The company's full-time research team tests an item's potential for energy savings and toxicity, comparing them to established products on shelves at stores nationwide, he said.
Once the "greenest" items are identified, they get an official seal of approval — the seal is green, too — and Planit Hardware recommends the product to partner stores like Virgil's, Reilly said.
The analysis is designed to make it easier for store managers and, in turn, consumers to pick an environmentally friendly product without having to school themselves on what makes one item greener than the next, he said.
"I think if it takes too much effort people are turned off, so the easier we can make it for people to find healthier options for their environment, the better for everyone," Reilly said.
And without the help of Planit Hardware, Virgil's employees might be spending a lot more man-hours hunting down the best new products, Becerra said.
"If you only knew how many items are on the market right now, it's crazy and to have them to say 'here's what we're thinking,' it's great," she said.
Products recommended by Planit Hardware — marked by a "greener choice" sticker — are grouped together in a single display in the store for better recognition, but they're also dispersed among traditional products in the aisles, said Justin Myers, who heads Virgil's electrical department.
"We try and put the options next to each other so you can compare price point, hours and everything there," he said, adding that, for example, time-tested incandescent bulbs are now neighbored on the shelves by longer-lasting, albeit more expensive, fluorescent bulbs.
