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energy efficiency

Take CUB’s quick poll for a chance to win a smart thermostat!

By Sagar Dommaraju Take CUB’s quick poll and you could be randomly selected to win a free smart thermostat, valued at up to $250. CUB will pick a winner at midnight Sunday, July 31. If you take the poll, we’ll also send you information on smart thermostat rebates (up to…...

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Give yourself (and your power bill) a relaxing Fourth of July

By Sagar Dommaraju What better holiday than Independence Day to free yourself from high electricity costs. Follow these tips for the perfect Fourth of July weekend. First, take a holiday from the daily bustle and leave your electronics—computers, TVs, phones, printers—alone for the weekend. Make sure to unplug them completely…...

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Lessons from my summers in India: Staying cool without breaking the bank

By: Sagar Dommaraju Illinois summers are hot—but they’re nothing compared to the ones I experience when I visit relatives in southern India. Temperatures there easily top 100 degrees, cooling rains rarely fall, and—if you live in a rural village—air conditioning is unavailable at certain peak electricity times. But those stifling…...

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Folks, we have a winner…

Cue the drum roll: We’re pleased to announce that Donna H. is the lucky winner of CUB’s “Biggest Energy Hog” summer quick poll! The Chicago-resident beat out more than 2,350 other hopefuls to snag CUB’s top prize—$100 off her power bill and two super-efficient light bulbs. Her name was randomly…...

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Free energy-saving products!

Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas and ComEd have all partnered to bring homeowners free and discounted energy-saving products to reduce their home’s energy and water use. Participants will receive a free personalized home energy assessment along with the installation of discounted energy-saving products: Programmable thermostat WaterSense® certified showerheads Pipe insulation Smart…...

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TV station helps consumer get $150 efficiency rebate

Kudos to NBC 5 investigative reporter Chris Coffey for helping a Chicago resident get a $150 rebate Coffey told the story of Jon Marinas, who owns a West Loop condo and says local utilities have made the rebate application a confusing process. Marinas wants to reduce his carbon footprint, and…...

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He won six months of free power!

By: Laura Goldberg This past year, the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with CUB, challenged students, faculty, and staff to compete against one another in a year-long energy savings competition. Interested UIC participants were prompted to sign up for CUB Energy Saver, our free online energy efficiency…...

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Winners of CUB’s giveaway take home smart thermostats

Congratulations to Thomas, of Walnut, and Richard, of Mount Prospect, on winning CUB’s smart thermostat giveaway. The two lucky winners beat out more than 2,000 other participants to take home the free, money-saving devices valued at about $250. For Thomas, who is in the process of moving to Putnam, winning the smart thermostat means he can…...

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Get ready for summer with this money-saving checklist

Use this simple checklist to get your home ready for summer: 1) Dust off the grill: Grills keep heat out of the kitchen, meaning air conditioners don’t have to work harder to cool it off. 2) Schedule a check-up: An HVAC technician should check your heating and cooling equipment. Should…...

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Supreme Court decision big win for all electricity customers

On Monday regulators and consumer advocates won a major victory against big power generators at the U.S. Supreme Court—and that’s good news for anyone who pays a power bill. In simple terms, the case (FERC v. Electric Power Supply Assocaition) was an argument over whether the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission…...

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