By Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s Home Expert
I have been professionally building, renovating and maintaining homes for more than 25 years and know firsthand that the industry is constantly evolving. None of these changes is more dramatic than the recent shift to green products or eco-friendly products for the home. Now more than ever, homeowners are specifically looking for ways to be more environmentally conscious; and manufacturers are responding with products that make a difference for our planet, are easy to use and are increasingly more affordable. Here are some eco-friendly home products you might want to consider when tackling your next to-do list.

• Quiet, easy to operate lawn mowers. Push reel lawn mowers have been around for more than 100 years without change. Fiskars, known for its orange handled scissors and gardening tools, has changed that with their new Momentum Reel Mower. It looks like a space age take on a traditional push mower and it moves through grass like a dream. Aptly named, the Momentum Reel Mower is easy to push, especially in taller grass, using its own momentum to turn the blades. No gas, no electricity, no noise, no danger, no effort–all for about $230.

• Earth-friendly cleaners. More and more options are coming to store shelves making smart cleaning supplies easier to find and more affordable. Seventh Generation has a glass and surface cleaner that is formulated with plant-derived cleaning agents. It’s non-toxic and biodegradable. Better yet, it works really well and sells for less than $4 a bottle.

• Old paint problem solver. Spring cleaning is upon us and if you have old cans of paint around, you need to know about Cob-Zorb. In order to be disposed of safely, paint needs to be solidified. Cob-Zorb is made from corn by-products and when poured into a paint can, it will remove all of the liquid so you can dispose of the can properly. Of course, the best choice is to find a recycling facility that will take your old paint, but if one is not available try Cob-Zorb. For $11.99 you’ll get a box that can treat three gallons of paint.

• Better dimmer switches. By now everyone knows the benefits of CFL and LED lights, but there are still kinks to work out. One of the biggest gripes has been the inability to adjust the lighting. Standard dimmers aren’t compatible with these new light bulbs. Thankfully, Lutron Electronics introduced a dimmer specifically for CFL and LED bulbs. It uses a different circuitry design that allows you to install and operate it in the same manner as traditional dimmers. At around $39.99 it’s a worthy investment in the eco-ambiance of your home!

• Container gardening. Now everyone has time and space to grow a garden. Fertile Earth container garden starter kits give you everything you need to grow plants either outside or indoors. For $29.99, you can start growing organic tomatoes – a great source of lycopene – and make your very own pasta sauce. No jars, no waste, just fresh, healthy food you grew yourself.

New eco-friendly products come to market every day making it increasingly easy to turn your “to-do” list into a “to-done” list while giving the earth a little TLC as well.

You can learn more about all of the above tips and products at your local Ace Hardware store and by visiting www.acehardware.com.