “Green” Claims
More and more we are beginning to see products use trendy phrases like “biodegradable” to market their products as being environmentally friendly. Kmart, Tender and Dyna-E are a few companies that used this term on labels of their products and are facing legal action from the FTC. Kmart’s brand American Fare stated that it’s disposable plates were biodegradable, Tender said it’s moist wipes were biodegradable and Dyna-E called it’s Lightload brand of dry towels biodegradable. Kmart and Tender have already settled outside of court, while Dyna-E will have a lawsuit filed against them.
This is a new effort by the FTC to make sure that any environmental claims are completely truthful and not at all misleading to us as consumers. Many companies can get away with putting “biodegradable” on the label because there is only the guideline that it decompose in a short period of time. Research must be done to prove that this is in fact true. The FTC determined that none of the products described above decomposed in landfills in a reasonable amount of time, thus taking action against the false claims they were making. James A. Kohm, Associate Director of the Enforcement Division in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, gave the following testimony in front of Congress over these deceptive claims:
To achieve this goal in the environmental arena, the FTC issues rules and guides for businesses, publishes materials to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions, and challenges fraudulent and deceptive advertising through law enforcement actions, such as the three biodegradability cases announced today.
It’s refreshing to see that companies are being held responsible for any false claims that they are making on their labels. It’s so easy to say that a product is “green” but to put research in to make sure that it is in fact the case will make sure that consumers are buying the product that is advertised. Let’s hope that this sends a message to companies trying to take advantage of the green movement just to make a larger profit.
Cash For Clunkers Bill
The Cash For Clunkers bill was just passed this week by the House to compensate consumers to trade in their gas guzzlers in exchange for more fuel efficient cars. The bill is sponsored by representative Betty Sutton out of Ohio that provides rebates of up to $4,500 by doing so. The next for the bill is to be passed by the Senate in the upcoming week.
The exact provisions under the bill include:
- Passenger Cars: Receive a $4,500 rebate if trading in a car 18 mpg or less for a car with 10 mpg or higher than the old vehicle. You can still receive a $3,500 rebate if trading in a car with 18 mpg or less in for a vehicle getting at least 22 mpg.
- SUVs/Pickup Trucks/Minivans: Receive the $3,500 rebate if trading in a 18 mpg or less vehicle for one that is at least 2 mpg better.
- Trucks and Vans ( 3 – 4 ton ): Receive possible rebate between $3,500 and $4,500 for 15 mpg vehicles or more.
There are a few stipulations that are required to receive the rebates:
- Vehicle must be in drivable condition
- Year must be 1984 or later.
- Must be insured to same owner for more than 1 year.
These just ensure that you are legitimately trading that you own and not just a car you bought to make a quick profit. If you decide to trade in a vehicle, you would receive a voucher for the leader in which you purchased or leased the car.
I like the idea behind this bill: get the old, polluting vehicles off the road. It is fairly expensive to fund, but can help improve the vehicles driving on the road as well as the struggling auto industry.
Solar Insulating Window Film: Quick Savings Tip
One of the easiest and most cost effective ways to save big on your energy bills is to apply solar control or insulating window film. It can be pleasant to have full light come into your home, a major reason we have windows. The biggest drawback to allowing unfiltered sun light into your home is that it can increase your energy bills. During the winter, light does not provide enough heat, while during the summer light only increases the amount of heat entering our homes.
Benefits
The financial benefits obtained through using insulating window films far outweigh the affordable cost to buy and apply window film to your windows. The typical film is to be applied to the interior part of our windows and works by eliminating or holding in much of the sun’s heat. Up to 70% of the heat can be reduced during hot times of year and keeps the cold out during winter months by better insulating your windows. This can result in a 5-10% savings on your monthly energy bills, but the savings are usually much greater in warmer climates or during the summer.
On top of the savings you get through your energy bill, there is also a 30% tax credit on the purchase of all window films. This means that you get a 30% discount on the total purchase of any tinting you buy for you home. Even though it usually tends to be fairly affordable, this is just another incentive to go out and buy window film.
Window films can also have an added benefit of reducing most of the harmful UV rays from the light that enters your home. This can drastically reduce the amount of fading that occurs on flooring, furniture and fabrics. There is also a reduction in glare. What even nicer is that technology has improved the quality of window film making it barely noticeable in terms of how it looks on your windows and the amount of natural light still entering your home.
Total Savings
Let’s first start with the cost to actually buy and install window film in your home. You can expect to pay in the $2-3 range and the cost of installation can range from $5-$7 per square foot. That means that the total cost to buy window film for a 3×7 sliding door would cost approximately $50 and an installation cost of a little over $100.
Since window filming tends to last for about 10-15 years, this means that you can really save over that period. The following table is a sample of how much you could save depending on your total energy bill cost:
Window Film Savings on Monthly Energy Bill
| 1 Month | 1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $10 | $120 | $600 | $1,200 |
| $250 | $25 | $300 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
As you can tell from the data, the more your energy bill is the more you can save, especially in the long run. Even with a relatively small energy bill, you can recoup the costs for the film in under a year and reap the savings over the remainder of its life. None of this is including the savings from having to possibly replace flooring, furniture or window treatments due to fading over the period.
You can also save a little money by doing it yourself, but be sure that study up on how to properly install window tinting and follow this video that does a great job in describing each step of the process:
The financial benefits should encourage anyone to want to have window filming installed on windows throughout your home. Just be sure to contact a professional if you are unsure about anything in the process as with any DIY project. It is also recommened that you contact your window manufacturer to ensure that window film is appriate for your windows and will not cause any damage if applied.
Please share any experience you have with window film or if you plan on installing window filming throughout your home.
EcoPrintWorks Custom Apparel and Accessories
Ecoprintworks provides high quality custom apparel and accessories, while providing responsible printing for companies and individuals. Along with using eco-friendly inks, they also print on organic and sustainably produced garments.
About EcoPrintWorks
EcoPrintWorks was started by David Whitaker and Peter Imai, two individuals combining over 50 years in the screen-printing business. After running a printing business in the San Luis Obispo community for many years, both decided to make a change in their business philosophy by becoming more environmentally friendly and conscious for their workers health. Owner Peter Imai describes in more detail why they decided to make the switch:
We loved our business but we wanted to be more responsible with the decisions we were making. To us that meant making a move from PVC based Plastisol inks and conventional cotton to solvent free, water-based inks, and organic cotton garments. It’s a bit more expensive, but the response that we’ve gotten from customers is amazing. We’re happy to be able to provide a healthier work environment for our staff as well as a finished product that falls in line with our values. We hope you love the water-based prints as much as we do.
Permaset Aqua
Permaset Aqua are water-based fabric inks produced by Australian company Colormaker. Permaset inks contain no toxic chemicals, are 100% solvent free and are safe to even use on baby clothes under the age of 2. They also do not contain any form of lead or other types of heavy metals. Prior to using Permaset, the main type of ink in the screen-printing industry was Plastisol, which contains Polyvinyl Chloride. These inks are extremely harmful to the environment as well as emitting dangerous vapors. Colormaker took this into account with Permaset Aqua by making them highly durable, excellent range of colors and dry more quickly than traditional water-based inks. EcoPrintWorks uses Permaset to provide not only a safer product, but also a more superior one as well.
Environmentally Friendly Suppliers
EcoPrintWorks gets its apparel and accessories from a variety of suppliers that use organic and renewable materials and have environmentally friendly business practices. A few of the companies include American Apparel, Earth Positive, ALO athletic wear, EcoBags.com and many others.
Ordering Process
To order through EcoPrintWorks is very straight forward. Their website guides you through the entire process. You first start by getting on quote based off the the order size and the type of design you want to provide. They accept just about any type of art work you have or can provide you with ready to go artwork. It’s free of charge to use one of their designers to get the professional design you would desire. After placing the order and providing payment, their is a final approval process to ensure that everything is the way that it should be before getting printed. Once completed, everything is sent within 3 business days free of charge.
Review
I was lucky enough to receive a sample of their work in the form of a reusable bag. The bag itself was made by EcoBags.com and the artwork was designed by one of their designers. As you can tell from the picture, the artwork is beautiful. The bag was made from 100% recycled cotton fibers and is extremely durable. I used the bag several times filled with produce and it held really strong. The colors printed on the bag are much more vibrant than displayed in the picture and have no signs of peeling. I cannot attest to the process of ordering products through this company, but they did a wonderful job with the bag I received and would definitely order through them if I needed printed apparel or bags.
