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Eco-Friendly Style for Kitchens and Baths
Remodeling with environmentally friendly products has never been easier -- or more stylish. On the Counter Teragren's Bamboo Parquet Butcher Block countertops are made from bamboo, a rapidly renewable resource. Available in a natural and caramelized color, the countertops are offered in standard sizes with a formaldehyde-free and food-safe adhesive. Suggested retail price: $22-$28 per square foot uninstalled. Reclaimed Wood  Add a touch of history to your kitchen with Antique Heart Pine countertops from Craft-Art. Made from wood that has been reclaimed from old mills and buildings, the countertops feature a quarter-sawn technique that highlights the tight-grain wood texture for an eye-catching effect. Suggested retail price: $135 per square foot uninstalled for a standard 1-1/2-inch-thick top. Bamboo Cabinets
Crystal Cabinet Works' Bamboo Quest cabinetry shows off horizontal-grain bamboo veneers and a sleek, contemporary look. The cabinets are part of their Green-Core product line, which feature doors made from renewable materials and cabinet boxes made with renewable wood fiber and no added urea-formaldehyde resins. Smart Dishwashers 
Now you can save energy with the push of a button. Select 500 and 800 series dishwashers from Bosch feature an ECOOPTION that reduces energy consumption by up to 25 percent more when selected. Plus, the ECOSENSE Wash Management System uses an infrared light beam to sense the soil level in the water and customize the wash cycle accordingly. Dual Wash Options 
You have the power to choose between two different wash cycles with Fisher & Paykel's AquaSmart clothes washer. Choose the High Efficiency Mode to save water or select the Traditional Wash Mode to fully immerse clothes in water. Suggested retail price: $899. (It's shown here with the AeroSmart Dryer, $859-$879).
The Power of Steam 
The SteamWasher and SteamDryer from LG Electronics use steam to remove stains and reduce wrinkles -- and save energy and water at the same time. The pair is offered in stainless steel, white, and Wild Cherry, shown here. Suggested retail price for the SteamWasher in Wild Cherry: $1,399. Suggested retail price for SteamDryer in Wild Cherry: $1,399.
Stylish and Savvy 
With the EcoPower faucets from Toto USA, you can have a water-efficient faucet that looks good, too. The chrome fixtures generate their own electricity every time water spins their internal turbine, and the water flow rate is 32 percent below the baseline set by the government for low-flow faucets. The Axiom model is shown here. Suggested retail price: $1,153.
Low-Flow Faucet 
The Ashfield single-control lavatory faucet reduces water usage by 27 percent -- reducing the flow rate to 1.6 gallons per minute without affecting performance. The country-inspired fixture features a distinctive pump handle and trough spout for an eye-catching design. Suggested retail price starts at $129.
Designer Vanities 
Waterfall Bathroom Furniture has just introduced a line of colorful bathroom vanities made from formaldehyde-free MDF and finished with low-VOC paints. This Mailbox vanity (with its own stepstool) provides a light-hearted design perfect for kids -- and grown-ups, too. Suggested retail price: $1,600 without counter and sink ($2,660 with counter and sink).
Dual-Flush Technology 
With Caroma's dual-flush toilets, you can choose between a 0.8-gallon flush and a 1.6-gallon flush as needed. Several models are available, including the contemporary-styled Adelaide design. Suggested retail price: $165-$799.
Two Ways to Save 
Kohler's toilets with Class Five technology let you choose how much water to save. You can select the 1.6-gallon flush setting or save 20 percent more water with the 1.28-gallon setting. The technology is available on six new models of comfort-height two-piece toilets, including the Archer design, shown. Suggested retail price for the Archer toilet: $239 at Home Depot.
Innovative Showerheads 
Saving water doesn't have to mean giving up your invigorating shower. American Standard's FloWise showerheads use only 1.5 gallons of water per minute, but thanks to a turbine-like mechanism that spins the water stream, the spray feels as powerful as a 2.5-gallon-per-minute showerhead. Suggested retail price: $25-$95 ($65 for model shown).
Water-Saving Options  Alsons' showerheads with Fluidics technology save water while producing larger water droplets that stay hot longer. Choose from models with a 1.85, 1.75, or 1.6 gallon per minute spray -- or go with the two-spray unit that allows you to switch between a 1.85 gallon per minute and a standard 2.5 gallon per minute flow with the turn of a lever. Suggested retail price: $40-$80. More Air, Less Water The Croma EcoAir handshower (shown) and showerhead harness the power of air to give their water-saving 1.6 gallon per minute fixtures the feel of a summer rain. The units draw air into the center of the showerhead to expand and soften the water droplets, which results in improved performance and less splashing in and around the shower. Suggested retail price: $34-$44 for the handshower; $26-$36 for the showerhead. |
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