Summer weather is upon us. Heating and cooling costs account for 50 percent of a home’s energy bills, according to the Department of Energy. Stay safe, cool and energy efficient. Be safe. Raising your thermostat by a few degrees and using a ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs over…...
Weatherization assistance, solar tax credits included in COVID stimulus package
Many consumers across the U.S. should soon see $600 payments in their bank accounts, thanks to a $900 billion stimulus package passed by Congress. Although headlines focused on financial assistance, the federal legislation also encourages energy efficiency and extends an important benefit for people who want to go solar. The…...
IL power bills lowest in the Midwest (again)–but that advantage is threatened
For the seventh consecutive year, Illinois had the lowest average electricity bills in the Midwest, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). But nobody thinks power bills are low—there’s more work to do. That’s why CUB and other consumer/environmental advocates are pushing Illinois to pass the Clean Energy Jobs…...
Consumer, environmental advocates flood Springfield to support Clean Energy Jobs Act
By Hannah Finnerty, CUB communications coordinator It was still dark outside when 500 bleary-eyed consumer and environmental advocates from across the state packed onto buses and headed to Springfield. Hoping to meet with their legislators at the state capitol, they planned to urge their senators and representatives to pass the…...
CUB: Clean Energy Jobs Act would “protect our pocketbooks and the planet”
Saying Illinois urgently needs the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) “to protect our pocketbooks and the planet,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata testified before a Chicago City Council committee today in support of a resolution endorsing the legislation now before the General Assembly in Springfield. The Committee on Environmental Protection…...
Keep Fido happy without breaking the bank
Pet owners love their animals and will do anything to keep them safe and healthy. But even in extreme temperatures, you don’t have to choose between keeping your pet comfortable and minimizing your energy costs. Charlie Charlie’s human: Deputy Director Kristin Use a programmable or smart thermostat. Don’t be afraid…...
New EDF/CUB study shows potential of real-time pricing to cut power bills
Ninety-seven percent of a sample of Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) customers would have saved money in 2016—without changing their electricity use—had they participated in a “real-time pricing” program in which power prices change hourly, according to new research released today. In a broad, first-of-its-kind study, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Citizens…...
Tell the White House: Don’t be weak on efficiency
Last week, Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced that he was repealing the Clean Power Plan — regulations designed to reduce pollution from power plants. Here’s one particular reason why that’s bad news: The plan would have given energy efficiency a significant boost, and that…...
