Walmart helps Canadians keep their expenses from skyrocketing as temperatures
rise

Company gives customers money-saving tips, unbeatable prices to help stay cool this summer

MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 2 /CNW/ - Temperatures are rising across the country but Canadians can keep cool without heating up their expenses with Walmart Canada's energy-saving tips, everyday low prices and Rollback price reductions on a variety of ENERGY STAR(R) dehumidifiers and air conditioners.

The need to buy and operate cooling units can make hot summer months expensive. As much as 50 per cent of Canadians' summer home electricity costs are the result of air conditioning.

Air conditioners can also put an enormous strain on power supplies and help create air pollution.(1) ENERGY STAR qualified products use less energy, can help save money and protect the environment.

"Walmart is focused on helping customers stay cool and save money this summer," said Derek Rau, vice president and GMM of hardlines and seasonal for Walmart Canada. "With unbeatable prices on energy-saving dehumidifiers and air conditioners we're giving Canadians an opportunity to double their savings and help the planet too."

Rau offers the following energy-saving tips to help Canadians keep their energy costs in check this summer and do their part for the environment:

Ventilate when it's cool

Open windows at night when it's cooler outside and give the air conditioner a break. In the morning, close the windows tight and trap the cool air inside.

Keep the heat out

Keep window curtains and blinds closed during the day to help keep the heat out. Don't forget to close your fireplace damper in the summer to prevent cool air from escaping. It's like having a window open.

Plan some chores for the evening

When possible, delay heat-producing and "wet" household activities until the evening when temperatures are generally cooler, like dish-washing, using the stove, dryer or washing clothes. When you're not operating an air conditioning unit, use a dehumidifier to take humidity out of the air, making the air feel cooler.

Install compact fluorescent lights

Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), especially in light fixtures you use the most. CFLs use two-thirds less energy that traditional bulbs and produce 75 per cent less heat.(2)

Upgrade your air conditioner or dehumidifierConsider replacing old and inefficient units with ENERGY STAR models. Replacing an air conditioning unit with an ENERGY STAR certified one can cut home cooling expenses by as much as 30 per cent(3).

For customers looking to upgrade their air conditioners or dehumidifiers, Walmart Canada has everyday low prices and Rollback price reductions on the following ENERGY STAR qualified units:

    
    Air Conditioners
    ----------------
    

Danby, 5,200 BTU Window AC, $119

Danby, 6,000 BTU Window AC, $167

Danby, 8,000 BTU Window AC, $228

Danby,10,000 BTU Window AC, $299

    
    Dehumidifiers
    -------------
    

Danby, 25-Pint dehumidifier, $169

Danby, 40-Pint dehumidifier, $197

Danby, 60-Pint dehumidifier, $289

"Customers continue to look to Walmart to help them save money," added Rau. "This summer, we're aiming to help them live better and more comfortably too."

Walmart Canada carries ENERGY STAR qualified products across its stores, from laptops and televisions to CFLs and battery chargers.

Note to Toronto journalists:

Walmart Canada has partnered with Toronto Hydro for their Great Exchange program, which runs on June 5/6, 12/13 and 19/20, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. On these dates, customers who visit a Walmart Canada store in the City of Toronto will receive a $25 Walmart gift card when they bring in an old air conditioner and a $10 Walmart gift card when they bring in an old dehumidifier, courtesy of Toronto Hydro. Customers can also receive five ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs when they exchange five incandescent light bulbs. For more information, please visit: www.torontohydro.com/exchange

About Walmart Canada

Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Walmart Canada operates 317 retail outlets nationwide and serves more than one million customers daily. The company's vision is to demonstrate environmental leadership by reducing the ecological impact of its operations through company-wide programs focused on waste, energy and products, as well as outreach programs that preserve and enhance local environments. Walmart's global goal is to generate zero waste, to be powered 100 per cent by renewable energy and to sell products that sustain people and the environment.

    
    --------------------------------
    (1) Ministry of the Environment
        http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/myenvironment/home/ac.php
    (2) ENERGY STAR
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=LB
    (3) Natural Resources Canada
       
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/Publications/equipment/roomaircond-2006/advantages.cfm?attr=4
    

For further information: Karin Campbell, manager of corporate affairs, Walmart Canada, [phone] x4042