Costco Connection - July 2008

Zodiaq are Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified^® for low VOC emissions. Made in the U.S., Corian is also 100 percent renewable. The brand’s new and extremely attractive Terra Collection has been certified by Scientific Certification Systems to contain pre-consumer recycled content.

Depending on the project and the area of the country, these countertops may contribute to credits in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainable construction rating system.

Chris says, “Costco has an excellent value story on our installed DuPont and granite countertop surfaces. The process is simple for our members. A call to our toll-free number,

1-877-483-6226, will allow them to check availability and schedule a free in-home consultation where a consultant will help them select a surface material that works best for their space and budget. Right now is a great time to call, as we’re running a promotion during the month of August, offering members added value on qualifying purchases.”

Chris adds, “In addition to the excellent value of purchasing through the Special Order kiosk, many local and state governments and even utility companies offer rebates and tax incentives for buying eco-friendly products. A good place to learn more is at www.energystar.gov.”

and air-conditioning systems save energy and money and keep the indoor air quality healthy. Many models are Energy Star qualified, which is particularly promising, as the Environmental Protection Agency announced in 2005 that if just one in 10 households installed Energy Star heating and cooling products more than 17 billion pounds of pollution could be kept out of the air.

Schrock^® Cabinetry. Schrock is part of the MasterBrand family (the second-largest cabinet manufacturer in North America) and has become certified in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association Environmental Stewardship Program by choosing woods from certified sustainably managed forests and using low-emission coatings.

LeafGuard^®gutters. This one-piece, seamless, covered gutter system is built to stay clog-free from leaves and debris and is manufactured in the U.S. from at least 90 percent recycled aluminum. All old gutters removed from members’ homes are recycled too. I’m pleased with LeafGuard’s unique rain collection system, which saves precious water and money by efficiently harvesting rainwater for yard use.

Hunter Douglas^® window fashions. Window treatments act as insulation, which in turn helps save money on utility bills and conserve natural resources. Hunter Douglas, the largest window-covering company in North America, already offers the super-energy-efficient Duette^® honeycomb shades. For potentially greater energy savings, consider the company’s new motorized window coverings that help manage hard-to-reach windows.

Kermit was wrong. With these programs,

i t i s easy being (and saving) green! C

Special Order

kiosks offer

a variety of

customized

home-

improvement

programs.

Special Order kiosks can help outfit your home from inside, with a wide variety of floor coverings, to outside, with everything from windows to gutters.

Eco-friendly extras

Kiosk brands and programs can vary across the country. Here are some additional eco-friendly brands and products that may be available at a warehouse kiosk near you.

Pella^® windows and doors. This 83-year-

old company based in Pel la, Iowa, earned the U.S. Department of Ene rgy’s Energy Star® Partner of the Year awar d for leadership in manufacturing energy-ef ficient windows in 2007 and 2008. In additi on to crafting gorgeous windows and d oors that help reduce heating and coo ling costs,

Pella gives preference to suppliers who practice respo nsible harvesting and replenish ment of forest resources. Abo ut 60 percent of Pella’s woodsupply supply comes from forests that have been third-party certified as su stainable by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative

(SFI) or the Forest Stewar dship Council. Another 20 pe rcent comes from suppliers that operate according to SFI stand ards.

Lennox^® home comf ort systems. Lennox heating, ve ntilation

Costco vs. the competition

WE COMPARED PRICES on granite, Corian^® and Zodiaq countertops at

Costco and three retail stores. Retailers A and B are national home-improve-
ment chains; retailer C is a specialty kitchen and bath dealer. The percent-
ages indicate the average savings at Costco over each retailer.