As the retail landscape becomes more competitive, the idea of conserving energy and resources becomes more important—not only to gain customers' trust but also to improve the bottom line.
Tracy Mullin, President and CEO, National Retail Federation

Regardless of how you feel personally about global warming, an increasing percentage of consumers are reacting positively to companies that market their environmental friendliness.

Speakers at NRF's 97th Annual Convention and EXPO, January 13-16 in New York City, will teach retailers how to Dream Big and Dream Green. The "green" focused sessions will give retailers the opportunity to listen to retail leaders of the green movement to learn of environmentally-friendly business solutions and how conservation can contribute to the bottom line. NRF will welcome a variety of speakers from well-known retailers including Best Buy, Kohl's, L.L. Bean, Inc., and REI to discuss this topic.

"A handful of retail pioneers are paving the way for the industry by sharing their innovative and successful tactics and methods on what it means to go green," said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. "As the retail landscape becomes more competitive, the idea of conserving energy and resources becomes more important—not only to gain customers' trust but also to improve the bottom line.'

One of the main highlights of the show will be a presentation from Wal-Mart's Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, Leslie Dach. Dach will discuss how Wal-Mart has incorporated environmental sustainability into all aspects of its business culture.

Featured green-themed sessions include:

Environmental Sustainability at Wal-Mart
Tuesday, January 15, 3:30PM – 4:30PM
Guests will hear all about Wal-Mart's green efforts and how they leveraged their size and position in the marketplace and their relationship with vendors to drive change in the entire industry while still keeping its core goal in mind to save people money so they can live better.
Speaker: Leslie Dach, Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, Wal-Mart

Sustainable Retailing: An Industry Overview and Case Study
Sunday, January 13, 12:00PM - 1:30PM
This session will give attendees a compelling overview of sustainable retailing efforts across the industry. Learn how retailers can impact the environment and how educating customers is a critical piece in solving environmental issues.
Speakers: James Dionco, President, Dionco, Inc.; Michael Abt, Director of Operations, Abt Electronics & Appliances

Creating the "Green": Protecting the Environment and Your Bottom Line
Monday, January 14, 1:45PM - 3:15PM
Retailers face growing consumer concerns about climate issues, including concerns about carbon efficiency of their facilities, impact on the community and overall protection of the environment. In this interactive discussion session, attendees will hear from Best Buy and REI about the nature, cost and benefit of their efforts; the City of Chicago about their leading efforts on climate change and how retailers can align with them; and the leading US authority on environmentally responsible facilities design and construction.
Speakers: Brenda Mathison, Director of Environmental Affairs, Best Buy Properties; Justin Doak, Manager, LEED Retail Sector, U.S. Green Building Council; Kevin Hagen, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI); Suzanne Malec-McKenna, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Environment

Kohl's Smart Water Management Initiative: Looking Outside for "Green" Savings
Monday, January 14, 2:30PM - 3:15PM
Faced with rising water rates, Kohl's decided to gain control over outdoor water use. Not only are most landscapes overwatered by 30-300%, but wasted water leads to expensive property destruction, liabilities and runoff pollution. Learn how Kohl's earns LEED points, enhances property value and reduces costs all while saving billions of gallons of water. And because saving water saves energy, Kohl's is saving public utilities millions of kWh of power.
Speaker: June Fischer, Manager Environmental Strategies, Kohl's

The Cost of Green Lighting
Tuesday, January 15, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
Guests will learn the importance of energy efficient lighting as energy costs skyrocket and green design becomes a high priority of today's consumers. This presentation will cover the fundamentals of green lighting and will include a brief discussion of current energy codes including EPACT 2005 and describe how this can impact design.
Speaker: Melissa Hertel, Sr. Education Manager of Energy and Sustainability, Lightolier

A Greener L.L.Bean
Tuesday, January 15, 2:45PM - 3:30PM
A leader in catalog and internet retailing and one of the most iconic flagship stores in the United States, L.L. Bean is embarking on an expansion of its outdoor lifestyle store. The design embodies L.L. Bean's values and commitment to the environment. Attendees will get a first hand look at the new store prototype.
Speakers: Joseph Nevin, Jr., ISP, Senior Principal, Bergmeyer Associates, Inc.; Ken Kacere, SVP, Retail Stores, L.L. Bean, Inc.