Illinois PIRG

10/07/2026

Happy !

You don't need expensive equipment or a professional contractor to cut energy waste at home. Many fixes are affordable and take less than 15 minutes using basic tools you already own (like scissors, a tape measure, and a screwdriver!).

A few quick upgrades you can tackle today:
🚪Install a Door Sweep: Stop cold air from blowing under exterior doors.
🪟Peel-and-Stick Weatherstripping or caulking: Seal drafty window frames in minutes.
💡LED bulbs: Swap out old lighting for more efficient lightbulbs that save energy.

Simple DIY gives are a great start, but we need more changes to make clean, efficient homes accessible to everyone. Tell us your vision for a clean energy home! https://pirg.org/illinois/edfund/take-action/tell-us-your-vision-for-a-clean-energy-home/

10/07/2026

Happy ! Did you know that chargers continue to draw energy even when they aren’t connected to a device? Unplug your chargers when they’re not in use to reduce your energy waste. Learn more energy efficient tips with our Citizen’s Guide to Reducing Energy Waste: https://pirg.org/illinois/resources/citizens-guide-to-reducing-energy-waste/

10/05/2026

38 Chicago elected officials have joined Illinois PIRG in calling on regulators to reject the absurd Peoples Gas rate hike.

A major driver of these rate increases is the utility's pipe replacement program. It’s a massive source of wasteful spending. In fact, the utility’s own data reveals the program yields a meager 1 cent of benefit for every dollar it costs, all while failing to improve safety.

Don’t let wasteful spending define Chicago’s future. Tell regulators to deny the rate hike and end the pipeline replacement program:
https://pirg.org/illinois/take-action/safer-cleaner-energy-for-chicago-2/

10/03/2026

Could your Peoples Gas bill be going up again? 38 Chicago elected officials just joined us at City Hall to call on state regulators to block this outrageous rate hike. Tell regulators to deny the rate hike and end the pipeline replacement program:
https://pirg.org/illinois/take-action/safer-cleaner-energy-for-chicago-2/

09/29/2026

Join us for, "Do the rot thing: How to compost at home" on Wednesday, September 30th at 11pm Central and celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week.

We've invited Cassandra Marketos, author of Compost After Reading, to guide us through the basics of composting at home and answer any questions you have. People of all experience levels are encouraged to join.

Join our webinar and learn how to compost at home from expert Cassandra Marketos.

09/23/2026

Interested in making your home healthier, cleaner, and more energy-resilient? Join us this Saturday, September 26, from 12-2 PM in Riverside, IL, for the Riverside Electrification Open House. Tour an electrified home featuring rooftop solar, heat pumps, induction cooking, and EV charging.

We're excited to be cohosting this event with Third Act Illinois, Illinois Clinicians for Climate Action, Faith in Place, Edgewater Environmental Coalition and Oak Park Climate Action Network.

Tour a local home to see clean energy living in action!

02/20/2026

ICYMI: On January 31st, we hosted a Clean Energy Home Tour in Champaign, IL with partners Prairie Rivers Network, Illinois Green Alliance, Faith in Place, Environment Illinois and Build Equinox. It was a great time talking with Champaign residents about home electrification. You can read the recap and find out about future clean energy home tours on our website.

On January 31, 2026 homeowner Alex Long gave Champaign residents walk-through of his electrified home and cost savings

02/14/2026

Love clean energy? This Valentine's Day tell us how much you love clean energy homes.

From heat pumps to solar panels, energy efficiency and clean energy technologies are giving many of us more reasons to love our homes!

01/22/2026

Join Illinois PIRG, Prairie Rivers Network, Illinois Green Alliance, Faith in Place, Environment Illinois and Build Equinox for a home electrification tour. Free snacks, drinks, and lots of information on energy efficient home heating!

01/19/2026

If its most recent rate hike proposal is approved, Nicor rates will have risen 170% in under a decade. As gas heating bills continue to rise, we are bringing Nicor customers together for a community discussion.

We’ll discuss the future of gas for home heating in Illinois and how to move towards safer, cleaner, energy to heat our homes.

The Future of Gas in Illinois: A discussion for a cleaner, healthier future
Date: Saturday, January 31st
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Nordlof Center, 118 N Main St, Rockford, IL 61101
RSVP: https://pirg.org/illinois/edfund/events/the-future-of-gas-in-illinois-a-discussion-for-a-cleaner-healthier-future/

Free and open to all. Families are welcome. Food and resources provided.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us on January 31st, 2026 to unpack how gas bills are becoming increasingly unaffordable, the ways gas utilities impact our communities, and what accountability really looks like.