• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Start Here
  • Money Pit Podcast
The Money Pit house logo

The Money Pit

Home Improvement Tips, Ideas & Podcasts

  • Media Kit
  • Posts
  • Spaces
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • Home Exteriors
    • Garages & Sheds
    • Outdoor Living
    • Basements & Crawlspaces
  • Reno/Repair
    • Heating
    • Floors
    • Windows
    • Roofs & Gutters
    • Lighting & Wiring
  • Popular Topics
    • Storage & Organization
    • Painting & Decorating
    • Cleaning
    • Pests & Wildlife
    • Buying or Selling a Home
  • Features
    • DIY
    • Pet Friendly
    • Green Home
    • Quick Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
    • The Money Pit Podcast
    • Your Calls, Our Answers Podcast
    • Money Pit Minute Podcast
    • Top Products Podcast
Soapstone kitchen countertop

Green Kitchen Countertops: Environmentally-friendly Options

Home » Kitchens » Green Kitchen Countertops: Environmentally-friendly Options

Green Kitchen Countertops: Environmentally-friendly Options

KitchensCountertops
Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0Email0
Soapstone kitchen countertop
by Tom Kraeutler Leave a Comment

Earth-friendly, green countertops are easier than ever to find today thanks to the many material options that are kind to the environment.  And as earth-friendly technologies improve, there’s really no excuse not to consider the personal and environmental impacts of your countertop choices: that includes the whole life cycle from manufacture to installation to replacement.

In an ideal, completely earth-friendly world, all countertop materials would be composed of recyclable materials, free of VOCs, solid and nonporous, stain and scratch resistant, attached by mechanical means rather than adhesives, and completely recyclable.

For now, most earth-friendly countertops are a combination of environmental pros and cons, but some traditional environmental offenders are starting to catch up. 

9 Most Popular Earth-Friendly Countertops

Here is a rundown of earth-friendly countertop materials that are currently available.

kitchen countertopsStone Countertops

Stone countertops are beautiful, natural and durable, but not renewable. Mining of any kind affects land and water quality, and the proceeds have a high embodied energy, encompassing the manufacturing, transportation and labor the typically large, heavy slabs require. The more local and close-to-the-surface your stone selection is, the lower the impact on the earth. Sealing keeps out germs and stains, and stone may also be recycled at the end of its life in your kitchen as a durable, earth-friendly countertop.

Solid Surfacing Countertops

Easy to keep clean and beautiful, solid surfacing is also beginning to catch up in terms of earth friendliness as a green countertop option. You can now find types made from recycled plastics which would’ve otherwise been underfoot in landfills to use in your countertop. The end product, however, is not always recyclable.

Laminate Countertops

The new earth-friendly laminates are made of recycled plastic and require formaldehyde-free substrate and nontoxic glues (mechanical fasteners are also an option). They’re stain-resistant and easy to clean, but not recyclable when replaced.

Stainless Steel Countertops

This durable, easy-to-clean material is great for countertops, and comes in the form of either salvaged metal or a composition of recycled content. Mechanical fasteners mean no chemical-laden adhesives, and stainless steel can be recycled again down the line.

Concrete Countertops

This relatively earth-friendly green countertop material is high in embodied energy thanks to the transport and mixing of its ingredients of cement, aggregate and water, but there’s no off gassing beyond the sealant that improves its durability, and it can have a second life as crushed aggregate or slab. The main health concern with concrete is dust during its installation.

Ceramic Tile Countertops

The clay that ceramic tile made from is a natural but finite resource, so look for more earth-friendly versions that incorporate recycled post-consumer content. Some imported tiles may have radioactive or lead-based glazes, but otherwise, ceramic tile has low-to-no VOCs and is said to support indoor air quality. The heavy weight of ceramic tile means high embodied energy via transport costs.

Green kitchen countertop optionsGlass Tile Countertop Backsplash

Best used for back-splashes and countertop detailing, glass tile can contain up to 100% recycled content, and some manufacturers’ processes require less energy than conventional melting (though weight of the final product adds up to reasonably high embodied energy). Like ceramic tile, it’s a supporter of good indoor air quality, is earth-friendly and can be recycled into whole new tile styles.

Wood Butcher Block Countertop

The original countertop material, wood is fading to the background as more sustainable and health-safe alternatives come to the fore. To be earth-friendly, it must be composed of salvaged, reclaimed or Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, and if laminated, must be free of added formaldehyde. Sealers and cleaners also have to be low on the VOC emissions scale, and mechanical fastening is preferred. However, wood countertops contain a certain amount of naturally occurring formaldehyde, and even regular cleaning and sealing isn’t guaranteed to keep them from attracting dangerous bacteria. Wood has earth-friendly potential as a recyclable in slabs.

Terrazzo Composite Countertop

This aggregate of stone and glass chips makes quite a style statement and can contain a high level of recycled content; just be sure to check into the binders used, which may omit VOCs. Terrazzo is highly durable and stain resistant, and available in tile or slab form (both hit high on the embodied energy meter). Has up to a 40-year lifespan, but cannot be recycled.

These eco-friendly, green countertop material options can not only add style and color to your kitchen countertop, but give you a comfort in knowing that your kitchen countertop is earth-friendly. 

KitchensCountertops
Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0Email0

Related Posts

Kitchen faucet with flowing water washing vegetablesEco-Friendly Kitchens Serve Up SustainabilityOpen kitchenRecipes for an Affordable Kitchen Remodelkitchen island ideas5 Kitchen Island Ideas that Add Fun & FunctionKitchen Lighting Design Techniques, IlluminatedMobile Kitchen Carts Deliver Functional Storage SolutionsKitchen Remodel3 Kitchen Remodel Projects Worth More Than They Cost

Related Podcasts

The Money Pit Top Products PodcastHome Depot Program Simplifies LEED for HomesRecession Kitchen Remodelingpaint kitchen countertopCan You Paint Kitchen Countertops?hardwood floorHardwood vs Laminate Flooring for a KitchenKitchen Flooring Optionsaccessible kitchen cabinets, kitchen cabinets, reface, refinish cabinets, paint cabinetsBest Accessible Kitchen Cabinets

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

About Tom Kraeutler

Tom is the Host, Founder and Chief Home Improvement Evangelist of The Money Pit. With 20 years experience as a professional home inspector, Tom is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight -- especially when their basement floods!

Favorite Posts

Installing a security camera

A Simple Guide To Security Camera Positioning Around Your House

HART Tools in workshop

Expecting a Tax Refund? Here’s 3 Projects You Can Totally Get Done for Less!

greenhouse

Grow Fresh Veggies Year-Round with a Backyard Greenhouse

Yaheetech 32in Outdoor Metal Wood Burning Firepit Square Table Lifestyle

12 Best Outdoor Fire Pits Under $100

Popular Podcasts

Lawn mower cutting grass

Episode #2090: Save Time Cutting Grass | Tips for Paint & Primer | Home Office Renos | Your Q & A

Realtor showing a home to a couple

Episode #2089: Buying a Rental Home | Tips for Terrazzo Floors | Garage Door Do-Overs | Your Q & A

Deer in the backyard

Episode #2088: Keeping Wildlife Out of Your Garden | Big Ideas for Small Baths | Stopping Closet Clutter | Your Q & A

Remodeled garage with floor and cabinets

Episode #2087: Easy Clean Garage Floors | Fun Closet Cleaning Hacks | Trends in Kitchen Design | Reupholstering Furniture

Newsletter

Get weekly updates with the latest tips and tricks to save money in your home.



  • Media Kit
  • Partners
  • Endorsement Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy and Cookie Solution
  • About
  • Affiliates
  • Cookie Policy (US)

Copyright © 2021 · The Money Pit · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!