We Caught You Doing Something Cool: Energy Efficient Home Saves Money, Cuts Carbon Footprint

If every home replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL, Americans would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, equivalent to the emissions of about 800,000 cars.“Green Your Home, Green Your Wallet: How an Energy Efficient Home Saves Money, Improves Comfort Levels and Cuts Your Carbon Footprint,” is a free seminar open to all residents interested in reducing their energy consumption and saving money. Sponsored by Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition, the event is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m., at the Elmhurst Public Library.From basic improvements such as changing a light bulb or programming your thermostat, to extensive remodeling upgrades, learn how to improve your home’s energy efficiency to ultimately save money and cut your carbon footprint.Nearly 70% of Elmhurst’s housing stock was built prior to 1970, before higher insulation standards became part of the building code. Elmhurst’s average annual energy consumption per household is significantly higher than both the county and the region. Additionally, over 80% of Elmhurst’s homes are single family homes – homes that are typically larger and use more electricity.Representatives from CUB Energy Saves and Energy Impact Illinois will provide insight on how to improve your home’s efficiency, making the right improvements quickly, effectively and economically. CUB’s Energy Saver program helps you earn rewards while reducing your utility bills. Energy Impact Illinois, along with local utility companies, provides rebates to help lower energy bills and make homes more comfortable. Energy Impact connects you with certified contractors to get the work done right.Citizens Utility Board, or CUB, is a non-profit, statewide utility watchdog organization created by the Illinois Legislature in 1983 to work for lower gas, electric and telephone rates. Their work has saved Illinois consumers more than $10 billion. CUB Energy Savers is a free, online tool that helps consumers develop customized, energy-savings plans for their homes. On average, participants reduce energy usage by 6 percent, saving an average of $100 a year. Sign up at www.CUBEnergySaver.com/team/EES.Energy Impact Illinois (EI2) encourages individuals to reduce energy consumption, and demonstrates how those cost savings can provide big, collective results. Through their partnership with NICOR Gas and ComEd, residents can schedule home energy audits for $99. Trained professionals will provide an analysis of your home’s energy use, as well as install low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and energy efficient CFLs that can help save money and reduce natural gas, water and electricity costs. Technicians will provide a proposal for weatherization improvements that qualify for incentives. For a limited time, homeowners can save 70% off or up to $1,750 on air sealing and insulation. For more information, visit Energyimpactillinois.org.“Green Your Home, Green Your Wallet” is the first in a series of energy efficiency programming sponsored by Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition. All Oct. 2 seminar attendees will receive a free CFL light bulb, compliments of CUB. We Caught You Doing Something Cool is a regular feature of Elmhurst’s Cool Cities Coalition. If you spot someone around town Doing Something Cool to impact the environment, contact Elmhurst Cool Cities at ecoolcities@gmail.com###Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition is a volunteer coalition of local institutions, organizations, business leaders and citizens working to achieve the goals of the Sierra Club Cool Cities campaign and the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. The Coalition encourages city residents and local leader to implement clean energy solutions that save money, create jobs, help curb global warming and to build a cleaner, healthier future. To participate or obtain more information, visit www.elmhurstcoolcities.org.