Sales Boost Expected for Energy-Efficient Products
What’s the perfect holiday gift for the loved one who has everything? Try five compact fluorescent light bulbs. With energy prices expected to balloon this winter, experts are predicting increased sales of energy-efficient consumer products in the U.S. over the coming months. Home Depot recently published a catalog showcasing efficient goods: “We’ve planned for a rush to these types of products this winter,” said Craig Menear, the retail giant’s senior vice president for merchandising. Sales of compact fluorescent light bulbs, for example, are growing fast — though not fast enough. If every American homeowner installed the efficient bulbs in their five most used lighting fixtures, the U.S. would conserve 800 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity — equivalent to shutting down 21 power plants — and would cut emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases by a trillion pounds.