Today, you will be getting a tour of my green kitchen. No, we did not paint the walls green, we did a sustainable renovation! About 15 years ago, we embarked on a journey to overhaul our kitchen, not only to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the space but also to improve its overall sustainability. You will hear about how we established our priorities, along with how we managed to achieve a low-impact renovation and find non-toxic, locally sourced materials. I also talk about some of the fantastic energy-efficient appliances we have, like our refrigerated drawers. We are so proud of the sustainable space and the sustainability of the renovation itself. One of our desired outcomes of the renovation was to educate and share, so we entered our kitchen into a local magazine’s renovation competition, and we still talk about the process whenever we can. If you would like to green your kitchen but feel overwhelmed or stuck, this episode is a perfect place to find some inspiration. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Hear more about our home, including some of the benefits and drawbacks.
• Our approach to our renovation and why we decided not to expand our kitchen footprint.
• The priorities that we came up with after considering the impact of our renovation.
• Some of the different hurdles we experienced: finding a contractor and sourcing materials.
• Different materials that we used, such as strawboard and older wood, from our house.
• Various energy and water-efficient appliances that we bought. 
• Details and benefits about refrigerated drawers, an alternative to standard refrigerators.
• Why we decided to go with a smaller-than-usual stove and oven.
• Our floor and countertop decisions and the materials we ended up going with.
• How we tackled our windows and created a sense of cohesion with the rest of the house.
• Insights into an engineered wood product called Parallam which we used as a structural beam.
• The final touches and how we managed to avoid using any new material.
• Why I am so proud of the reclaimed space that came with the renovation.
• How we communicated and shared our green renovation with others.
• My mini-course that can help you green your kitchen, just like we did. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Kristina Hunter Flourishing

Kristina Hunter Flourishing Resources

The Unexpected Gift Box

Green Home Renovations Mini Course

My Green Kitchen Renovation

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba ReStore

Gillis Quarries