Home Depot might give away CFLs once in a while, but its purported eco-label, "Eco Options," doesn't mean shit. As the New York Times points out:

Plastic-handled paint brushes were touted as nature-friendly because they were not made of wood. Wood-handled paint brushes were promoted as better for the planet because they were not made of plastic.

This is really taking eco-labelling down to new lows.

I'm all for the beg-n-borrow method when it comes to home improvement stuff -- I mean, how often does one really use a paint brush? You'll often find your neighbors are more than happy to lend you their rarely-used tools -- and by asking, you might make a new friend :)

If that fails, try Freecycle or Craigslist before hitting Home Depot.

And if you find yourself at that chain, know that you're smarter than this monolith! Evaluate your purchases with a more discerning eye than Home Depot's extremely loose definition of eco-friendliness, and go home green happy.

[image from Home Depot]

BlogHer Contributing Editor Siel also blogs at greenLAgirl.com.