Many home improvement projects can be very harsh on the environment, and for today’s eco-savvy consumer, that’s not going to fly. This new wave of environmental awareness has sparked interest in green building and remodeling techniques. Embarking upon a kitchen remodel is a great time to make lasting changes in your home to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few reasons to make the switch to greener alternatives, and a few tips for doing so.

Consider Energy Star appliances. Not only do they use significantly less energy than other appliances, but the Federal Government is offering tax incentives for making the switch. During a San Diego home remodeling project is a great time to change over to Energy Star Appliances, since the tax incentives are only eligible for upgrading homes rather than new construction. You receive tax credits for 30% of the cost of your appliances, up to $1,500.

Donate those old cabinets to a charity rather than dumping them in a landfill. Habitat for Humanity and other nonprofit organizations use these cabinets for building new homes for the homeless, and remodeling dilapidated homes for the impoverished. Not only are you helping the environment, but you’re also helping those who are less fortunate!

Consider your lighting. If you live in an area that gets great sunlight, try to avoid blocking it; utilizing natural sunlight with large windows and skylights can reduce energy usage greatly. Additionally, consider compact fluorescent light bulbs and LED bulbs rather than fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. These last much longer so you will not go through as many as often, and they are more efficient by wasting less energy via heat output.

Be sure to contact companies that are familiar with green building and constructing techniques for all parts of your remodeling job. A kitchen remodel is not just about brand new San Diego cabinetry or refinished floors; sink flow can alter the amount of water wasted in the household, and plumbing for dishwashers can be rerouted to save gray water for use in the toilet.

What we’re doing:

Here at Bardon Cabinetry, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and making environmentally friendly options available for our clients.  The following are a few of the things we’re doing to help you stay green.

• We’re Environmentally Aware: We know that many chemicals and substances are able to harm the environment, so we do our best to avoid using them in all of our remodeling projects. For more information, visit our Environmental Awareness page.
• We recycle: Not only do we make the extra effort to recycle cardboard, plastic, paper, and aluminum, but we also recycle our wood shavings, scrap pieces, and sawdust. High school shop classes can benefit greatly from these pieces of wood, and they get better use there than in a landfill.
• We’re Digital: Whenever possible, we digitize all of our forms and files, and electronically send invoices and bills, rather than paper copies.
• We Donate: All of our unwanted cabinets are sent to San Diego’s local Habitat for Humanity affiliate to be used in brand-new homes and current home remodels. A dose of goodwill and a desire to be green is all it takes to make a difference.