Consumer column: New website helps control energy costs

By David Kolata

Executive Director of Citizens Utility Board

At the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), we've always said that it pays to be energy efficient – and our new online service proves it.

CUB Energy Saver is the nation’s first free online tool to connect to actual electric bills and, yes, pay people through a rewards program for documented reductions in those bills. The first 10,000 Commonwealth Edison households that sign up will qualify to earn points (two for every kilowatt-hour they cut their power bill) that can be redeemed for free or discounted items at hundreds of local and national businesses. You get 100 points just for signing up!

For months, a pilot version of CUB Energy Saver has been showing Illinois families how to cut their energy usage by an average of 6 percent, for savings of roughly $200 a year. Now, with the rewards program, that 6 percent could mean another $130 in buying power.

CUB teamed up with two companies, Efficiency 2.0 and RecycleBank, to offer rewards as extra incentive to cut power bills. Points can be redeemed for thousands of items, including free movie tickets, magazine subscriptions, a buy-one-get-one-free deal at a national restaurant chain, or a free child’s admission to a museum.

Just follow the directions to sign up for CUB Energy Saver, connect to your ComEd account (to document actual cuts to your electric bill) and join the rewards program. Even if you don’t sign up for those rewards, you can still get rewarded by saving money, thanks to the tool’s hundreds of energy-saving actions.

CUB Energy Saver uses millions of pieces of publicly available data — including your zip code’s energy-usage data, weather predictions, and property records — to develop a personalized plan to cut your home’s energy costs. The plan becomes stronger the more information you give about your home and energy use — but all you need is your e-mail and home address to get started. Regardless of how much you tell CUB Energy Saver, all your data is completely private — and you control it.

Because not everyone’s last name is Trump, CUB Energy Saver recommends many no-cost actions, such as washing your clothes in cold water or turning off the coffeemaker. A low-cost plan may include buying Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. If you’re looking to make significant home improvements, CUB Energy Saver can tell you how much you’ll save by, for example, replacing your air conditioner with an efficient model.

Of course, not all actions will be right for you. That’s why you can edit your plan — adding new actions, removing old ones that don’t fit your lifestyle, or adjusting them so they do. Is CUB Energy Saver recommending that you wash larger loads of laundry? Tell it how big and how old your washer is. The tool will automatically adjust its estimates for how much money you could save and how many points you could earn.

Bottom line: Other online efficiency tools — with their vague estimates and generic tips — may be called "smart," but CUB Energy Saver is at the top of the class.

Join CUB Energy Saver now and get a free CFL. Plus, CUB will give up to 10,000 CFLs to the community with the largest percentage of energy saved in 2010.

Facing a tough economy, more and more Illinois families are turning to energy efficiency, which is about doing the same or more — but using less. What it’s NOT about is sacrifice. CUB Energy Saver is out to smash that myth, and save households lots of money — just in time for another expensive air conditioning season. Now that’s rewarding.

For money-saving advice and consumer tips, visit http://www.citizensutilityboard.org/!

Wynder's Hot Dogs opens in New Lenox

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

When Terry Johnson (above) scored the first hot dog for his daughter Kassee he never thought it would turn into a business let alone a restaurant.

Johnson says he got the idea of making slices in a hot dog before cooking it from his Mom, who used to fry bologna for him when he was a kid.

“Slicing the hot dog increases the surface cooking area and that allows for more carmelization of the hot dog’s juices,” Johnson says. “The same thing is what makes fried bologna so tasty.”

Johnson eventually created a gadget (that now comes in three sizes) that allows for even cuts on hot dogs and sausages.

“I got tired of trying to make the right cuts with a knife,” Johnson says. “So, I created the Wynder Spiral Hot Dog Cutter. We’ve been selling them online for two years.” http://www.wyndersspiralcuthotdogs.com/

A presentation Johnson made in January to potential investors led to his latest endeavor: restaurateur. Johnson opened his own eatery, Wynder's Spiral Cut Hot Dogs, a month ago at 1880 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox. It’s in the former Willie’s Wee-Nee Wagon and across the street from Lincoln-Way Central High School.

Business has been increasing at the restaurant since opened and Johnson says the idea for a spiral cut hot dog restaurant is catching on elsewhere.

“We’re looking at a franchise deal with a mall operator in south Florida who wants to open two prototype stores this summer,” says Johnson, 47, of Tinley Park. “And there s a group in San Antonio that also wants to open a chain of Wynder’s this year.”

Johnson himself is looking at expanding the concept. “We’re looking at locations in Joliet and Tinley Park.”

Johnson said the official grand opening and ribbon cutting for Wynder’s is at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 18.

Store hours are daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. though Johnson eventually hopes to be open later in the evening. The phone number is 815-462-1100.

Lightning Motors opens second location
Ron Ski has opened a second location for his Lightning Motors used car dealership at 410 Vine St. in New Lenox.

Ski has operated Lightning Motors since 2007 at 21644 E. Lincoln Highway in Lynwood.
The phone number for the New Lenox car lot is 815-717-8338. You can also reach Ski at 219-306-6302.

Car detailer opens in Mokena
Train Stop Detail Shop has opened at 11020 Front St. in downtown Mokena. Hours are by appointment by calling 708-478-7480.

Villa Rosa opens in Mokena
Tony’s Villa Rosa pizzeria has just opened a second location in the former Enzo’s Pizza at 11004 Front St. in downtown Mokena. Enzo’s closed in February but is still open in Homer Glen.

Villa Rosa has another location at 7177 St. Francis Road in Frankfort Square that also has an ice cream parlor.

The phone number for the Mokena location is 708-478-6702 and 815-464-6700 for the Frankfort location.

Free fish this week
Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is offering free general admission this week, which includes Waters of the World, Amazon Rising and the Caribbean Reef.

Savvy salutes the Hawks!

Oh, all right. We Southlanders agree to share this championship with North Siders (and everyone else in Chicagoland). I think there's consensus that the HAWKS ROCK!