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Top energy myths, debunked

Looking to save money on your energy bill? Don’t believe everything you hear. CUB debunked some of the top myths when it comes to cutting your power bill: You should leave your appliances on when you’re not home so they won’t have to work as hard when you return. Although…...

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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…...

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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…...

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A great opportunity to cut your utility bills

Good news for Nicor and ComEd customers–through the end of August, you can get a home energy audit for just $49! The home energy assessments, which normally cost $99 through the joint Nicor/ComEd Home Energy Savings program, provide services which could cost up to $500 elsewhere. The program provides an…...

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Where does your electricity come from?

When you flip on a ceiling fan or hit the power button on your TV remote, do you have ANY idea where that energy comes from? On any given day, it’s impossible to know exactly what power source—coal, nuclear, wind, etc.—is generating the electrons flowing into your home. But you…...

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Don’t put it in a drawer! What to do with your old cellphone

                          It turns out you aren’t the only one with an old cellphone—or cellphones—sitting in a drawer somewhere. According to the EPA, only 10 percent of cellphones are recycled or reused today. We asked our Facebook fans for suggestions on what…...

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We’ve got a winner!

After some seriously good entries from fans of CUB, Douglas of Park Forest was chosen as the winner of our cartoon caption contest. Douglas was chosen randomly out of about 100 people who entered the contest. His caption — “I know it’s inconvenient, honey, but look at what we save in…...

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Should ceiling fan efficiency standards be strengthened?

There’s a new battle brewing in Washington, and the target may be hanging in your living room. The House of Representatives last month voted to withhold money from the Department of Energy that the agency would use to consider updated efficiency standards for ceiling fans. Originally enacted by Congress in…...

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She saves big with a CUB-created Consumer’s Choice plan

One of the major consumer victories of the year was defeating AT&T when the phone giant tried to get rid of the CUB-created Consumer’s Choice plans–low-cost local calling plans it is required by law to offer. CUB has proven time and time again that these plans are necessary for consumers–consumers like Myrna Orenstein,…...

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Crain’s Chicago Business: ComEd fell below outage standard in 2012

CUB’s eager to see ComEd launch “smart grid” improvements that benefit consumers, but the latest headlines show that tackling Illinois’ power grid problems won’t be easy. In 2011, the General Assembly allowed ComEd to increase its delivery rates over the next decade to pay for $2.6 billion in “smart grid” improvements to the…...

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