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So expensive being green

We are moving a new home that needs new appliances and kitchen fixtures. We are buying energy efficient appliances, using VOC paint and putting in bamboo floors. I originally wanted to install countertops from recycled materials until I learned that the glass counters I love are approximately $115/sq; ft. That would mean almost $10,000just on kitchen counters. I feel somewhat guilty but we are using granite, which is now on the lower end of materials.
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Re: So expensive being green

  • Yeah, it can be pricey, especially if you have a very specific design aesthetic in mind.  For the appliances, you'll recoup a lot of that cost in operating costs (especially if you maintain them carefully... clean out the dryer vents, insulate water heater pipes, etc.).  You'll have to share before and after photos and let us know what eco-friendly choices you made :)
    EDD 9/24/13 BabyFetus Ticker
    Best sound ever: baby's heartbeat! (Heard @ 10w1d)
  • I totally agree.  To me, it's all about making choices and choosing green where it's feasible, but realizing it isn't always the right choice for us.  Don't feel guilty about the granite, you're reducing your impact in other areas that are more feasible for you, and that's what matters! :-)
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    Vacation
  • Wouldn't it have been more green (and cheaper) to simply move into an existing home?

    I feel like most of the time the greenest option is often the cheapest, but many of us don't find that option the most attractive (IE- second -hand homes, cars, clothes or CDs.) 

  • Being green can be expensive if you are trying to be all fancy. For the most part I find being green to be way cheaper.
  • imagebrideofaussie:
    Wouldn't it have been more green (and cheaper) to simply move into an existing home?

    I feel like most of the time the greenest option is often the cheapest, but many of us don't find that option the most attractive (IE- second -hand homes, cars, clothes or CDs.)

    I think she's updating the kitchen and replacing the floors of an existing house.  A house with a LOT of counter space.
    EDD 9/24/13 BabyFetus Ticker
    Best sound ever: baby's heartbeat! (Heard @ 10w1d)
  • imagebrideofaussie:

    I feel like most of the time the greenest option is often the cheapest, but many of us don't find that option the most attractive (IE- second -hand homes, cars, clothes or CDs.) 

    I agree with that.

    Personally, I am mildly snobby about aesthetics in my home. I'm a designer, I can't help myself ;) Could we have lived with mauve formica for our kitchen counters? Of course. I'm sure it would have lasted another 20 years. And it matched the mauve wall to wall carpeting! I guess we just have to be honest about our level of wasteful choices and try to compensate in other areas. Hopefully butcher block will retain its timeless sort of quality.

  • Agreed that I did not want the cheapest option. We are moving into an existing home and plan to replace the appliances, floors and counters. Yes, we could keep the not so attractive electric stove, the noisy inefficient dishwasher and the fridge, but we are getting new SS appliances. My comment a out the expense of being green was related to the recycled glass counters, which make granite or quartz seem like a bargain. I have no qualms about our purchases since the local economy could certainly use business and I consider buying from small, family owned businesses as one way of being green.
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  • imageCDMay2006:
    imagebrideofaussie:
    Wouldn't it have been more green (and cheaper) to simply move into an existing home?

    I feel like most of the time the greenest option is often the cheapest, but many of us don't find that option the most attractive (IE- second -hand homes, cars, clothes or CDs.)

    I think she's updating the kitchen and replacing the floors of an existing house.  A house with a LOT of counter space.

    Apologies.  I read too fast.  I saw all that was being done and assumed a new house.

  • imageMoFree:
    Agreed that I did not want the cheapest option. We are moving into an existing home and plan to replace the appliances, floors and counters. Yes, we could keep the not so attractive electric stove, the noisy inefficient dishwasher and the fridge, but we are getting new SS appliances. My comment a out the expense of being green was related to the recycled glass counters, which make granite or quartz seem like a bargain. I have no qualms about our purchases since the local economy could certainly use business and I consider buying from small, family owned businesses as one way of being green.

    Yes  It sounds to me like you've done the greeniest job you could with the money available to you.  I say kudos!

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  • I was in the same boat as you- we bought a 40+ year old home w/ a basically original kitchen- original dishwasher, older over/stove and not so old fridge. We replaced them one at a time, saving the fridge for last as it was the newest existing appliance and the most expensive. We got our dishwasher & oven/range at our local Sears outlet- they were both scratch-n-dent (on the sides where it's not even visible once installed) w/ major savings as a result. We donated the fridge (it was only 4 years old) to our local habitat for humanity re-store. Know that if you have your appliances hauled away by the store delivering your new ones they are always destroyed, even if they are still in working order. Look into donating them locally so they can be re-used vs. having them destroyed w/ a few components "recycled."

    The tile floor was the original & many tiles were broken & completely coming up. We replaced them with slate tile, much of the slate was leftover from a friend's larger project and we only had to buy like 20 sq feet of "new" tile. 

    The original formica counters were warped, chipped, etc. Like yourself I looked into "green" countertop materials and experienced major sticker shock. We opted for plain white corian (to replace the plain white formica.) 

    While granite was not the right look for our space- even if it was I did not feel comfortable with granite because so much of it is shipped from so far away- India, Brazil, China, etc. The energy cost of mining and shipping it is through the roof. Also I can't forget the NYT article about how some granite countertops are "hot" giving off radiation.  

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