EVANSTON, Ill. (WBBM) – Some people may think it doesn’t matter if you turn out the lights when you leave a room or use energy efficient appliances, but some Evanston residents do – and they were rewarded for it.

As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Bernie Tafoya reports, more than 300 Evanston residents signed up for the Citizens Utility Board Energy Saver program, and together they were stingier in their electricity use than people from other cities and towns in Illinois.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Bernie Tafoya reports

Thus, as a prize, CUB is giving the City of Evanston a prize of more than 21,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs.

“The community saved a total of 350,321 kilowatt-hours. That’s enough to power about 125 refrigerators for a year,” said Citizens Utility Board spokesman Jim Chilsen.

CUB is now starting a new contest, the prize being electric bills paid for a year for two people. CUB’s message – energy efficiency is good for the planet, and great for your wallet.