Going green at home

What could be Southern California’s first exclusively green kitchen and bath showroom has planted roots in Laguna.

Laguna Green EcoSmart Kitchen and Bath Gallery, a new business that offers eco-friendly finished materials, design services, project management and workshops, had its grand opening Nov. 22.

Owner and designer Pam Sterling said her mission is to shift the well-being of the planet by creating healthier homes and lives through education, inspiration and design, and to provide a space where people can see how gorgeous green can be.

“I want people to not only learn about the benefits of these materials, but to be able to visualize them in their own homes and spaces,” she said. “The ability to touch and feel the displays sparks the eco-imagination.”

The showroom carries an array of eco-friendly products, including unique tiles recycled from industrial waste, pressed wheat cabinetry, bamboo flooring, eco-sensor faucets, insulation made from Levi’s denim and non-toxic paint.

It also promotes the use of LED lighting and energy-efficient home appliances, and carries petroleum-free soy candles and luxurious bamboo towels.

Laguna Green developed a “LEAF” rating system from one to four, to determine the level of environmental friendliness of each product. The more leaves a product is rated, the greener it is.

The acronym stands for Locally made, Energy and water conservation, Air quality and Formulation.

These components take into account whether a product is made within 500 miles of Laguna Beach, whether it helps conserve water or energy, levels of volatile organic compounds, and whether the product contains at least 50% recycle content or is made from rapidly renewable or carefully managed resources.

Sterling said education is her first priority in the process of going green because all change begins with education.

“I borrowed Gandhi’s quote, ‘Be the change [you wish to see in the world]’ as Laguna Green’s motto,” she said.

“Change happens when we are all behind it.”

As part of her emphasis on education, Sterling will host workshops in efforts to spread healthy and balanced living, including raw food cooking classes and “greening” classes.

The gallery will also host a Holiday Wreath Contest from Sunday to Dec. 13, sponsored by Waste Management.

“Residents are invited to bring holiday wreaths made of recycled content, which we will display, and visitors will vote on.

“Cash prizes will be offered for first-, second- and third-place winners.”

Sterling, who admits she was not always so green, said her “eco-awakening” came only two years ago.

“I began to realize how the energy we put out in the universe actually creates our experience in it,” she said. “As a result, I changed a number of things in my life, including my relationship to the environment.

“This ultimately shaped my passion for design, with a focus in sustainable design.”

Sterling left a successful corporate career around that time, to pursue her eco-passion.

Laguna Green is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 1025 S. Coast Hwy.

For more information, visit www.laguna-green.com or call (949) 340-7727.