Roasters Turn Up the Heat on Bob

On Thursday, May 10th our staff, supporters and colleagues came together to commemorate 20 great years of Bob Jenks as the Executive Director of CUB. In an effort to honor his past and toast to the future, special guests were given an opportunity to roast Bob last week at Jam on Hawthorne. Attendees enjoyed a wonderful show full of good laughs and hilarious anecdotes.  Some of the highlights included Jill and Macy, Bob’s wife and daughter, talking about Bob through the years and… Full Post >>

Looking into the Future of Energy

Last week I had the pleasure of attending once again the Future Energy Conference, one of two conferences held annual here in Portland and up in Seattle. The conference is a wonderful opportunity to bring together folks from all aspects of the energy sector, discussing policy, business, and sharing insights.

At last year’s conference, Governor John Kitzhaber announced his vision of a 10-year energy plan, and this year he followed up on that announcement during his lunchtime keynote on Wednesday. The Governor… Full Post >>

Reflecting on the Consumer Movement

I recently visited our nation’s capital for the annual consumer assembly of the Consumer Federation of America. The weather was beautiful, the cherry blossoms were emerging, and national leaders on consumer issues gathered in a hotel basement to discuss the most pressing issues that consumers, advocates, and policymakers are facing.

March 13th, the second day of the conference, marked the 50th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s Consumer Bill of Rights . This was landmark ruling that brought the consumer movement to… Full Post >>

CUB and Environmental Allies Speak Out about Electric Vehicle Policy

Today the Portland Tribune published an opinion piece written by CUB and several of our environmental partners.  In the piece, Oregon’s Renewable Energy Guides State to Prosperity: Policies Plug into Electric Vehicle Future, we emphasize the importance of creating intelligent policies on electric vehicles, in order to maximize the environmental benefits of this exciting technology and address consumers’ concerns and needs.  We broadly describe several key policies, supporting renewable energy integration and consumer interests, and emphasize the need for public… Full Post >>

CUB’s Week in Eugene

This past weekend, SA, Bob, and I had the pleasure of spending a few days in the great city of Eugene to partake in the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC). PIELC is an annual gathering for environmental activists, attorneys, students, scientists, and community members to share their expertise and insight about all things environmental (including lots of panels on energy and climate change, both of which are near and dear to CUB’s heart!).

We kicked off the weekend on Thursday night with a Meet… Full Post >>

Troutdale Library Workshop with CUB Connects

The CUB Connects crew headed to Troutdale this past Friday to offer our first educational workshop on Understanding Your Phone and Internet Bill. It was a small event, and the attendees were very grateful for the information we shared. The experience gave us a lot of motivation to continue offering workshops in the community.

The schedule of our upcoming workshops is available here . All of the workshops are free to the public and are conducted in partnership with the Multnomah County… Full Post >>

January Fix It Fair Great Fun!

On Saturday, January 21st, Emmaline and I headed to Rosa Parks Elementary in North Portland for our second community Fix-it Fair.  The City of Portland hosts these fairs to connect Portland residents to information and resources that can help them save money and be healthy at home.  The fairs are free and open to the public.

We spoke to over 60 people about the CUB Connects project and ways they can better understand and select phone and internet service options in their… Full Post >>

CUB’s 2011 Accomplishments

Here at CUB, our small staff works tirelessly in the fight to keep utility rates fair and affordable for customers, while also ensuring that utility practices remain in line with our values as Oregonians. 2011 was another great year for CUB, full of many victories and accomplishments for Oregon ratepayers.

Here are a handful of our accomplishments from last year, broken down by the type of utility:

Electricity

• CUB helped negotiate an agreement designed to end 30 years of litigation… Full Post >>

Oregon HEAT: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Keep the Heat and Lights On

It’s now officially winter, according to the calendar, with frost on the ground in the morning and the appearance of hats, gloves, and scarves.  For some Oregonians, the falling temperatures and early nightfall represent more than just a change of season.  These signal the beginning of months of anxiety for low-income residents who struggle to afford their increased heating and/or electricity bills.  Thousands of residents this winter will face difficult decisions that no one should have to make: pay their utility… Full Post >>

Utility Consumer Advocates Gather In St. Louis

I recently traveled to St. Louis for the Annual meeting of National Association of Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA). The meeting brings together people who work on behalf of utility customers from around the country, and now that I am back in my beloved home state, I’d like to share some impressions.

Many folks may not know that there is a national organization that connects all the disparate consumer advocate groups throughout the United States. But there is.  NASUCA helps utility consumer advocates… Full Post >>

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