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January 22, 2008
Clotheslines
As increasing numbers of people seek small ways to reduce their impact on the environment, it’s interesting that one simple option is against the law in many cities — hanging clothes to dry on an outside clothesline instead of using the dryer.
Should things change? Environmentalists and energy conservationists argue yes. Others say no — that the use of clotheslines is unsightly. The summer of 2008 may be the start of a “back to the future” battle for clotheslines.
The Province of Ontario, in Canada, has had a law on the books since 2003 that allows them to abolish local laws that ban clotheslines. They are now discussing carrying through by the summer of 2008, at least for people who live in detached houses and row houses. So soon, the majority of people in Ontario maybe able to use a clothesline.
In the United States, 60 million people live in communities governed by Home Owner Associations, and the majority ban clotheslines. As reported in the Christian Science Monitor:
At last count, in 2005, there were 88 million dryers in the US, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Annually, these dryers consume 1,079 kilowatt hours of energy per household, creating 2,224 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions.
Besides the global-warming and cost-saving aspects of clotheslines, proponents say hanging out clothes requires exercise and time outside – elements that are missing from many Americans’ lives. “So much of our lives have become automated,” Mr. Wentzell says. Plus, using a clothesline makes “your clothes last longer and smell better.”
Despite clotheslines’ purported benefits – and a scent that can rival dryer sheets’ “fresh rain” fragrance – “the overwhelming majority” of community associations regulate or ban them, says Frank Rathbun, vice president of communications for the Community Associations Institute in Virginia.
Apparently some US states are considering taking similar steps as Ontario Canada and over-riding home owner associations.
Although not everyone will switch to clotheslines, if more people had the option it could mean a 10% reduction in dryer use, saving thousands of kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
But many home owners are worried about property values declining because of laundry (somehow compared to the sub-prime mess and economic slow down, worrying about a clothesline seems trivial - however please correct me if I’m wrong).
In your city or town are clotheslines allowed? in your area who do you think will win the battle - the environment and clotheslines or home owner lobby groups?
Topics: ecological issues, planning policy, real estate, urban technologies, urban lifestyles, communities, development conflicts |
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I would love to dry my clothes outside more often, but here in Vancouver, the sun only shines reliably for a few months out of the year. Right now, we only dry outside in the summer.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Hey Andrew,
At least you (and I) have the option when the weather is nice to do this. In Coquitlam I hear that hanging clothes on a line is banned, for example.
Yeah, weather is an issue! But even if people in Vancouver can only dry clothes outside 50 days of the year, they should be allowed to do so — it’s a simple thing families can do to reduce their energy consumption.
January 24th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I wouldn’t be sold on hanging my clothes outdoor in Vancouver
But I do that whenever I visit my parents in Mexico.
January 24th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I think some HOA’s have too much power. I never realized some of them banned clotheslines…I think that’s more of a throwback rule from the previous era.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:37 am
I think that it is a good idea to have a clothesline b/c it helps the environment out by not having a dryer running and wasting hydro. It also helps out the home owner b/c it keeps costs low for them.