Never have expectations been so high for the kitchen. It has to look great, of course, and hold up to the demands of today’s fast-paced lifestyles. Not only that, we expect our kitchen—as the heart of our home—to exude health, to be a vibrant space that nurtures body and soul. And increasingly, we’re coming to appreciate that creating a healthy home means taking care of people and the planet.

Good Green Kitchens, with its gorgeous photographs and accessible text, is loaded with inspiration and information to help you create your dream green kitchen—one that’s beautiful, functional, healthier to spend time in, and easier on the environment.

Get ready to be inspired to make your next kitchen-improvement project a green one. Even if you’re not planning a top-to-bottom kitchen re-do, this book offers dozens of practical, everyday solutions that will contribute to a healthier planet.

Good Green Kitchens gives the lowdown on what’s green and what’s not when it comes to kitchen design. Here’s a taste of what’s inside:

• Extensive resource lists of eco- friendly products, manufacturers and retailers
• More than 150 color photos of beautiful kitchens and enticing products
• Up-close profiles of beautiful, green kitchens and the people who created them
• Tips for environmentally responsible redecorating, remodeling, and building from the ground up
• In-depth chapters on greener alternatives for flooring, kitchen storage, countertops and appliances Strategies for greening the whole house
• Guidance on how to keep pollutants out of the kitchen
• Tips for keeping costs in check when greening your kitchen
• Advice on designing smaller kitchens that look great and really work
Comparisons of flooring and countertop options, including their environmental pros and cons

From range hoods to refrigerators, from cooktop options to daylighting designs, from old-fashioned favorites like natural linoleum to hot new products like recycled-glass counters, Good Green Kitchens is the ultimate resource for creating your dream green kitchen.

Jennifer Roberts is a green building advocate and freelance writer based in San Francisco. She is the author of Good Green Homes: Creating Better Homes for a Healthier Planet, and Redux: Designs That Reuse, Recycle, and Reveal (www.goodgreenhomes.com).