Can a Kitchen be Big AND Green?

There's a post over at K+BB Green Are Big, Open Kitchens Green? that merits further comment:

Ellen Sturm Niz, K+BB editor, asks:

...Are big, open kitchen layouts environmentally friendly, and how so or how not?

I think the relative "greenness" of a kitchen has more to do with the products chosen and the people using the space than the size of the space...To a point: 500 sq. ft. kitchens are NEVER green, just ostentatious.

These are not times for conspicuous consumption, but instead for careful contemplation of our impact upon the earth.

Homeowners who employ green recycling can do so in any size kitchen.

Those who purchase Energy Star appliances may pay more at the outset, but the products will pay for themselves in energy savings over their lifetimes.

Here's hoping we can get back to appliance repair and renewal as a concept so that appliances can last for several lifetimes as they once did.

There was a time when everyone "made do" and repaired items in their households, and the Fixit Man's shop on Main Street was an integral part of every community.

I still see people happily using old Chambers ranges. Some products stand the test of time well.

The concept of throwaway appliances, computers, everything, is actually a fairly recent phenomenon. It is entirely possible to design and build such products that will last indefintely if repair parts are available and they still function well.

Aside from self-cleaning ovens and electronic ignition (which have been around for years now), what really sets apart a Chambers range from a Viking? Not much at all. Both are well made products that could conceivably last forever with good care and timely repair.

Peggy