HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Sept. 21 // PRNewswire // -- As part of Sears' ongoing commitment to offering appliances that combine conservation and innovation, the company continues its industry leadership role by becoming the premier sponsor of the 10th Annual ENERGY STAR Appliance Partner Meeting. At the meeting, held September 21-23 in Chicago, Sears and the Department of Energy are partnering with appliance manufacturers, government contractors and state and federal government officials to help foster collaboration across all ENERGY STAR programs and communicate the benefits of energy-efficient appliances to consumers. Attendees will learn details of how the U.S. government's $300 million in rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified appliances will be administered in each state later this year.
"Sears understands the importance of environmental sustainability, which is why we're dedicated to providing new ways for our shoppers to lead greener lives," said Doug Moore, President of home appliances for Sears. "As the nation's leading Energy-Star and appliance retailer, Sears has years of experience in making it easy for our customers to take advantage of the existing rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, offered by local utility companies. This DOE meeting is important because it will provide more details about how consumers in every state can access the additional $300 million in rebates that will become available later this year."
In March 2009, the U.S. government announced it will make available $300 million in additional appliance rebates to supplement consumer purchases of ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. While the appliance rebate program is not expected to roll-out until later this year, the Sears Appliance Rebate Center and Blue Appliance Crew can help consumers find rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified appliances that exist on a state-by-state basis today. Millions of dollars in rebates are currently available for energy-efficient appliances that will only be enhanced by the $300 million appliance stimulus package.
"As an established leader in environmental responsibility and ENERGY STAR awareness, Sears Blue Appliance Crew makes it easier for customers to cash in and save big on energy-efficient appliances," says Kevin Brown, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of home appliances for Sears. "We're taking our existing rebate program to the next level. As the stimulus package rebates become available state by state, Sears is ready to leverage our national footprint of stores and the Sears Appliance Rebate Center to help customers identify the rebates available in their states. Sears Blue Appliance Crew helps take the hassle out of rebates for customers by finding and submitting them before customers leave the store."
By making it easier for customers to access appliance rebates, the Sears Blue Appliance Crew aims to pass along the savings attributed to ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, which incorporate advanced technologies that require 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models. In fact, the ENERGY STAR qualified Kenmore Elite HE5t saves 77 percent water and 81 percent energy*.
In addition to making the rebate process hassle-free, the Sears Blue Appliance Crew helps facilitate the disposal of select appliances. Sears has voluntarily partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to offer a Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program. Sears' RAD program, certified by the EPA, promotes environmentally responsible disposal of household appliances and significantly reduces emissions of ozone depleting substances and greenhouse gases. The partnership will result in the proper disposal of more than one million residential appliances such as refrigerators and freezers per year. To date, the program has resulted in the avoidance of the release of more than 600,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents into the air. That equates to preventing the greenhouse gas emissions from more than 183,000 cars a year.
To learn more about Sears' online and in-store Appliance Research Centers, the online ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder and how the Sears Blue Appliance Crew can help, please visit Sears.com/energystar.
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has Martha Stewart Everyday products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at http://www.searsholdings.com.
Sears is the nation's leading appliance retailer with the largest selection - over 4400 models. Only Sears sells the top 10 brands, including Kenmore, the nation's leading appliance brand. Sears always beats the competition's price, guaranteed, up to 30 days. Sears offers worry-free 1-year service, guaranteed and free help and support on all brands serviced by Sears 24/7 by phone. Sears provides next day delivery on over 1600 models - that's five times more than any national competitor. In March 2009, Sears launched the online ENERGY STAR Rebate Center - a program to help educate Americans about the millions of dollars in rebates that are available for ENERGY STAR-rated products and make it faster to receive these rebates. Sears has demonstrated its commitment to increasing America's energy efficiency through its actions over more than 10 years.
Sears sells more ENERGY STAR-rated appliances than any other retailer. In fact, in 2008, Sears was the first retailer to sell more than 3.1 million ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances from the nation's top brands, including Kenmore, the nation's leading appliance brand. In 2008 alone, Kenmore ENERGY STAR-rated appliances helped save America nearly 700 million Kilowatt hours, over four billion gallons of water, and over $100 million dollars.
*Kenmore Elite HE5t Steam Washer compared to a conventional washer manufactured before 2004, using the normal cycle, based on $175 per year total savings, over 11 year life expectancy.
SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation
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