Counter Intelligence: A guide to eco-friendly countertop materials
by Cheryl Terrace | December 6th, 2008 | Comments (1)
topic: Eco Decorating, Green Living | tags: ceasarstone, earth-friendly tile, eco-friendly countertops, granite and radiation, icestone, paperstone, recycled glass, stone countertops
I recently went to a client’s big, beautiful new house to check out her kitchen counters. Amanda has two small children and was concerned about the health risks associated with radiation from granite countertops. As beautiful as the green stone was, it had to go.
Luckily there are many eco friendly options for countertops these days. It’s healthier (and less costly) to know about these options when buying a home or looking for ways to build green or do eco-friendly remodeling.
- One of my favorite countertop options is made from 100% recycled glass and cement. ICESTONE is gorgeous and super durable. Check out the video below showing how it’s made. I am using the color Moroccan Red (it screams yummy!) for a client’s new vegan ice cream shop — but it was not the correct look for Amanda’s traditional kitchen.
- I showed Amanda another beautiful product I’ve used for desktops and consoles: PAPERSTONE is made from 100% recycled paper and has both solid and mottled colors (read more about paperstone here). But again, it was just not the right look for Amanda’s kitchen.
- We decided on a great quartz product that is maintenance free (a plus with two small children) and does not need sealing: CEASARSTONE.
Not only are there many eco choices for kitchen counters — but also for other surfaces such as bathroom counters, backsplashes, window sills, tables and even desks. The array of green choices today benefit you by not giving off toxins, and they help the planet by using natural and recycled materials.
Did you know that every time we recycle a glass bottle we save enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours? This goes for recycled glass tile too! Whole Foods uses vetrazzo. Also check out Enviroglass, and Sandhilland. Look for a local tile manufacturer (ecobusinesslinks.com is a great resource) to help cut down on carbon emissions produced by shipping these heavy materials.
Ceramic tile also comes in eco-friendly versions. Try terragreenceramics or squakmountainstone, a textural stone alternative that I think is stunning — and Kirei board, which can be used for almost any surface — walls, eco-friendly flooring and even furniture.
Go ahead and make your eco counter point!
Check out these related articles and videos in Gaiam Life:
 How To Green Your Kitchen |
| Redo Your Kitchen in Green |
| The Green Appliance Guide: How to Create a More Efficient Kitchen |
| Eco Fabulous Loft Living |
| Making an Old Home Green |
Another green product is Alkemi. Zodiaq (a quartz product) also just came out with four new colors that include 50% recycles glass in their mixture.