The Return of the Clothesline Debate

Clotheslines are both romantic and practical. They have been the backdrop for women's movements, movies and many a warm backyard memory. Before clothes dryers gained popularity as a must have convenience, the clothesline got the job done with just sun and wind.

Somewhere along the line, the clothesline was deemed unsightly and became banned in certain neighborhoods. In today's energy aware world, the clothesline is making a comeback and advocates of this low-tech, energy-saving device are fighting for its fair return.

There's good reason behind the fight for this environmental champion. Air drying saves money, energy and cuts down CO2 emissions. On average, using a clothesline to dry laundry instead of a dryer can shave up to $100 per year off of your energy bill. The other argument for these long lived household helpers is that clothes dryers can create somewhere between 1,500 and 2,224 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually, per home.

The US EPA/DOE Energy Star program doesn’t label clothes dryers because most of them use the same amount of energy. There isn't much of a "green" choice among them. Today's consumers are more aware of their impact on the environment. We are using reusable grocery bags, buying organic, purchasing wind power yet, for the sake of convenience, wasting energy and sending out emissions with an appliance that is not always necessary.

There are over 88 million clothes dryers used in the United States which use 6 percent of all U.S. household electricity. Those numbers are staggering considering that we could easily get by without them, at least most of the time. Personally, I don't own a clothes dryer and I don't miss it. I don't have young children though and know that for many parents a dryer does offer sanity in a hectic day to day.

The question is not so much should we ban clothes dryers but why should we ban an easy alternative? Project Laundry List is at the forefront of clothesline acceptance. Most community associations for condos don't allow clotheslines at all merely because the lines are considered an eyesore.

Project Laundry List and a host of environmentally conscious advocates are organizing to bring the clothesline back with awareness events like National Hanging Out Day to give homeowners the “freedom to hang out“.

The move is part of the escalating environmental debate on the simple household chore of drying clothes. The traditional method of drying clothes on a clothesline is just more environmentally sound and earth conscious dwellers want to make the right choices, for themselves and the planet.

*Note: The information in this article is general advice and not meant as a substitute for personal guidance from a financial advisor, real estate professional or legal counsel. Although the author is a licensed realtor, the advice given in this article does not constitute any client contract or agreement between the author and the user. The author is not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your decisions.