“In 2006, the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) created the Environmental Stewardship Program to help cabinet manufacturers demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and help consumers easily identify environmentally-friendly products. After meeting certification requirements in areas of air quality, product and process resource management, environmental stewardship, and community relations, cabinet manufacturers can display the ESP seal on their products. The ESP seal helps you identify cabinets and cabinet manufacturers who are committed to protecting the environment. Nearly a hundred fifty cabinet manufacturers have already earned ESP certification and more are on their way to completing the review process.”

The ESP is designed as a framework for manufacturers to highlight environmental business practices concerning: product and process resource management, air quality, environmental management policies and systems, and community relations.

Manufacturers must earn a minimum of 80 points based on compliance with stringent criteria to be awarded ESP certification. The criteria for ESP 04-11 include, but are not limited to:

• Manufacturers must demonstrate their commitment to protect the environment as evidenced by a written policy statement.
• The use of CARB ATCM compliant low-formaldehyde-emitting panel products is mandatory and mus tconstitute 80% of all particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and plywood used in the cabinets.  These products also must be certifeid by CARB approved third-party certifiers to meet low formaldehyde emissions standards.
• 80% of particleboard and MDF used in the cabinets contain 100% recycled or recovered fiber content
• Chain of Custody (COC) Certification of the manufacturer throught a recognized sustainable forestry program is encouraged.
• Hardwoods, softwoods and plywoods purchased are certified through a recognized sustainable forestry program
• A documented energy conservation program is in place
• A written Environmental Management System is encouraged
• An active recycling program for process wastes is in place
• All federal, state and local environmental requirements are observed and manufacturer agrees to report any violations to KCMA.
• The manufacturer demonstrates community involvement and leadership through service or charitable organizations

If you are interested in learning more about Holiday Kitchens green line of cabinetry, please visit our website or give your local Holiday Kitchens dealer a call.

Tamy Severude and Nicholas Pedersen

Holiday Kitchens is committed to improving the social, economic, and environmental concerns of our community.

 Good luck, Nicholas, we are proud of all your accomplishments!

Q: What is the definition of a “Green” kitchen cabinet?

A: “Green” refers primarily to how friendly a product is to the environment and to the health of those producing and using it.  In terms of the environment, it can encompass everything from the amount of energy used to manufacture, how much virgin (versus recycled) material is consumed, and what the resulting waste stream contains.  A cabinet can be green because it is healthier, because it has a low impact on the environment, or because it is simply more durable.  The quality of a product is critical to how long it will last.

Q: Can a “finished” cabinet be eco-friendly/green?

A: A natural finish is an eco-friendly finish because no stain or color has been applied prior to the topcoat.  Another option for an eco-friendly finish is hand-rubbed linseed oil finish, which is earth friendly. This finish has been used for years on antique furnishings and gun stocks.  Holiday Kitchens uses formaldehyde free glue to construct all of its cabinetry.

Q: Are there eco-friendly/green cabinet options – other than wood?

A: Bamboo is becoming a very popular alternative to traditional wood cabinetry.  It is a fast growing grass that is strong and durable.  Bamboo finishes beautifully with many of the same characteristics as wood.  Although bamboo is a grass and not a wood, it’s a sturdy and highly sustainable resource that is as good as any traditional wood. It is a rapidly renewable plant based product that will qualify for green building points.

Another eco-friendly/green option is reconstituted (composite) veneers, which are wood veneers engineered from sustainably harvested African hardwood trees and Italian plantation grown poplar trees.  These veneers replicate wood species that are under environmental pressure.  Holiday Kitchens offers Brookside veneers in Wenge and Zebrawood as an option for an exotic “green” look.

Q: Is there an organization that oversees environmental/green practices of cabinet manufacturers?

A: Holiday Kitchens is proud to be a certified member of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer’s Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP).  The ESP is designed as a framework for manufacturers to highlight environmental business practices concerning: product and process resource management, air quality, environmental management policies and systems, and community relations.

Holiday Kitchens is making every effort to utilize only vendors that practice sound forest stewardship practices.

Photo Credit Manomin Resawn Timbers

Reclaimed wood flooring inspires a new and innovative style for your home, while preserving the traditional richness, warmth, and durability of wood.  Not only does reclaimed wood have environmental benefits it also has design and aesthetic benefits.

Reclaimed wood floors usually come from old buildings, tobacco factories, warehouses, barns, old breweries, etc… and then it is milled into antique plank flooring.  By deconstruction of old buildings and recycling the materials the timbers get to be reused instead of sitting in landfills.  We are now able to utilize the deconstruction for sustainable construction. 

Reclaimed wood does have some aesthetic advantages over new wood.  Old timber is generally more stable, harder, and tighter grained.  Also, deeper color and patina is common to many reclaimed woods; minor defects such as nail holes can add character in rustic or contemporary finish. Because the wood has been air drying for 80-100 years, it is a very stable floor with minimal shrinkage.

Here are some additional resources on reclaimed wood:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/green-materials-guide/flooring-reclaimed-hardwood.html

http://www.thesexygreenhome.com/reclaimed-wood-flooring.html

Every year Holiday Kitchens celebrates Arbor Day by giving each one of their employees a tree to plant.

At Holiday Kitchens we are green to the core.  And always have been.

Maybe it’s because we’re situated in the midst of the lushest green pastures, forests, rolling hills and crystal lakes in the country (Rice Lake, Wisconsin). It’s so green here; it makes your eyes sparkle.  And everyone one of use wants to preserve the beauty around us.  Nature.

Perhaps we wear green so well because we’ve been a lean business – preferring ceramic mugs to Styrofoam, making cutting boards from our scraps, and planting trees to commemorate community events.  Park and parcel of our Midwestern work ethic aversion to waste. Nurture.

Nature or nurture?  Doesn’t really matter to us.  What does matter is that while our green products line is new, our green lives are not.