City Kicks off Partnership with CubEnergy saver.com
Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl and Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director David Kolata officially kicked off a partnership August 9, 2010 announcing a new campaign to slash Evanston power bills using a new online service that has been showing families how to cut costs by an average of $200 a year.
As part of the campaign, CUB, Illinois’ premier consumer watchdog group, will donate to the City of Evanston 5 Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs for every resident who signs up for CUBenergysaver.com up to 10,000 Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. The City will in return give these bulbs out either through its Health Department or through its Evanston Porchlight Campaign. Additionally, CUB will mail each resident who signs up for the program a CFL.
“When CUB approached us about forming this partnership, we jumped at the chance because it fits in so nicely with the U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement that the city signed in 2006,” explained Mayor Tisdahl. “If Evanston aims to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels, we must have a large and diverse portfolio of ideas that harness the creativity and brain power of our residents and businesses. CubEnergySaver.com is one of those bright ideas.
CubEnergySaver.com is the nation's first free online service that gives households a plan to save hundreds of dollars a year, tracks savings by connecting to power bills, and actually rewards families with movie tickets, gift cards, museum passes, and other items for documented reductions in their electricity usage.
A pilot version of CUB Energy Saver has so far shown Illinois families how to cut their energy bills by an average of $200 a year by following recommendations the service has tailored to their households. Evanston residents who sign up for CUB Energy Saver will receive a free energy-efficient light bulb and will enter energy-saving competitions to win up to 50 bulbs and a month of free electricity.
CUB is Illinois’ leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has saved consumers more than $10 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB’s Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.
Upcoming Utility Bill Clinic to be Held at Levy Center Sept. 7
As part of the campaign, the City of Evanston has teamed up with CUB to host a free "Utility Bill Clinic" from 10 a.m. to noon, and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday Sept. 7 at the Levy Center, 300 Dodge Ave. People can bring in their electric, natural gas, and telephone bills and a CUB expert will give money-saving tips. CUB's phone advice has been showing consumers how to cut their bills by hundreds of dollars a year. People who bring their electric bills can also get help signing up for CUB Energy Saver.