Plainfield Announces New Program To Save Money and Conserve Energy

Plainfield has launched an energy-saving initiative on CUBenergysaver.com, the nation’s first online service to offer members rewards for cutting their electric bills.

“I love a program that all our residents can embrace,” said Mayor Mike Collins.  “Who doesn’t want to cut their utility bills?  With CUB Energy Saver, our residents have a free and easy way to track their energy usage, save money, and cash in rewards at local businesses.”

CUB Energy Saver, created in June 2010, has already saved its 162 Plainfield members $11,892.  The Plainfield residents who have used CUB Energy Saver to monitor their electric use saved a combined 106,556 kilowatt-hours of electricity — enough to power more than 10 average Illinois homes for a year.

The savings are actual, not estimates, because CUB Energy Saver links to residents’ ComEd bills.  Just as Netflix gives people personalized movie recommendations, CUB Energy Saver suggests hundreds of money-saving actions that are personalized for their homes.  The free service then rewards residents with two points for every kilowatt-hour of electricity saved.  Those points can be redeemed for discounts at local and national stores.

Participants can get rewards from national brands such as Sears, Foot Locker and neighborhood retailers such as The Perfect Invitation and Pixie Pizazzi. 

Any local business can offer a discount or gift card as a rewards partner to help motivate the community to save energy and shop locally.  Business owners interested in getting involved can learn more at CUBenergysaver.com/RewardPartners.

All ComEd customers can sign up to save energy and earn rewards at CUBenergysaver.com.  For more about CUB Energy Saver and the Village’s commitment to environmental responsibility, visit www.plainfield-il.org.

About Plainfield’s Sustainability Programs

CUB’s Energy Saver program is an addition to Plainfield’s current sustainability activities as encompassed by the Green Village Initiative.  CUB’s energy conservation program also complements the Village’s ongoing water conservation efforts, including the annual rain barrel sales program and the promotion of native landscaping, as well as Plainfield’s commitment to sustainability as evidenced by the Green Village Lecture Series partnership with the Plainfield Public Library, which is now in its fifth year.

About CUB

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 helped save consumers more than $10 billion by blocking rate hikes and securing refunds. 

For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.  CUB Energy Saver is the result of a partnership between CUB and the New York City-based company, Efficiency 2.0.

The Village of Plainfield sent the above information to Patch in a press release this week.