When focusing on creating an environmentally friendly garden or backyard retreat, you’ll probably use organic and native plants, natural fertilizers and weed treatments and the like. However, I encourage you to go a step further and look for eco-friendly yard tools and equipment. One of the easiest ways to lessen your equipment’s impact on the environment is to switch from gasoline-powered equipment to human-powered, battery-operated or electrical equipment. If you have a lawn, skip the gas-powered lawnmower and either get an old-fashioned push mower or search for an electrical option. If you have a large lawn, the electric-power mower is the most convenient option, and you will only need a long extension cord to make it work. The same recommendation holds true for other yard tools, including leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and the like. Do you water your plants with a hose? Look for a product that is partially made with recycled content. One example is the GatorHyde Drinking Water Garden Hose. The hose is made from 50% recycled polyurethane and is nickel plated, so it is safe to drink from. I know that when I was a kid I’d always take a swig from the garden hose not realizing that the hose contained PVC, which can leach lead into the water. Oops! The GatorHyde eliminates the lead threat. Let’s move on to garden tools. Outdoor giant Garant has an entire Enviro line dedicated to earth-friendly garden tools. The Garant Enviro shovel features a blade made of 20% recycled steel, coated with 75% recycled paint and an FSC-certified handle. The blades of the leaf rake are made of 25% recycled poly with a recuperated wood handle. Now, when planning your dream green garden, think beyond the living products that go into the garden and challenge yourself to create and maintain the space with eco-friendly products. A number of green solutions await you!