Today, Illinois’ biggest electric utility will begin installing digital “smart meters” in Chicago’s western suburbs, launching an ambitious plan to give 4 million customers new meters by 2021. These new meters, built in a plant on the city’s South side, are a symbol of high-tech upgrades, collectively called the “smart grid,”…...
Big winners in CUB Energy Saver/Presence Health competition
Maria Cossiocazares and her employer, Presence Holy Family Medical Center of Des Plaines, were big winners in a CUB Energy Saver contest involving 10 Presence Health hospitals. Presence Holy Family Medical Center beat out nine other hospitals in a competition to see which could recruit the most people to use…...
Tele-frustrating! Illinois tops nation in telemarketing complaints
A decade after the federal government created the Do Not Call list to combat telemarketing calls, Illinois has the nation’s worst complaint rate for people who are on the list but still get annoying phone pitches, USA Today reports. Tuesday’s report was just the latest development this week in Illinois’…...
Local Phone Cost-cutter analyzes 50,000th bill!
CUB is celebrating a milestone this week: Our free online service, the Local Phone Cost-Cutter, just analyzed its 50,000th phone bill. That means the tool has shown Illinois consumers how to cut their AT&T local phone bills by $9.9 million per year—definitely a reason to celebrate! The Local Phone Cost-Cutter, created…...
The Top 10 Best “Energy Songs” Ever
CUB just wrapped up a month-long contest asking consumers to submit and vote for the best energy-related song of all time. Although Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue” ran away with it, there were dozens of great entries. Here are our top ten: [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_BRv9wGf5pk] 1. Snap – I’ve Got The Power. An important reminder that…...
And the award for best energy song goes to…
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vtPk5IUbdH0] Electric Avenue, the 1982 hit by reggae artist Eddy Grant, has been voted the best energy song of all time by Illinois consumers. CUB’s month-long contest asked music-lovers and energy nerds alike to submit their favorite energy-themed song on Facebook for a chance to win a month of free…...
