Fresh summer breezes are blowing a changing trend right into our own backyards: clotheslines!
In fact, in this energy-taxed, yet increasingly eco-conscious society, this mainstay from yesterday is becoming popular again.
Unfortunately, laundry is not a one-time deal. Just like that cat, it keeps coming back! Drying it can thus add up to a lot of energy consumption. It’s estimated that five dryers produce the same emissions as an average size car. Depending on the number of individuals in a family, the dryer may be running multiple times in one week. According to Environment Canada, an average household uses approximately 50KWh of electricity per month to dry their clothes. By using a clothesline instead, they could reduce their electricity usage by 600 KWh per year, preventing tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
For those cold winter months, there are compact drying racks, which can be used indoors. With your home already using energy to stay toasty warm, it’s a great way to dry your clothes quickly and efficiently. Many use these racks outdoors in the summer as well due to the large amount of laundry that can be hung on them at one time.
Besides the energy and economic benefits, hanging your clothes to dry can help them last longer. Notice all that lint caught in the lint filter? That’s your clothing slowly disintegrating each time it’s machine dried. Surely your favourite t-shirt deserves better. Heck, so does the earth!
Governments are realizing this as well and are now lifting bans on clotheslines in major cities such as Toronto; a ban that baffled many eco-conscious citizens who questioned the appropriateness of it in view of our global environmental crisis.
Some still complain of the ‘eye-sore’ factor, but many feel it is a small price to pay to help ensure a greener tomorrow. Still others argue that clean, fresh laundry blowing in the breeze can actually foster a feeling of community and encourage industriousness. In fact, being a quiet reminder of everyday life, clotheslines can even conjure up a sense of nostalgic calm within us, heightened by the peace of mind we feel knowing we are doing our part for a greener future.
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