While the kitchen is the center of most American homes, it's often an afterthought when it comes to making environmental improvements. But considering that the kitchen consumes 20 to 40 percent of household energy, it's really a good place to concentrate your efforts. The kitchen cabinets are from Becker Zeyko of Germany, recipient of the prestigious Blue Angel Award, which recognizes companies that excel in environmental manufacturing and product innovation. Engineered for beauty and durability, the cabinets come in 200 different styles, and the company ensures that no endangered hardwoods are used. Our cabinets can safely return to Mother Earth as ashes.
All packaging is recyclable, as are the cabinets themselves.
Cabinets from Becker Zeyko lend beauty and durability to this co-kitchen, which also sports energy efficient appliances and reclaimed materials. The dishwasher is from Sweden's ASKO, and its most distinctive feature is its reluctance to waste water. Unfortunately, says Carolyn Verweyst, Whirlpool's manager of marketing communications, the Energy-Wise models, while still for sale at many retailers, have been discontinued. Creda, while not yet a household name in the U.S., has 30 percent of the stove and range market in England, where it maintains an environmentally conscious factory. Creda was the developer, in 1968, of the convection oven, which is often championed by professional cooks.