What it is: Colorful recycled glass mixed into a cement, concrete, or resin base. Kitchen countetops can be colored or stained for more variation and color coordination with cabinetry or painted surfaces.
What makes it green: Diverts used glass from the waste stream. The cement in some counters is mixed with fly ash, a waste product that usually ends up in landfills; this also reduces greenhouse gas–producing cement manufacturing.
What it is: Chopping blocks that are made up into slender rectangles of end-grain bamboo glued into panels
What makes it green: Bamboo is a great substitute for wood. Its fast growth makes it more renewable. Low-off-gassing glues don’t harm the indoor air quality. Can be cut with standard woodworking tools.
What it is: Recycled paper in a resin base. Available in thicknesses ranging from 1/4-inch to 2 inches; colored in many hues. It is heat and stain resistant with an honed-surface look.
What makes it green: Uses postconsumer recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and nonpetroleum, formaldehyde-free resins, some made from cashew nut shell liquid. Can be cut and shaped with standard woodworking tools.
What it is: Butcher-block counters, from reclaimed or recycled lumber. Others are from handsome but lesser-known tree species that have been harvested. Butcher blocks can be made from slender lengths or end-grain blocks.
What makes it green: Using reclaimed wood reduces the need for harvesting new trees. Recycled old-growth lumber often has tighter grain and better quality. Underutilized species expands the range of grain and color choices and offer higher quality lumber from managed forests.
What it is:50% to 90% recycled aluminum to make countertop-depth pieces up to 3 feet wide with built-in front lip and backsplash, and to make tiles. Renewed Materials makes Alkemi, a solid-surface material containing postindustrial scrap aluminum in polymeric resin.
What makes it green: Can include sinks, light fixtures, and hardware, are all made with recycled metals that can then be recycled at the end of their useful life. Metal products are finished with reusable abrasives and recirculated water. Clear-coat finish is safe for food and nontoxic.