Circuit City, Dell Celebrate Earth Day With Promotions

By Colleen Bohen and Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 5/5/2008

RICHMOND, VA. — Circuit City and Dell launched separate conservation programs last month to mark the week-long observance of Earth Day.

The No. 2 CE chain unveiled a new Web resource at www.circuitycity.com/green to help consumers adopt "green" strategies. The micro site provides tools that allow consumers to research and shop for products that have earned the Energy Star designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The site also offers tips for recycling electronics and saving energy, and it spotlights Circuit City's new CE trade-in program, which allows consumers to turn in old electronics in exchange for Circuit City gift cards.

The retailer also released results from a new national survey it commissioned with Decision Analyst of Arlington, Texas, indicating high public interest in energy-efficient CE products. Indeed, 90 percent of the 8,000-plus respondents said energy efficiency is a somewhat or very important consideration in their decision-making process when shopping for CE, and is even a higher priority for women, with 47 percent calling it a "very important" factor, versus 34 percent of men.

Separately, Dell celebrated Earth Day by matching contributions to its "Plant a Tree for Me" carbon-offsetting program.

The company said it would match $2 and $6 contributions made by consumers who respectively purchase laptops and desktops, as well as those contributions made by small- and medium-business customers throughout April.

Dell said it gives 100 percent of the program's contributions to The Conservation Fund and Carbonfund.org, non-profit organizations that plant trees in sustainable-managed reforestation projects.

Dell also offered reduced pricing on the Inspiron 531 Energy Star desktop on Earth Day.