I was at my local hardware store this evening when I noticed a sign about eco-friendly products. This reminded me of the article I saw this morning in the NY Times about how major retail chains are starting to take the initiative of merchandising products as eco friendly.
The article refers specifically to Home Depot, which is the 2nd largest retailer in the US, just behind Walmart. In the US, Home Depot customers will be able to more easily identify eco-friendly products when they see the “Eco Options” label. [This program has already been implemented in Canada where “Eco Options make it easy for you to choose products for your home improvement projects that are more environmentally friendly, healthier and can save you money.”]
I love this idea and hope other retailers start to catch on to this important issue. I am looking forward to the day when ALL retailers go green!
A nice big step for them, and for all of us. I was talking with an HD store supervisor who’s been involved in the US rollout of Eco Options. He explained that they plan to put the eco-products at eye-level on shelves which is where all manufacturers want to be. So if vendors want that prime placement, they’ll need to get on board. Very nice.