Apparently, 88 million dryers in the USA account for 6 percent of electricity consumed in US households, in fact they are the second biggest household consumer of power after, you guessed it, refrigerators.
That is, according to a story in the October 28, 2007 issue of the Denver Post. Writer, Nancy Lofholm, filed a story entitled “Hanging Tough – Humble clotheslines’ simplicity blows past technology in energy-conscious era.” I was surprised by how little energy in dollars that represents. The article claims the average household spends $80.00 on dryer energy annually.
So what are the benefits of hanging the clothes outside besides the delightful smell and the miracle of sunshine to deoderize and disinfect? I’ll admit, I love those few moments of outside time in the sunshine. Where I live, the surrouding scenery is spectacular, but even in a suburban setting I would hang clothes outside.
I’ll also admit that I’m a fair-weather outside clothesline advocate. When its freezing cold and the sun doesn’t hit my clothesline until noon, I opt for the dryer. Ditto if it is snowing or some other inclement weather excuse.
In the 50’s and 60’s when I grew up, everyone in my neighborhood had a clothesline that was accessed from the back porch year around. During the era before dryers became common household appliances, the clotheslines ran on a pully system to a big tree far back in the yard to hold several loads of wash at once in my neighborhood.
Where I live, I don’t have back porch convenience, but as an advocate of “old fashioned skills for contemporary people”, I hope you will consider using your humble clothesline, enjoy the outdoor time, as well as the energy savings.
Interestingly, back to Project laundry List, the organization’s motto is taken from good old Benjamin Franklin.
“We must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately.”
Of course I don’t think Ben was referring to laundry when he wrote this motto. This emerging trend is part of the recycle, reduce energy consumption crowd and has come head to head with many homeowner associations with covenants prohibiting or discouraging outdoor clotheslines.
Yes, in our modern litigous society, both homeowners and home owner’s associations and even municipalities have run lawsuits against each other over the lowly clothesline. Apparently a few forward thinking states have banned anti-clothesline rules.
The biggest problem with my clothesline is keeping track of the pins! I just discovered a great pattern to make a clothespin holder in The Treasury of Vintage Homekeeping Skills. If you love vintage, you love the old-fashioned art of homekeeping and need some gift ideas, consider investing in this Treasure of a book. This $29.95 book is free with an order of $200.00 or more, $15.00 with an order of $100 or more at www.urbanhomemaker.com. It makes a terrific gift for a young lady, a wedding gift, new mom, anyone who cares about the art of keeping a home.
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