Green cabinetry is on the rise and as the world strives to reduce it's carbon footprint, it's only going to get bigger. People are becoming more conscious of the environment every day. The great thing about green cabinetry is that it's good for your health!
So what is it all about? When someone says they want green cabinetry, they are looking for cabinetry with the least toxic materials possible. The cabinetry should also be built from sustainable materials. It's important to go through the process of FSC certification for your cabinetry especially if you’re trying to build a project that gets lead points (think points from government and tax incentives).
FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council, and their mission is to promote the environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests through standards development and certification. This organization has been around since 1993 as a market-based conservation tool to promote responsible forestry. As a business, it's especially important to have your products FSC certified because they fulfill corporate social and environmental responsibility goals when it comes to green cabinetry. It shows your support for responsible forest management in the eyes of customers, businesses and the public.
Most non-green cabinets contain a very dangerous chemical: urea-formaldehyde, generally found in the glue or preservation of cabinets. The presence of urea-formaldehyde will seep harmful fumes into your household for years. Not only can it can cause runny eyes and nose, but it's also been proven to cause cancer. This is why you want to buy cabinets compounded from urea formaldehyde-free plywood called PureBond from Colombia Plywood. This product also has low to no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), which otherwise could cause asthma or other severe health complications. These VOC chemicals are especially dangerous for children and animals because they sink to the ground and are very difficult to get rid of.
Another option of green cabinetry would be to make your cabinet doors from recycled wood. A factory can have other green components such as recycling sawdust created in-house.  You want to be conscious of all these options to make your green cabinet search as non complicated as possible. The closer the cabinet maker is to the job site, the less carbon footprint there will be on your cabinetry work.
So what type of wood products are best to use for green kitchen cabinets? You generally want to use fast growing lumber or grass. The most popular materials would be bamboo, Lyptus (fam of eucalyptus), Alder, European beachwood, etc. All lumber should be readily available and NOT from something like a majestic hundred year old oak tree, which serves better as a tree than your kitchen drawers. For "finishing" your cabinets, you want to use VOC-free stains or water-based stains and paint. Today’s water based stains are more durable than oil based and they don't turn yellow!
There is virtually no difference in appearance or design between green and regular cabinetry. Be wary of some companies that will try to overcharge you; they're only slightly more expensive than regular cabinets. They also take the same amount of time to install. You're getting the same look and process without harming the planet or your body. All of this makes green cabinetry a no-brainer. Start making positive changes in your house by going green and choosing green cabinetry.
For more information on the benefits of green cabinetry or to find out about purchasing this type of material contact us at Bradco Kitchens & Baths
6011 West Pico Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Phone: (424) 209-2309
Fax: 323.939.9354
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