Green Cabinetry

Considering going green in your kitchen? Cabinets are starting to catch up to other kitchen essentials such as energy efficient appliances.  While there are selections the consumer can make in material selection consideration should also be given to the practices of a particular manufacturer.  Over the past decade many of our suppliers have taken the following steps thus reducing the impact of production.

  • Conserve natural resources
  • Avoid volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions
  • Contribute to a safe and healthy indoor environment
  • Are more durable, thus having a low impact on the environment
  • Are produced with minimal waste stream and pollution
  • Are created within a low-energy environment
  • Join the environmental effort as members of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer Association’s (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP).
  • Reduce, reuse and recycle office materials, working toward a paperless environment, and maintain energy efficient principles
  • Keep it clean by utilizing a distiller to reclaim cleaning solvents
  • Reduce material usage with Most Available Controlled Technology (MACT) finish and adhesive application technology
  • Increase our energy efficiency with a gas-fired oven curing system
  • Improve wood utilization with an automating optimizing cut line
  • Reduce our non-wood waste stream
  • Increase board yield with CNC nesting technology
  • Reduce finishing material usage
  • Implement lean manufacturing technology and processes
  • Utilize 100 percent of all raw wood – downfall wood is used for cutting boards, finger joints, animal bedding and landscaping materials
  • Ask the same of our suppliers, with reviews by our Green Council to ensure they are committed to sustainable forestry practices

Many of these steps are not only environmentally beneficial but also go to using less material and reducing costs for the end user.  Some companies also have preservation efforts as listed below:

  • Honoring Arbor Day by giving all employees a tree to plant
  • Planting trees in honor of special events
  • Sponsoring Earth Day activities
  • Funding the Wisconsin Hardwood Reforestation Program
  • Providing a scholarship for a Forest Management College student
  • Appointing a Green Officer to head our Environmental Stewardship Committee

Our immense respect for the environment is expressed in our commitment to reforestation. As a purchaser of Candlelight Cabinetry you will have a choice between receiving a complimentary tree for your yard or ten trees for one of our national forests. Since 1990, Candlelight has planted over 25,000 trees through our “Tree Planting Program.” While this program exceeds reforestation policies, Candlelight Cabinetry — and our customers — would expect nothing less.

The client also can make personal choices when selecting cabinets and the materials they are constructed from there several primary things to consider:

  • Formaldehyde Free and no VOCs
  • Wood types

The following pages provide more information on these topics. Click next to continue.