Monday, October 8, 2007

Clothespin Wielding Radicals

Time was, you wanted to be radical, you had to do something pretty crazy - hunger strike, sit-in, maybe chaining yourself to a nuclear power plant. Now a new group of radicals has banded together who want to ... hang their clothes out on old-fashioned clotheslines, with clothespins, no less! What is this world coming to? You know this is a radical group since they were featured in SierraClub magazine!
This clothesline lobby group is committed not just to education - reminding people that when you hang clothes out to dry, it requires only time and a little effort, neither consuming fossil fuels nor emitting CO2 - but they are also an advocacy group. Seems lots of condo and townhouse associations do not permit clotheslines outdoors. It looks too Beverly Hillbillyish, and would lower people's property values if clothes were visible on lines.
As it happens I am a big practitioner of clothes hanging, but I don't actually go outside. We all have allergies and are paranoid about pollen. Instead I hang our laundry in our teensy laundry room - over doors, from hangers on a horizontal rack, and on my really cool Ikea octopus.
It's round and has 16 little clothespins suspended, perfect for sox, lingerie, and handkerchiefs.
Yes, handkerchiefs. Figures that someone who likes clothespins would also go in for handkerchiefs. You know the type! I never need to iron anything, but just throw the laundry in the dryer for about 5 minutes when it's almost dry. Things last a lot longer, it humidifies our dry winter air, saves on electricity (good for both pocketbook and planet). You can check out the stats at the LaundryList.
PS The Wall Street Journal picked this up, and linked it on their website with an article on just this topic.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hear, Hear sister! I am a clothesline user. Living in New Mexico, I am shocked at how many people are dazed and confused by my practices, when in fact in this arid climate your clothes are pratcially dry before you let go of the clothespin!

Enjoyed your post.