**SEE PRESS EVENT DETAILS APPENDED BELOW--NOTE MOVE TO RAIN LOCATION**
EMBARGOED UNTIL: 2:30 P.M. EDT, April 22, 2008
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.679.7570 (m)
Sierra Club, Congressman Baird to
Unveil “Buy Green to Save Green” Campaign
Washington, D.C.—The Sierra Club will join Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) today for the national launch of his Buy Green to Save Green campaign. The campaign calls on taxpayers to spend their economic stimulus checks on energy efficient products and services—something that will stimulate the economy, save consumers money on their energy bills, help fight global warming, and could double the financial benefit of their stimulus checks if spent on products such as home insulation that are already eligible for additional tax credits. The campaign also calls on retailers to offer promotions and other incentives to encourage consumers to participate in the campaign. Major retailers including Lowes, Home Depot, and Sears Holdings (Sears and KMart) have all endorsed the campaign. The House of Representatives will soon vote on Rep. Baird’s resolution (H.Res. 987) endorsing the campaign. With over 107 co-sponsors, the resolution already enjoys widespread bipartisan support.
Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director
“This Earth Day the Sierra Club is telling people ‘We can do it!’ The Buy Green to Save Green campaign shows that when it comes to the economy and the environment, we can have our cake and eat it too. The burgeoning clean energy economy can help put our country back on the path to prosperity, help protect consumers from skyrocketing energy costs, and fight global warming.
“By spending their stimulus checks on energy efficient products, consumers can help put our economy back on track, help the environment, help save themselves money on their energy bills, and help bring the clean energy future to life.
“We are also very pleased that major national retailers have joined us in endorsing this campaign. It just goes to show that doing right by the environment is a winning business strategy.”
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Press Event Details:
WHEN:
TODAY, April 22 (Earth Day), 2:30 p.m.
WHERE:2318 Rayburn House Office Building
WHO:
Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA)Carl Pope, Executive Director, Sierra Club
Terry Johnson, Regional Vice President of Operations, Lowes
Sears Holdings Corp. Representative
Heather Kennedy, Home Depot
Ryan Colker, Gov't Affairs, ASHRAE
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