The winter heating season is upon us, but while natural gas prices are up from last month, many utilities are charging less than they did last October. Still, there’s bad news from one of the state’s biggest utilities: Crain’s Chicago Business reports that winter bills for Peoples Gas, which serves…...
What is environmental racism?
Environmental racism is a term that was first coined in 1982 by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Chavis Jr., a Black civil rights leader. It refers to environmental injustices that harm communities of color. Everyone deserves equal access to clean air, water and safe neighborhoods, but not everyone is given this guarantee.…...
New Power Prices for Ameren, ComEd Customers
As of October 1, ComEd and Ameren are updating their electricity supply prices to reflect non-summer pricing. According to the companies, these are the new Ameren and ComEd prices through May 2021: Ameren (for people living in Ameren’s geographic service territory) Usage of 0 to 800 kilowatt-hours (kWh): 4.542 cents per kWh*…...
Good news: Moratorium on shut-offs extended through March 31, 2021
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has announced that the state’s major utilities that have agreed to extend their moratorium on shut-offs through March 31, 2021. Remember, while the moratorium on shut-offs has been extended for many customers, the moratorium on late fees has ended. It’s important that you contact your…...
CUB services helping consumers cut their utility bills $26/month
CUB services have saved participants an average of about $26 a month on their utility bills, according to a staff review. COVID-19 may have brought CUB’s in-person events to a halt, but that hasn’t stopped CUB’s outreach team from working hard to serve consumers through online events and services. Along…...
Robocalls spread false information to discourage voting by mail
In an effort to keep voters safe for the upcoming presidential election due to COVID-19, Illinois expanded voting by mail. However, some people have reported receiving fraudulent robocalls in an effort to discourage mail-in voting, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. These automated robocalls are spreading false information that…...
Tell Washington: Affordable Internet for All
As you read this, an estimated 20-40 million people in the United States don’t have access to high-speed internet. Amid a global pandemic, that means children blocked from e-learning and seniors cut off from online medical appointments. “The digital divide is now a matter of life and death…” the U.N.…...
