In today's world, most people are looking for ways to go green. Ace Hardware, with the help of Ace's "Helpful Hardware Man", Lou Manfredini, has developed the following tips to help people make home improvement choices that not only benefit their home, but also the environment. Making small, inexpensive changes, like the ones outlined below, can help save money and truly have an impact on the environment.

Greening Your Home:

1. Change a light: Replace your traditional light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use 75% less electricity than traditional bulbs and can last up to 6 years. If you change the 6 most used light bulbs in your home to CFLs, you can save up to $60 a year in electricity costs.

2. Compost: Collect table scraps and food waste to create a composting area in your yard. Compost piles lessen the amount of trash that enters landfills and you can use the compost as your own super fertilizer. Not having to buy chemical fertilizers will help you save money, and keep those chemicals from ending up in our waterways.

3. Green your Trash: Use biodegradable trash bags for waste. Regular plastic bags can take 100 years to decompose while "bio-bags" start to breakdown in landfills in just 30-60 days. When doing heavy-duty home projects make sure you recycle any materials that you can.

4. Shop Locally: Seek out local produce items and food. Shopping locally means fewer products need to be shipped long distances to reach store shelves. This means less fuel is used and fewer emissions are released. The produce tastes better, too!

5. Make Earth Friendly Purchases: With each purchase you make, even the everyday ones, try to think of the impact it will have on the globe. Many manufacturers now offer "green" products made from less harmful and natural ingredients. When shopping at Ace Hardware stores nationwide, look for our "Helpful Earth Choices" to guide you in the right direction.

6. Plant More of Everything: Plant trees, flowers, bushes, and even your own fruits and vegetables. These plants will beautify your home and add value to the earth by absorbing carbon dioxide.

7. Color Your Walls "Green": Use low VOC paints for interior painting to reduce the impact on both indoor and outdoor air quality.

8. Be an Energy Star: When it's time to buy new appliances, look for Energy Star rated units, which are the most efficient on the market.

9. Be an Efficient Energy Consumer: Service your heating and air conditioning system each year to ensure it is running at peak efficiency and safety. And consider installing a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature throughout the day, which can net you up to a 20% energy savings on the heating and cooling of your home.