http://www.care2.com/greenliving/granite-countertops-dont-rock.html
Granite Countertops Don’t Rock
Recently I had a Realtor into my house to talk about what kinds of changes we’d need to make if we wanted to sell it. Our house was built in the ’50s and it has all original just about everything: Wood floors, plumbing, electrical, and kitchen and bathroom tile. My husband and I happen to love the slightly funky green tiles in the shower and yellow tile countertops with red accents in our kitchen. But I braced myself for the dreaded and expected suggestion to redo the kitchen and put in granite countertops.
I am sorry, but what is the deal with granite countertops? Why is everyone so ga-ga over them? Personally, I don’t think they are particularly attractive. I can understand the allure of countertops without grout, which is hard to keep clean. But is no one but me concerned about the fact that granite is a completely NON-renewable resource? Do you know what that means? It means we take it from the Earth and when it’s gone, it’s gone. No more.
The way I figure it, mining of granite so that your kitchen counters can look just like everyone else’s is a blight on the environment. Most of it is quarried from an open-pit mine, which then just becomes an open pit that is often used as a landfill. Nice, right? Plus there’s the issue of how far the granite has to travel; some of the mines are in desert areas of the United States, but others are in Egypt and India. That’s a long way to travel, and that’s so not green.
I like to watch HGTV, and invariably in every episode of “House Hunters” you’ll see someone running their hands over the kitchen counters and saying “ooh! granite.” On “My House is Worth What?” there is always a shot of granite countertops and a huge red arrow, indicating that this means their house is worth more money! I recently saw an episode of “Spice Up My Kitchen” that featured a couple who wanted a greener kitchen, and while thankfully they did not use granite countertops, they tore down all the cabinets and replaced them! Hello? What’s green about that? Haven’t they ever heard of a coat of paint and some new hardware? It did wonders for our kitchen.
Anyway, don’t get me started about people demolishing perfectly good kitchens and bathrooms, and dumping the results in our landfills.
The point is, maybe granite countertops aren’t the scourge on our planet I am making them out to be. But if you need new countertops, or just want them, and are going for the “natural” look, there are tons of eco-alternatives to granite that are very attractive (some even look similar to granite) and grout-free. I found this nice article on Sunset.com with five green solutions for kitchen updates, from recycled glass, aluminum, and paper to end-grain bamboo.
I find the bamboo and recycled glass options particularly pretty. I will have to keep them in mind if we ever decide to trade in our ’50s tile. (Our realtor actually suggested we keep it, which was good news for us.) As far as I am concerned, these options all rock. Granite? Not so much.
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27 comments
add your comment »yeah what will people do in ten years when the realtors tell them "oh granite? its sooo yesterday you need to update."
already stainless appliances are getting old or "dated" as they say on the tv shows the next new thing is ...i think i saw bronze- it was beautiful but very expensive and it'll be out in ten years or so.
HGTV had a show "living with Ed" as in Ed Begley- a great show for learning to live green i think it is now on Discovery Home channel
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Granite is cold, hard, and very busy-looking. I don't think it is attractive for many reasons (including the environmental irresponsibility). It takes too much maintenance (sealing, waxing, etc.) and it's busy-looking surface makes it hard for me to tell if I have cleaned all the crumbs & drips - I don't want the dirt to be invisible; I want it GONE! My sister got a very expensive granite and when she sat a hot pan on it, it CRACKED! It's very hard to replace a section of granite - you will never find a match!
To me its like people waving at trains: they are more concerned with being "in" and "impressive" than with true quality and usability - like quality stainless being far superior in every way to silver for eating - not to mention safer! And linoleum being much easier to keep (no grout) and much warmer and kinder to your feet and legs than hard, cold, ceramic tile! The linoleum in my kitchen is so much nicer to walk on and so much easier to keep beautiful than the ceramic tile (which I hate) in my bathrooms.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Granite is cold, hard, and very busy-looking. I don't think it is attractive for many reasons (including the environmental irresponsibility). It takes too much maintenance (sealing, waxing, etc.) and it's busy-looking surface makes it hard for me to tell if I have cleaned all the crumbs & drips - I don't want the dirt to be invisible; I want it GONE! My sister got a very expensive granite and when she sat a hot pan on it, it CRACKED! It's very hard to replace a section of granite - you will never find a match!
To me its like people waving at trains: they are more concerned with being "in" and "impressive" than with true quality and usability - like quality stainless being far superior in every way to silver for eating - not to mention safer! And linoleum being much easier to keep (no grout) and much warmer and kinder to your feet and legs than hard, cold, ceramic tile! The linoleum in my kitchen is so much nicer to walk on and so much easier to keep beautiful than the ceramic tile (which I hate) in my bathrooms.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Granite is cold, hard, and very busy-looking. I don't think it is attractive for many reasons (including the environmental irresponsibility). It takes too much maintenance (sealing, waxing, etc.) and it's busy-looking surface makes it hard for me to tell if I have cleaned all the crumbs & drips - I don't want the dirt to be invisible; I want it GONE! My sister got a very expensive granite and when she sat a hot pan on it, it CRACKED! It's very hard to replace a section of granite - you will never find a match!
To me its like people waving at trains: they are more concerned with being "in" and "impressive" than with true quality and usability - like quality stainless being far superior in every way to silver for eating - not to mention safer! And linoleum being much easier to keep (no grout) and much warmer and kinder to your feet and legs than hard, cold, ceramic tile! The linoleum in my kitchen is so much nicer to walk on and so much easier to keep beautiful than the ceramic tile (which I hate) in my bathrooms.
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I can't help it... I love granite, the look and the feel... ahhhh. But I don't have granite because it's not a renewal source. I am however, looking into concrete countertops with a rust color blended in for looks. But it's just not granite :)
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Well, I think granite is beautiful! And despite all the negative comments, we will still get it in our new kitchen....there are so many gorgeous colors to choose from. Most other options are NOT earth friendly too.
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1. Everyone has granite - not me.
2. It is ugly.
3. It has to be sealed twice a year.
I do listen to the house/home shows and they have recommended quartz counter tops and on the green shows, other natural products.
Joanne
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Marya,
I was at the Kitchen - Bath Industry Show last weekend in Chicago and came across a laminate selection from Abet Laminati, an Italian laminate manufacturer. I do not like the distance the material is traveling to get here but it is the most affordable green countertop I have been able to locate to date. The collection is manufactured from the sanding particulates generated in the processing of their standard laminates. (I have not investigated our domestic brands for similar products, so you may want to check into Formica, Wilsonart, Nevamar, and Pionite laminate manufacturing companies.)
If you have the countertop fabricator use non-formaldehyde particleboard substrates and non-toxic adhesives, you may have the most affordable green solution for your countertop.
David
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you go girl!
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What about colored cement countertops? I'm a realtor and have seen them in homes they are way cool, look great.
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