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South suburban mom scores smart thermostat

20160807_thermostatwinner_fbSaving energy and money have always been top priorities for Anam El-Jabli and her family. But the purchase of a new air conditioner last year made it hard for them to afford other appliances.

Then the stay-at-home mom read about CUB’s Smart Thermostat Giveaway in the group’s weekly e-newsletter.

“I’m an active follower of CUB’s emails and take action regularly,” Anam said. “That includes signing petitions to state regulators, and participating in polls and giveaways.”

For Anam, the giveaway served as a chance to score a high-tech thermostat—which would allow her to remotely control her home’s temperature from a smartphone or tablet.

She knew it was an opportunity she just couldn’t pass up, especially since entry into the drawing was quick and simple. All she had to do was answer a quick poll asking if she owned a smart thermostat.

Anam didn’t own one—until now.

The Alsip mom beat out 1,600 Illinois consumers to take home the ecobee3—a device that can “learn” her family’s behavior over time to optimize comfort and generate savings. It could save her up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

“The giveaway came just at the right time,” Anam said. “This will be the first smart device we’ve ever owned, and we couldn’t be more excited to win.”

Besides being an avid CUB supporter, Anam advocates for environmental and human rights issues in her community. That gives her even greater respect for the work CUB does for Illinois consumers.

“I really appreciate that [CUB] champions for utility consumers,” Anam said. “We need more people to get involved and learn about our rights.”