Recycled Glass Kitchen Countertops
- What is it: Colorful recycled glass mixed into cement, concrete, or a resin base. Kitchen countertops can be integrally colored or stained for more variation and color coordination with cabinetry or painted surfaces.
- What makes it green: Diverts used glass from the waste stream. The cement in some counters is mixed with fly ash, a waste product of coal burning that would otherwise end up in landfills: this also reduces greenhouse gas-producing cement manufacturing.
End-Grain Bamboo Kitchen Counters:
- What is it: Chopping blocks made of slender rectangles of end grain bamboo glued into panels (usually 1 ½ inches thick).
- What makes it green: Bamboo is a great substitute for wood because its fast growth makes it more renewable. Low-off-gassing glues don’t harm indoor air quality. Can be cut with standard wood working tools.
Recycled Paper Kitchen Countertops
- What it is: Recycled paper in a resin base. Available in thicknesses ranging from ¼ inch to 2 inches; integrally colored in many hues. Heat and stain resistant with hones surface look.
- What makes it green: Uses postconsumer recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and nonpetroleum, formaldehyde-free resins, some made from cashew nut shell liquid. Can be cut and shaped with standard woodworking tools.
