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Earth-friendly Storage
Who doesn't want to add value to their home?  A recent Harris Poll revealed that 77 percent of American homes have lost value in the past 12 months. Whether you are planning on selling or updating a great new purchase, a renovation can make a big difference in the look and value of your home.  

Most of us think of kitchens and baths when we think of cabinetry.  But cabinetry adds storage to almost any room in your house.  Mud rooms, pantries, laundry rooms, basements, craft rooms, garages, media rooms and in-law/teen suites all have potential need for great cabinets.  

Options for cabinetry are extensive.  There are many price points, woods, styles, colors/finishes and configurations to choose from.  You know that your new cabinets will have a big impact on your home's appeal, but make sure to consider the impact they'll have on the environment too.

What Makes It Green?
Repainting existing cabinets with non-toxic paint that doesn't emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a good "green" choice.  Using a zero-VOC paint to update what you already have is the least expensive and quickest solution for updating cabinetry.  It's also the greenest as nothing is being added to a landfill and no new materials (other than the paint) are being consumed.  

Re-facing existing cabinet frames is another earth-friendly option.  Only the cabinet doors and hardware are replaced.  

If new cabinets are in order, be sure to choose responsibly.  Select from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified woods, bamboo or reclaimed woods.  Also look out for interiors with urea formaldehyde, which is highly toxic.  

What You Can Do

Annually, over 1.5 billion trees are planted in the U.S. - more than 5 trees for every man, woman and child in America. That averages 4.1 million seedlings each day.

Wellborn Cabinet Inc. (www.wellborn.com) cabinets are beautiful, long lasting and the company is committed in to protecting the earth.  In 2007, Wellborn recycled 343,200 pounds of cardboard, 44,160 pounds of paper, 25,260 gallons of solvents, and 187,000 lbs. of metals. They also used approximately 40,000 tons of wood dust from production to generate 3.1 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity for the facility.