TORONTO, Aug. 11 /CNW/ - With temperatures soaring, energy use rising and the second anniversary of the Blackout that affected 50 million people across North America quickly approaching, Retail Council of Canada is encouraging all small, mid- and large retailers to do their part by conserving energy to avoid blackouts and help the environment at the same time.

"By turning down the air conditioning, keeping exterior doors closed and shutting blinds to help reduce heat in the store, retailers can help the environment while also realizing significant cost savings on their energy bills," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada.

Retail Council of Canada suggests the following energy-friendly tips:

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Keep the cool air in by closing all exterior doors and windows to maintain the efficiency of air conditioning systems;

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Set store thermostats to no lower than 24 degrees Celsius or 75 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius is recommended);

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Turn off external lighting, such as billboards and neon signs, when appropriate;

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Turn off lights and air conditioning at night and;

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While making the interior of the store safe and attractive is a priority, retailers can look at ways to reduce internal lighting, such as display lights, back areas or office by using fluorescent, high-intensity discharge (HID) or halogen options.

"Retailers have two roles to play: one is to reduce their own energy consumption and the other is to make consumers aware of the need to reduce energy consumption," Brisebois says. "While the benefits to the environment are obvious, retailers can also increase customer satisfaction and loyalty by showing that their organization cares about energy efficiency and the environment. It's also important to remember that becoming energy efficient is not just a summer concern, but a year-round issue."

For additional tips on how to make your store an energy efficient operation throughout the year, check out RCC's Web site at www.retailcouncil.org.

Retail Council of Canada (www.retailcouncil.org) is the Voice of Retail. It is a not-for-profit association whose more than 9,000 members represent all retail formats, including national and regional department stores, mass merchants, specialty chains, independent stores and online merchants.