Go ahead……show us your underwear!

Global warming is real so this is no time to be shy. So let’s show them our underwear!

York EcoHOME Action of the Month:
Air Dry Your Clothes. Minimize use of your Machine Dryer

✓ Clothes dryers consume more than 7% of the average household’s electricity usage
✓ Air-drying your clothes eliminate about 1/2 a ton of carbon dioxide per year.
✓ Air-drying your clothes can save more than $100 per year or MORE, and increases your clothes lifespan

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Big Picture

Two key strategies to reducing our home’s and our personal greenhouse gas emissions include reducing our electricity use and switching our electricity supply to solar or other renewable sources.

Air drying your clothes, like changing to LED light bulbs, is one of several things we can do to reduce our electricity use.

Our clothes dryers use more electricity than any other home appliance. It accounts for over 7% of our total electricity use. So this is a great place to target electricity use reduction.

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Options for Air Drying Your Laundry

Indoor & Outdoor Drying

In the warmer months, you can use an outdoor clothesline, and take advantage of the wind and sun. As a bonus, you get the benefit of that wonderful air-dried smell. There are as many ways to set up an outdoor clothesline as there are colors of clothing!

When the weather turns cold or rainy, bring your drying indoors with simple clothes drying rack. These racks fold up nicely when not in use. A regular rack can dry an entire wash load at a time!

If you don’t feel like installing a permanent outdoor clothesline, just bring your indoor drying rack outside on warm or sunny days. Portable drying racks are truly an all-year solution.

ImageDetails
linedryString a line: The simplest option is to tie each end of a clothesline to something that’s already there and not going anywhere. A pair of trees, a building and a tree, a deck, and a shed, etc.
pulley Hang a loop: Creating a clothesline loop between two pulleys allows you to stand in one place and add or remove clothes from your clothesline. This works great for example from a second-story balcony or a raised deck.
polesInstall Poles: If you don’t have trees or buildings to attach the clothesline to, you can “plant” two stationary poles. You can simply drive metal or wooden poles into the ground, or for a more permanent solution, you can dig a hole, pour some concrete, and give your clothesline poles a really stable home.
whirly-gigWhirly-Gig: Another option, especially if you are tight on space, is purchasing the traditional “whirly gig”…..the clothe line device that kinda looks like an umbrella.
dryingrackDrying Racks: Portable drying racks are truly an all-year solution.

Any Questions
Please email us at [email protected]. We are happy to speak with you on the phone as well. Just include your phone number in the email.

Will it reduce my greenhouse gas emissions?

Yes! By up to ½ a ton of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Will it reduce my consumption?

Yes! By up to 7% of your total electricity usage.

Will it reduce my monthly costs?

Yes. Save up to $100 per year or MORE! (Bigger savings if you use a laundromat)

For times when you can’t air-dry and need to use your machine dryer, here are a few handy tips to still save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Smart Choices when you do use your machine dryer
  • Spin more
    • More modern washing machines offer high-speed spin options that help their sister appliance (the dryer) work much shorter hours. Spinning water out of your clothes before you dry is a much more energy-efficient way to get to dry clothes.
  • Less is more
    • Don’t over-dry your clothes. Check your drier for a “less dry” option or decrease the # of minutes you dry. If you dry clothes 95%, by the time you come to get them, fold them and put them away they will be dry.
  • Moisture sensor
    • While you’re getting to know your drier better, check if it has a moisture sensor, and be sure to use it. This will avoid over-drying your clothes. This can cut several minutes of wasted drying per load!
  • Drier maintenance
    • Cleaning your lint filter every load is another great way to maximize the efficiency of your dryer. Also, be sure to clean out the drier exhaust line and vent from time to time. This will also save energy and reduce fire hazards.
  • Wash less
    • Less washing means less drying! Many kinds of laundry don’t need to be washed after every use. Check out this guide from Consumer Reports click here

FAQ’s

Who cares what the neighbors think. Let’s put ECO ahead of EGO. AND….maybe it will spark a neighborhood discussion and you can get others to join in the “Let’s Show Them Our Underwear” movement!

  • Maine, like several other states, has a Right to Dry law. Condo and Home Owner Associations can not prevent clotheslines. Tell them they are “out of line”. =)
  • And of course, you can air-dry inside too!

Send us an email at [email protected] And we can refer you to a HandyMan service or try to find a volunteer to help.

Send us an email at [email protected]

We can help get you a clothesline or drying rack at no cost.

Yes, we have selected a few:

For Children:  Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby

For Adults:  The New Climate Wars by Michael Mann ( climatologist/ geophysicist from Penn State)

Are you looking for more information…?

Check out some of our EcoHOMES Initiatives:
Switch your electricity supply to Solar
FREE LED Bulb Exchange
Composting/Food Waste Recycling
Learn More Learn More Learn More
Air Dry Your Clothes
Heat Pump Water Heaters
Learn More Learn More

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Do you have questions or comments?
We would love to hear from you!

Click here to send us a private email or post a comment/question on the EcoHOMES solar discussion board below.

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