They're banning clotheslines now?

[RA5CViggie]

Debate Follows Bills to Remove Clotheslines Bans

After taking a class that covered global warming last year, Jill Saylor decided to save energy by drying her laundry on a clothesline at her mobile home.

“I figured trailer parks were the one place left where hanging your laundry was actually still allowed,” she said, standing in front of her tidy yellow mobile home on an impeccably manicured lawn.

But she was wrong. Like the majority of the 60 million people who now live in the country’s roughly 300,000 private communities, Ms. Saylor was forbidden to dry her laundry outside because many people viewed it as an eyesore, not unlike storing junk cars in driveways, and a marker of poverty that lowers property values.

In the last year, however, state lawmakers in Colorado, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont have overridden these local rules with legislation protecting the right to hang laundry outdoors, citing environmental concerns since clothes dryers use at least 6 percent of all household electricity consumption.

Florida and Utah already had such laws, and similar bills are being considered in Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia, clothesline advocates say.

The new laws have provoked a debate. Proponents argue they should not be prohibited by their neighbors or local community agreements from saving on energy bills or acting in an environmentally minded way. Opponents say the laws lifting bans erode local property rights and undermine the autonomy of private communities.

[Rick In San Jose]

I'll give up my clothesline when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.

[synnabun]

Seriously! Growing up we ALWAYS dried our clothes on a clothesline. It makes sense. It's cheaper.

[RA5CViggie]

At least the clothesline doesn't eat socks.

[JerryStopher]

But the dryer leaves the clothes April-fresh, static-free, soft and fluffy, and non-fattenning!

And why I was a wee lad, we had a gas-heated dryer with a glass front door, which was better than watching TV -> the dryer was in color!

[Rick In San Jose]

Originally Posted by JerryStopher

And why I was a wee lad, we had a gas-heated dryer with a glass front door, which was better than watching TV -> the dryer was in color!

But could you still watch after they switched from analog to digital wash cycles?

[4dogknight]

I hope they don't lift the ban on clothes lining in the NFL.

[Rick In San Jose]

Originally Posted by 4dogknight

I hope they don't lift the ban on clothes lining in the NFL.

Agreed. That's a great technique for wringing out opposing players and changing the Tide of a game, thereby making the fans Cheer.

[4dogknight]

Originally Posted by Rick In San Jose

Agreed. That's a great technique for wringing out opposing players and changing the Tide of a game, thereby making the fans Cheer.

And all brought to you by Proctor & Gamble who for years tested their products on animals and is now using animals to promote Dawn, one of their products. But that's a topic for another day and forum.

The last time I saw someone clothes lined in an actual NFL game was a 90's Green Bay game. I can't remember who they were playing but t'wern't GB that did the deed. I'm thinking another Bay team, Tampa.

Back to topic. I remember my mom hanging out the wash every Monday. Actually every one in the neighborhood did laundry on Monday and hung the wet clothes the same day or the following day. But in those days folks weren't so hoity-toity and full of themselves.
We rented and always lived on the second floor. Mom would schlep the dirty clothes down to the basement, wash and wring them out then schlep the clean wet clothes upstairs and put them out on the clothes line.

Two apartments later, I took my mom to Sears to get a washer and dryer. She wanted the same old washer with the wringer but as long as I was footing the bill, it was a birthday gift, I purchased the single unit washer/dryer. She no longer had to run up and down stairs; dirty clothes in and clean dry clothes out. My cousin rigged up a ring system so she would hear when the entire cycle was finished. Best use of money spent!

[Rick In San Jose]

I use a clothesline fairly often. I find that clothes, and especially blankets, smell much fresher after having been dried outside than in a dryer. Plus, the heat of the sun doesn't show up on my PG&E bill.

[kwanette]

Originally Posted by 4dogknight

Back to topic. I remember my mom hanging out the wash every Monday. Actually every one in the neighborhood did laundry on Monday and hung the wet clothes the same day or the following day. But in those days folks weren't so hoity-toity and full of themselves.
We rented and always lived on the second floor. Mom would schlep the dirty clothes down to the basement, wash and wring them out then schlep the clean wet clothes upstairs and put them out on the clothes line.

Two apartments later, I took my mom to Sears to get a washer and dryer. She wanted the same old washer with the wringer but as long as I was footing the bill, it was a birthday gift, I purchased the single unit washer/dryer. She no longer had to run up and down stairs; dirty clothes in and clean dry clothes out. My cousin rigged up a ring system so she would hear when the entire cycle was finished. Best use of money spent!

This story made my day. Just lovely.

It reminds me of my mom and the wringer washing machine we had when I was young...with the big stone tub next to it for rinsing. Of course, the clothes were hung outon the line.She was always bare-footed when she hung out wash, even in winter..She hated shoes.

I'm smiling now, thanks.

[EigthAv]

I haven't used a dryer in over 7 years. I hang laundry around the house and have always been into "natural drying". Banning clothes lines is an ignorant concept.

[attyfan]

I use a dryer, but I do other things to reduce my energy usage. IMO, it is a question of choice. Those people who want to use clotheslines should be free to do so.